Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-29
CONDITION OF OMAHA'S TRADE
General Business Situation All that ANY
One Could Ask.
IoBBEEs WITHOUT EXCEPTION SATISFIED
Cooler weather and storms Bring an
Increased Demand for Merchnn-
dise-Nalues show Much Firm
ness on Most Lines.

been most satisfactory during the last week.
The demand on the part OF retailers in
this section of the country continues heavy
and consequently all classes of goods are
being shipped into the country at a rapid
rate. Collections too, are unusually good,
the tendency being to do business more
nearly on a cash basis than ever before.
Manufacturers are rapidly adopting the
thirty-day term system which is quite diff
ferent from the concession they granted a
Few years ago. This change in the credit
system, so the jobbers say, is due to the
experience of the last five or six years,
when the evils of extended credit were visi-
BILE to everyone Manufacturers are in a
position now to put in force these reformed
business methods, they call them, be-
cause competition is not sharp and there is
market for all the goods being manu-
the manufacturers OF course necessitate
jobbers making some alterations in their
terms of credit, but the general opinion
seems to be that this tendency to reduce
business transactions more nearly to
cash basis is of advantage to all CON
to neither the retailer nor the jobber., The
tendency Of the market on practically all
lines Is still upward and a few sharp ad-
yances took place during the last week.
wholesale grocers report a good weeks
In Just about the same channels II has been
Tor some time past. The market was per
haps more steady last week than of late, but
the tendency of prices is stun upward and
some lines advancing. In the line of canned
goods. corn and tomatoes are at present at,
particularly is this true of the former. it
Is claimed that not in good many years
a strong position, with such light stocks SO
close Sio to the end of the packing season,
buckwheat flour, beans, tapicoa and saso
oil being quoted little higher than they
dried fruits and coffee ii is IN in practically @ the
same position it was n week ago, but nuts
of nearly all kinds are advancing.
Prices Nearing the Top.
Hardware men also well pleased with
the way business is going. They say there
seems to be no let up in the number or
size of the orders received, and nearly the
vances The advances of last week. how
ever. were not Of much Importance to the
the lesser lines. In speaking of the future
of the hardware market a prominent jobber
opinion that prices on most staple lines
have pretty nearly reached the top notch,
to advance for some time There is, how
ever, not the slightest indication of weak
mes In the market for staples but
strength. AS an example of the general
confidence in future prices, it might be
stated that the railroads have already
placed orders for 100000 tons of rails. to
be delivered during the coming year. The
price paid, so advices from the east state,
Is the present market value of S33 per ton,
SO it Is evident that railroad officials are
not looking for a break in the market. The
total output of all the rail mills during the
present year is estimated at not more than
their contracts call for, and consequently
that much must be carried over until next
at the present time the steel rail mills have
contracted for next year about z per cent
Of their annual annual capacity, which lis is con. on
iron and steel market will be fully main,
tained for at least another year.
Storms Help Sales.
The demand for dry goods in wholesale
a
especially in the far west where some
doing big business and anticipating still
greater demand. Local jobpers consequently
Coming sNi in @ from ever: every direction The gen
eral tone of the market Is just about the
same as it has been all along. Print good!
nre perhaps a little stronger, but practicall,
all lines are constantly tirming up, with tn,
demand far exceeding the supply.
Rubber Goods Active.
Nothing particularly new was reported b!
the boot and shoe men. There Is goot
steady trade in footwear much better, IL
fact, than could be reasonably expected
considering the weather. Everyone is look
Ing for big recorder business to set in al
soon as the retailers, stocks are broken VI
after cold weather sets in. The ,rubbe
goods trade last week experienced quit
spurt, retailers are anxious to ge
their stocks before the per cent advance
announced for November /, goes Into effect
t6ey couId do to- m ny fhetr rN orders d and vii
be kept busy for several days llling tn
orders already received There has beel
heavy trade this season in what ar
called seconds or lightweight goods, am
jobbers are experiencing considerable dif
nculty in getting stock fast enough to iii
their orders. as many OF the largest manu-
tacturers are oversold. The exceptionall
owing to the fact that they are onered a
rather favorable figures ana also to the hg
price OF the heavyweight goods. Ihe de
mand for leggins Is also good this season
but snow Is needed TO 'prinS them INT
The hide market last week showed som
tendency to weaken in anticipation OF tn
long haired hides which Will soon begi
TO come Receipts are on the increase
Fruit and Produce.
Fruit and produce men found their cit
trade rather quiet last week. There Is /
reality but little to be handled Just a
present as the weather is too warm to d
much in potatoes and market gardener
monopolize much OF the vegetable trade
Cold weather, however. will improve cor
diiions and give commission men their us ia
amount of business The shipping trade ma
fairly lo E g0od p"a as an we New Yor
grapes are still, IN good supply and tn
auaiSy mpr9Syed Good Ssaippi9g Gr,; stock 6
for shipping are quoted about the same, a
they were a week ago The warm wa weathe ,btt
good deal of 1t has to be SOLD at To-
igure, which naturally has tendency, I
A few western peas are !eft on the mark,
and are selling at s225a2 80. Sweet pSta,tot % ,tS
tribe higher than last weeks price
Celery is selling all The way. from zoe
4Oc, the price depending upon the size, tt
Kearney crop this year is rather inferil
weather early In the year and too dr
weather later on made the stalks slend'
The egg market is consid erably lower tina
1t was a week ago owing to LIBERAL r.
cepts and not a very heavy demand, an
also to declining markets in the east, Goo
stock is quoted at l5a4l6c, Receipts
poultry are also heavy and the mark
weak. Hens are worth from 6c to 6l9c, ar
spring chickens 7c. Butter, on the col
trary, is not coming in. very abundant
and the market is Arm Game is quoted
the same prices, with both receipts ar
demand light There was no change,
oysters last week, the increased recetp
being readily disposed OF at the san
prices,