The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-03
TWIN CITIES TRADE
REVIEW OF CONDITIONS DURING
THE YEAR WHICH HAS
JUST CLOSED
SATISFACTORY IN STAPLES

The Volume Locally beyond All Ex-
pectatfOns - Collections Excel
lent and the Outlook for Spring
Trade PrOmising-LargeIy In
creased Flour Output From the
MILLS of Minneapolis.
St. PauI-Jobbers are Invoicing and as
usual doing but little business, though the
year has been beyond expectation and dry
goods houses report satisfactory increase over
the previous year, large In the first six
months and excellent in the fall, in spdto Of
lOw-prtced wheat. The outlook Dor spring
trade In this 1ine was never better. Jobbers
In hardware and saddlery report the best
trade in their history, not excepting 1892,
heretofore considered the banner year. Shoes
have found a ready market, especially In the
FALL and hat and FUR houses report good in
crease over last year, with marked de-
mand for the better class OF goods. Plumb
erS supplies building materials and lumber
have moved freely. and retail trade is better
than for several years past. Collections very
satisfactory.-Dun' Review, Dec. 81.
e
MinneaD Olis-The year has been satis-
factory and in all staple lines shows large
Improvement, while Jobbers and manufactur-
ers are preparing for larger trade next
year. Lumber shipments for the week were
4675,O0O feet, against 1,575, 900 last year, and
shipments in December were about double
those Of 1897. Real estate transfers for the
week amount to $197 $3.50. Flour output re-
ported by the Northwestern Miller, Minneap-
Oils. 37O.24o bbls. against 1879 15O bbls last
year; SUPERIORITY 68045 bbls, against
$3.50 bbIs; Milwaukee, Al, $50 bbls, against 3d.
800 bbls, and st. Louis, $4,000 bbls, against
$4,000 bbls; total 530,935 bbls, against 2SS, 900
bbls last year. Minneapolis sales approximate
10000 bbls, with foreign shipments 1876, 155
bbls. Mills are operating at full capacity,
expecting an advance Of Ito in freight rates
Jan. l. Wheat receipts at country points
are moderate. but since Nov 1 stocks in
Minneapolis houses have increased 40G0, 0C0
blu. Money is easy.-Dun's Review Dec. 81.
st. Paul-Business conditions have been
satisfactory in all lines, and In the majority
have shown material improvement throughout
the year. Among jobbers reports show an
increase In volume Of commodities handled,
and In the value of same ranging from 8
to 70 Der cent above figures Of 1897. The
proportion Of increase between bulk and
value varies. usually indicating lower prices
for goods and correspondingly larger amounts
distributed. This condition Is reversed In the
boot and shoe and grocery lines only, where
prices have ranged slightly higher. In manu-
features the same conditions have prevailed.
but with smaller ratio of gain, and no ex-
ceptions noted In favor of higher prices.
Losses have been light as compared with
former years, and the condition Is attributed
more generally Ito abundance of money than
to greater vigilance in the supervision of ac-
counts. The general outlook Is regarded,
without exception, as indicating prosperous
conditions during the coming season, and the
majority of business men are In expectation
OF continuance Of favorable trade for a
period OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, Dec. 81.
MinneapoIfs-The year 1898 has been
very satisfactory for mercantile and manu-
facturlng interests in this city Jobbers find
good increase in their volume of sales
this being most marked In agricultural i'm,
PIGMENTS, dry goods hardware, hats, furs,
paper and glass, where the increase ranges
from % to 40 per cent. In groceries, crock,
cry, drugs, boots shoes and machinery the
increase has been from Is to 20 per cent
Owing to peculiar conditions existing in the
grain trade the first six months Of the
year were not satisfactory to flour manufao-
turers. for, while the output was large, the
margin OF profit was very small During the
past few months conditions have much i'm
proved, however. and the present output ia
the largest in the history of the trade and
with satisfactory profits. In the lumber trade
the year has been an encouraging one.; Sales
nave been larger in volume than last year
by good percentage, and there has heen
neatthy Improvement In prices General
manufacturers express satisfaction with The
years business. For 1899 the outlook is re-
garded with pleasant anticipations, and very
healthy business is confidently expected
Bradstreet's. Dec. 81.
GENERAL TRADE.
WOoI-No seventh son is needed to exnIa,n
why wool has been weak with small trans
actions in 1898. Prices were hoisted before
the year began for far beyond consuming de-
mand, and quite regardless of the we'll known
fact that mills held extraordinary stocks of
cheap wool. While they were able to use
such wool conveniently, holders still hosted
prices until the middle of February. Entire
absence of buying staggered them, and prices
began to sag. But dealers had little concep-
ton of the enormous stocks on hand, now said
to be 279, O00,0O0 lbs, In dealers hands by the
Wool and Cotton Reporter. and yielded quo
tations too slowly to help themselves until
late in the year, when reduction of about 20
prompted heavy buying by the mills.-Dun's
Review, Dec. 81.
Wooden GOods-The wooden goods diyi-
sion opened with the prestige of an active
business and advancing prices In 1897 and
with the general belief on the part of manu-
facturers that 1898 would carry the movement
still further. Business in January hardly
came Go to their expectations, and that dis
appointment was followed by wholesale can
collation. of orders in February and March.
leaving many mills presumably well covered
by contracts. with unsold stocks on hand
The upward movement was at once succeeded
by irregularity in prices. resulting by the
end Of the first half of the year in open de-
clines in a number Of staple products-Dun'
Review, Dec. 81.
Cotton Goods-The year 1898 opened un-
der unfavorable auspices in all departments.
Business had been poor and stocks had ac-
cumulated. Early in the year the general
demand showed promise of overtaking cur
rent rate OF production until fear of war
with Spain exercised restrictive influence.
Meanwhile there he'd been labor troubles in
New England. resulting in prolonged strike
at New Bedford, which relieved the market
of accommodations in the finer cotton goods.
The war itself created spasmodic demand
for drills. ducks, sheetings. ticks. etc. and
furnished employment for mills which other
wise would probably have lain idle. This de-
mand. while helping the market in special
directions. was Of no avail in others. and the
general tendency Of prices was downwards.
carrying the average lower than ever before
in the cotton goods Industry. Manufacturers
had also to contend against declining mar
ket for raw material to the lowest price ever
known. The record for the greater part of
the year was thus one Of disappointment, of
poor regular trade. Of low prices and of
SCantV III pr0f1fS fo p,,fo
The close Of the war marked diminution