The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-11-29

| fore wholesale prices advanced; SO the
people of this city will receive the ben.
| eft
Waiting for Storm.
| D. J. O'Donahoe manager of the
| dry goods department of the Copper
City Commercial company-Consider
| ing the extreme 1nildness of the wea'
| Their, the outlook for winter trade is
| as bright as can be expected, and we
| confidently anticipate Christmas sales
What we'd be most pleased to see jus
now is a storm, to hasten the trade
movement in woolens and the heavier
| lines of goods. Wholesalers prices fol
| both cottons and woolens have ad-
vanced from 20 to 40 per cent, but oW-
! ing to the big stock we already nave
| on hand, our prices to Anaconda con"
sumers remain solid on the old basis
and will remain so until the present
stock is closed out. Then, the people
must expect to pay more.
| A. c. MacCallum of MacCallum q
| Cloutier. general northumberland
| trade has been quite fair and is looking
I'D steadily We feel we shall nave
no cause to complain over the volume
of business for the last month of 1899.
prices in the general merchandise line
are higher in both the West and the
East. The increased duty on block tin
has forced up the wholesale and retail
cost of canned goods, and also the de-
mand is greater. cannot explain why
flour is cheaper than it was last year.
We handle both Montana and Dakota
products, and i am not aware that any
great variance exists between the crop
yields of 1898 and 1899. One factor Of
increased cost of goods from the mar
kets of the East and the middle West
is the absence of the freight-rates cut
ting which featured the railroad war Of
last year.
J. G. Keppler of the Keppler Jewelry
company-This has been an unusually
quiet year in the .jewelry trade, but I
think we may expect a revival as the
Christmas holidays approach. One
thing is evident. In place of buying
watches, diamonds and jewelry, the
people of Anaconda are paying off their
debts. That always is a healthy sign
in business circles, for it heralds in
crease of cash trade.
j. B. Losee, general store-Prices
are higher than they We're last
fall, it is true, but as this con-
dition is the result, to greater or
less extent, of increased demand, it
augurs good instead of harm; for the
general wage distribution is bettered
along with the volume Of general bust
ness. Shoes are feeling the effect of
last weeks jump in the Chicago leath-
err market, when that commodity
touched the highest quotation point in
the history of IA years. The local trade
pulse indicates the return of steady,
mark the close of the year.
D. d. Walker of Walker & Gibbs,
meat market-Prices remain about the
same as they were last fall. The supply
is excellent, though the demand is not
quite as brisk as it might be. But
sales are picking up.
Frank w. Harrison, Martin Drug
company-Business with us has been
on the increase ever since the summer,
and the prospects are fair for a bright
Christmas trade. There are no notable
changes in drug prices to consumers,
but the tendency of the Eastern whole
sale market is steadily upward.
"If Diamonds Were Bread" +,
John Merrill of the ]. Merrill com
pany, jewelers-1f diamonds were
bread, the people might be living on
short rations, for diamonds advanced
per cent. last September and twice
advanced, 8 per cent. last October.
Within the past two years they have,
gone up until to-day they are quoted:
by wholesalers at prices 5I12 per cent.
higher than the prices which prevailed
in 1897 The jump of 16 per cent. last
month was a result of the South Afri-'
by one of two possible market factors:
either the mines are playing out, or
stones are being cornered-or held-in
a deliberate attempt to force prices up.
One-carat Stones-which is the popular
size probably because it averages to
the popular price, S1O0-are practically
out of the market. This fall a New
York agent visited our house. In his
pocket he had $4,000 worth of dia-
monds, loose: and there was not a one
carat stone in the lot. We are selling
diamonds bought before the market
moved upward, so thus far have es-
capped the necessity of raising prices to
retail buyers. Trade is a bit quiet, but
beginning to feel the agitation of the
Christmas tide.
R.M. Greig, tobaccos, toys and sport
ing goods-We have laid in a larger
stock of holiday goods than we have
carried at any previous Christmas.
What's more, we shall have no trouble
in disposing of it. l am assured of
one of the liveliest Christmas sales in
the history of the store. Everybodyll
liar loose''-just watch 'em. Prices of
toys have advanced from 10 to 20 per
cent over last winters as<ings
T. c. Davidson Of McRae & David
son-Trade is good, prices are sitter,
especially on wooden garments. The
Christmas sales will be brisk.
j. H. Strain of ]. H. Strain & Co..
While the mild weather has given the
fall trade somewhat of a backset, there
is no cause for complaint, especially
in view of the fact that Anaconda now
is getting a bulk of that country trade
which formerly was tributary to Butte
This is becoming quite noticeable and
is factor which I am confident will
continue to make for. the betterment
of Anaconda's business. Beginning
Dec. l, we shall expect lively sales,
with small, if any, dropping off in the
volume of trade after Christmas. 1t
might be noted in this interview that
while wooden and cotton goods have adj
vanced materially in wholesale cost, re-
tail prices in Anaconda have not been
raised. This is because Of the early
placing of orders. To-day the consum-
er can buy cheaper here than in Great
Falls I do not know of any merchants
in this city having advanced prices in
accordance with higher wholesale quo
tations, but when it becomes necessary
for them to buy fresh stock, the people
must expect to pay prices governed by
the new order Of things.
NJ Hammerslough, jeweler-Business
is picking up, and there appears no
reason why it should not continue to