Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-14
CONDITION OF OMAHA TRADE
Prices on Merchandise Have a Strong Upward
Tendency.
MONEY APPEARS TO BE FAIRLY EASY
with Dealers of All Classes the En-
tire situation Can lie summed
Up ms Being Most
satisfactory.

rapidly upward. Groceries, hardware, dry
goods, lumber, In fact most all commodities
have shown substantial gains In the mat
ter Of price, but during last week there
was a lull and for the time being values
are practically stationary Stiil the feeling
Is firm In most lines. The movement of
merchandise into consuming channels has
been fairly active and all that could be
expected at this season of the year, when
the farming communities are busily en-
gagged in planting crops. Money appears to
be fairly easy, as evidenced by the greatly
improved demand for real estate and the
whoe business situation may be summed
up as entirely satisfactory
Wholesale grocers report trade during the
last week as being even better than 1t was
u week ago. There is a good active demand
for practically all lines, wnile the more sea-
sonaDle goods are being shipped AT rapid
rate. The market last week was productive
. of fewer changes than during any previous
week IN good many months Inc feeling,
however, is very firm all along the line and
the tendency of prices is upward rather
than downward. The sugar market is In
the same position It was a week ago, but
higher prices are looked for in the near
future, as consumption Is very heavy and
Is steadily increasing. FarnaCeous goods,
dried fruits and canned goods are all the
same as they were a week ago The only
change of Importance so far as known Is
the advance in fruit jars, amounting to
from so cents to 81 per gross. The advance
Is In anticipation of u big consuming de-
mand, as the berry crop IS reported large.
Hardware Reasonably Active.
The hardware market last week was also
devoid of special features. II Is rare oc-
currenCc of late to have a week pass with
out several important advances, but as far
as known the market Is in just about the
same position 1t was at last report Local
Jobbers say they are having u nice run or
trade and that general conditions are much
better than they We're a month ago. Re
more business than they were a few weeks
ago, probably due to the fact that farmers
are not as badly rushed as they were be-
fore small grains Dealers who
have been seen speak very favorably of the
business outlook and are figuring on a mic, nice
trade all summer. The Improvement with
the country jobbers say, Is very nOuceabie
in the condition of collections. There is
still marked shortage in seasonable goods
which frequently causes considerable
trouble one jobber remarked that some
orders which he placed four weeks ago are
The local demand for all lines of SEASON.
able dry goods continues to be entirely
joying a nice trade and stocks are being
rapidly broken up. The favorable outlook
good summer trade and consequently are
placing liberal orders. The volume OF busi-
season is considerably larger than that done
during the corresponding period of any pre-
yious year, and indications al seem to be
mand in the future. Travelling men report
favoraby on the outlook in the country and
say that If crops come out all right there
will be the heaviest run of fall business
ever known.
Inc general market Is Sllll III II very IIUl
position with no signs of weakness. Re
ports from eastern points show that stocks
are well cleaned up and in many cases the
supply is not keeping up with the demand.
The print goods situation was greatly i'm
proved last week, when a sale of ,25O,OOO
pieces was made which cleaned up the sup;
ply of those lines in good shape. 1t is said
that steady market until october l at
least is now assured, and the last trace of
weakness removed Not only did the sale
improve the market on print cloths, but
pXnDrt cotton
goods is also exceptionally heavy this year
and more could be done were it not for the
limited stocks.
A sharp advance in fancy calicoes is now
being predicted as soon as the new lines are
vance will be is as yet unknown Woolen
goods are also in a very strong position,
Silks are also firm in tone, but no important
fluctuations are looked for in the near
future
Country Shoe Stocks Low.
Boot and shoe jobbers report a very fair
amount of business, for last week. Stocks
in the country are beginning to run rather
low and consequently orders are on the in
craase. nice recorder business is looked for
this month and the way orders are coming
IN at the present tme, 1t looks as though
Ing men are meeting with good success
selling fall goods and say that Omaha job
trade trad ' every year. Retailers like the idea of
having market close at home and are
rapidly coming TO appreciate the advantages
offered by Omaha dealers.
There is not much to be said regarding
the rubber goods trade. As is always the
little dull. Travelling men, however, are
poundng away and and are landing good ,
possible to tell much about the outlook for
trade In rubber goods, as so much depends
o normal season they will have nothing to
complain Of
The demand for lumber in a wholesale
way at the present time Is undoubtedly dis
appointing There is of course cons!derab @
stock being shipped, but hardly as much as
was anticipated. In some sections of the
state retailers are, doing quite a business,
but a general thing farmers are buying
but very little and stocks consequently are
not being broken up very rapidly With
a fairly good summer trade however job
bers say there should be big demand from
the country in the fall, as farmers want to
build and the only thing that is keeping
them from 1t at the present time Is lack of
time. The market situation Is nch1ngcd,
as list prices are being firmly adhered TO
and no one seems to be looking for any i'm
mediate change to take place.
The hide market was rather unsettled last
week owing to the poor quality of the
hides coming forward at the present time,
short-haired hides will begin GIN coming coming in in
more freely, when a frmer tone to the mar
ket IL expected.
Fruit and Produce.
The strawberry trade still monopollzes to
great extent the attention of commission
men. There was an abundance of berries
received, but as a general thing the quail ty
~
tion was necessary in selecting shipping
stock. There was big demand for berries
but owing to the heavy receipts and poor
quality prices gradually Went down until
at the last of the week dealers We're billing
them out at S2.25 per crate.
There are no apples left on the market
that are lit for shipment Cranberries are
also running low. California cherries are
in light receipt and are quoted at H.75Gl2. .O(
per ten-uound box. There is some demand
for lemons and oranges, but the berry trade
interferes TO n .arge extent, Prices on or.
anges, however are very firm owing to the
HIGHT stocks on the coast. Mediterranean
sweets are quoted at S325a3 so.
There Is nothing particularly new In the
way of vegetables. They are coming In
more freely than they were a week ago anC
prices are gradually going down. Pieplant
Is now worth 2 cents per pound and rad,
ishes sell a. 2Oa25c per dozen punches.
few more Florida tomatoes We're received
and SiN-basket crates brought from S. Il
$3.50 Lettuce is held al 3OGi40c per dozeT
punches, asparagus at 20a3Oc and onions a
10000, while cucumbers are worth from s
TO $l.25 per dozen. The potato market Il
rather weak and unsettled 1t Is difiicu
matter 10 give quotations, stocks ar,
being closed out at various prices, but thu
quotations given represent market value!
as near can be determined
The egg market is hardly as firm as 4
was week ago, as receipts are gradually
increasing. There is, however, a good
steady demand and great decline