Omaha daily bee., 1899-08-27
CONDITION OF OMAHA'S TRADE
Retailers Are Anticipating a Very Excellent
September Trxds.
IoBBERs GIVE OUT ONLY GOOD REPORTS
Combines md Rumors of Combines
Among Eastern Mnnufacturers-
California Driving Sicily Out of
Fruit Markets-Money Easy.

Conditions governing the local retail trade
of Omaha have not changed in any marked
degree since the beginning of last week.
The fall season, however, is near at hand
and merchants are looking forward with
confidence to an active period in all de-
partments. There appears to be plenty of
money in general circulation and, as bus
mess enterprises of all kinds have been
fairly remunerative, a large demand for
the best class OF merchandise is anticipated.
AT the same time labor has been well EN-
ployed and It would seem as IL all classes
would be In a position to satisfy their
wants in the way of merchandise. In adj
dition, 1t Is expected that the coming
month will witness a large influx of visitors
which will fill up the hotels and lodging
houses with people who will have to be fed
and cared for. In addition, many of them
viii undoubtedly take advantage of their
presence in the city to do an immense
amount of fam and winter shopping. Present
indications would seem TO point to a most
excellent business in store for the month
or September.
With the jobbers an active business is
doing and most houses report orders COM
ing IN about as fast as they can be con-
nemently disposed Of. Travelling statesmen
reports bearing on conditions in the coun-
try. Quite a large number of country mer-
placed liberal orders with local jobbers. 1t
was easy to see from their conversation and
orders. that Ia WEN tbey as fro from w the size soS of their
well pleased with the outlook for fall and
winter business. 1t is doubtful 4 there
ever was a time in the history of the state
W.hen money was any easier In the country
snan 1t is at the present time. In addition
crops, which means still more money to be
placed in general circulation.
To Control Beet Sugar Industry.
Grocery jobbers are watching with some
interest the recent. organization in New
I1Ork OF what is Known as the "RptaHl
Grocers' company" Its object is ito COM
t pine eoy With other 9TH big companies in the east
the intention. to combine about twenty
sSS9mnR9San.i lie '.o With tn capital stock ranging from
been Incorporated, taking in companies in
Philsdelphia, Scranton. Altoona. Cleveland.
cuse and Utica. The various companies
are to be distributing agents.
While IL beet sugar Is particularly referred
the new company will have to distribute a
considerable amount of refined Cuban and
other foreign sugars. 1t is estimated that
the sugar sales of grocery jobbers con-
stitute at least one-quarter of their entire
not deteriorate and for which there is a
steady, constant demand jobbers have quite
frequently cut the prices Of sugar to net
poet such treatment from the wholesalers.
fW et the sugar trust put into operation its
only, with the exception OF a few accounts
that had been on its books and on the
poohS VI COurpVHCHt COMPANIES TOT Years,
This gave the wholesale grocers, who alone
were the factors, an opportunity to secure
The terms Of the factor e etueef in fact a su ren.
dered a profit compulsory. AS time went
on, however, the trusts factor plan, or at
a aeS. rate Its practical o0servants' was modi-
Another piece of news from the east that
is of considerable interest to another branch
of the jobbing trade, as well as to retailers,
Is to be found In the reported efforts to
under one management The mills Inter-
ested are chiefly those located at Fall River
and, according to the latest adyices, it looks
be formed which will absorb some $50. 600
600 worth Of manufacturing property in that
a S's SAVING II If & si.C sse 80 q s seas this will effect
Produce and Fruit.
Local produce and fruit jobbers are quite
busy. At the present time the handling of
p pa,etGnals Of ofo the t eSai' volume a Omaha on1s la hss
developed q surprisingly large appetite for
acreage. shipments from the outside are
quite heavy. Muscatine Ia, was formerly
the reputation of producing the best in the
country; A good many melons are still re-
have been making large inroads on the
market, During the last year or two Rocky
fair to gain the reputation for producing the
very best melons In the west. Supplies
from that point do not arrive as early as
hcdIpy PoililS dIu ~ lll6l car VII
not put In an appearance until some time
this week,
wholesale fruit men at this season of the
time figuring on the apple crop. 1t appears
there will be apples for shipment in every
state known as a commercial apple-produc-
ing center. California will have plenty and
the eastern part of Kansas will have an
ample crop OF excellent quality. Missouri's
yield will be about the average, with a fair
supply of the Ben Davis" which is the
standard variety in that state. In Illinois
and Indiana there are spots here and there
where there will be heavy yields and Michi-
gan reports a fair-sized crop. Iowa, as
usual. will have plenty of good fruit.
Another matter of interest to fruit men
and, In q certain degree, to every one con-
cerned In the growth of American indus
tries, Is the steady advancement in public
favor of California lemons. It was only q
very short time ago that lemons from that
state were considered very inferior to the
imported, hut the Californians set about
learning the art of curing their fruit until
lemons from the coast have very largely
supplanted the imported In all markets west
of the Mississippi. AT the same time that
the California growers have been improving
their fruit the Sicily exporters have seemed
intent only on dumping all their poor fruit
into America. The result is seen in the
growing dissatisfaction and complaints of
losses on the part of eastern importers of
the foreign fruit. As California has many
hundreds of thousands of trees not yet in
full bearing II looks very much as II i'm
ported lemons would soon become a great