Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-12
CONDITION OF OMAHA TRADE
Merchants Are All Well Satisfied with the
Spring Business,
MONEY PLENTY AND CUSTOMERS MANY
Indications All Point TO One of the
Most Prosperous Seasons THAT
the state Has Ever
Experienced.

H.. -I.g1I.r d, ID
messed an a''',' no'vi'sIs II = 1r. g..
departments OF MERCHANDISING, lhs t'iIueI
weather naturally turned the attention OF
consumrfs In The direction of spriug plr-
a., - ,.,, mia nm
,i'a" "'" " .N" -.
douhjeuIy erect a large Improvement j."
the retail trade, which is already good. AS
a u.s. leading retailers of the city express
tborsoIyes as vol satisfied win cu,. emf
S",sInnss o,d os mors ran nIs,sod Win
business ana as more IMAM pleasel Win
the prospects of the near future. In the
jobbing district only the most encouraging
yonnrts arc to bn hoard on every side
I,PoiI9 ui' ~ DG o"i vi 49, Wv
EVERY line OF business appears 10 Oe III d
most flourishing condition, with the country
Lonn nyorv,na fulIv occ,iniod Money an
-. aaai.
i'''S ~ W ''sg ~" consumers i seem
ingly in easy financial circumstances, so
that they are able to treat themselves quite
literally in the matter of purchases with
pr sent business of such a highly salts
merchants picture 70 themselves a most
iioutishinng business Win the coming Of real
reasonably carly spring with conditions
favorable for the ment oil farm
work.
The large falling off in bank clearings IS
no reflection upon the condition OF trade as
IT Is due entirely to a change IN clearing
house methods through which the South
Eirm Grocery Market.
wholesale EfOCeTS report very ldNuTdDly
regarding the condition of trade during the
last week. on the warmer days especially
there was a piS rush OF business 3 anu many
do to ill their orders promptly. The mar
ket is in the same strong position 1t has
been in for some time past and Just about
the usual number OF aoVanCes were re-
ported. Among the more important changes
is tho advance in the entire line OF sugars
amounting to a full Is cent. Inc market Is
very strong at the advance ana JopperS are
taking hold freely, The general opinion
seems to be that sun hlgher prices VIII RUE
in the near future. Corn syrup was adj
Vanced i cent per gallon last week owing TO
q considerable incr ase in the demand, and
the present high price OF corn. Beans are
still going up, the advance last week
amounted to 2i2 cents per bushel. The mar
kct on some brands of package coffee, now
ever is q tribe weak as IS SHOWN YIN P Eyr,6 6ee
and Bee brands.
The market on California evaporated trults
continues to firm up. especially IS ms true
were a week ago, and there seems to be
more buyers than sellers. Anything Ike
fancy stock is very scarce and very dlt-
fcult to obtain. The effects of the high
prices that nave prevailed for some time
past on practically all kinds OF dried ana
evaporated fruits is b ginning to be telt on
rhe market for pruncs., The supply, OF
prunes is larger than that OF most other
fruits and consequently the price mas not
advanced as rapidly. This fact mas
naturally increased the consumption or
prunes and prices are. now trming up ana
higher prices are dtllClpdleu lOI inc htiL
future. Evaporated rapberrie5 also au-
vanced y cent last week.
N,,ur,ctura-s ueE,ipd ORDERS.
Hardware men also enjoyed a nice trade
last week and say that the volume of their
business Is limited only by their ability
to secure goods to sell. In spite of the fact
that every factory in the country is turn
ing out goods as rapidly as possible, still
there is a shortage, much more marked
spring goods and a few staples as wei. The
shortage is greatest in iron and steel goods
and in some cases amounts almost to a
famine. 1t is said that mills which are in
n condition to make quick deliveries can
obtain most any price they ask. The cost of
goods has ceased to be the important point,
as the difficulty now lies in finding a mill
which has anything to sell: 1t Is Sald that
sheet mlis; piate iiil II Pspg baWn SOD ali
the goods they can turn out between now
and July. The situatiCl IS wei shown by
the following, which is taken from a price
list sent out to the trade: Prices quoted
On this report are those prevailing at the
time 1t Is written. WITHIN torty-eiSht hours
they may be 81 or " a ton 100 low; uo
But, while the demand at the present tiTle
IS greater than the capaclty OF the Hills,
still local jobbers are wei prepared, az
they have large stocks on hand IN most
lines and consequently will be able to
handle their trade in good shape. mo
more important advances "nicn 'ouh pa -
last week are as follows: Stee! goods, 10
per cent; till and cabinet locks, 10 per cent;
galvanized iron, 10 pei, cent, ana DOTS ana
hinges, 10 per cent. lnefe are many oIllci
advances too numerous TO inentl9n,
The most surprising feature OF the trade;
however, was the decline or Ac, per pound
on zinc. For some time the zinc market
has been in a very strong position ana
has been advancing the same as IRON thoush
less rapidly. The drop OF last week was
consequently rather unexpected. Local JOB
bers. however, are not looking tor any
serious decline and are OF the opinion lnat
dha recent fall is caused by the market
being forced up too rapidly. This is the
only case, as far "a learned, in when any
weakness has developed. ar,,
The excellent condition of trade locally
is we'll shown by the statement made by
loading iobbers. to the effect that the
yo,ume of business 80 far this month Is %
per cent better than it was a year ago,
and last year was one of the best years
~ . o,
warm "e"'" " "
Tho dry goods trada IS booming right
oIdn% ~ thSs same as it has been for the last
wear of more. The warm days of the last
week have stimulated the buying of sum
about ali the business they can handle,
sThe volume of trade so far this year Is way
ahead of what 1t was last year and pros
meets for a continuance of such conditions
are apparently very favorable. The mar
kct is not much different from what 1t was
frm ali along the line and adyices from
eastern points show an extremely HEALTHY
condition. The volume of business actually
heinr transacted Is not so excessive, but
there are plenty of Inquiries and the in
~denandence of the sellers Is the only thini
mai nreyents more being sod. Wooler
dress goods are also advancing and stocks
are vii sold nm This is true of silks anC
An fact the same may be said of prac'
ticaiiy every line of goods on the market,