Omaha daily bee., 1900-02-11
CONDITION OF OMAHA'S TRADE
Colder Weather Favorable for the Movement
Of Merchandise,
MARKETS GENERALLY FIRM ON ALL LINES
Future Prospects seem to he Entirely
TO the Liking OF Those Most
Closely Identified with the
Future of business.

nave given "A more ldNNIbDN' lAlu " W."
trade conditions. It is Of course too Iate
in the season for a few days OF coiu
weather TO have much immediate ehect
upon iobbcrs' trade. for, as far as they are
concerned. winter trade IS over with, bu.
st is not so with retailers. a good deal o.
complaining has been done all winter nc
cause of the lack Of soAsonaoic WcatHtI
and the consequent curtaiImeni IN the Nol-
ume of business. The fact that country
merchants shelves are stiIl well suppled
with winter goods would seem TO show that
there is some justification for these com
plants and for that reason cold weather "a.
oven this late date IS very %tlrmne. 80,
bcrs always dread to see retailers carry
over large stocks, for, they say, 1t nahg7
them o~vercautious in placing orders LOT 'Ie
coming year and the general sentiment rs
that If stocks In the country can ohLy pe
cleaned up close enough before warm
weather sets in to put retailers IN a soqnn
frame of mind next year 5 business VII
be secure. There Is also another reason t9r
jobbers wanting cold weather. When trade
in the country is slow It cannot be eX-
pccted that collections will be any too good.
For several weeks past %jobbers in All hhes
have had more or less to say IN regard 10
the condition of collections and 1t seems
that. while there has been no great ar
ffculty experienced, there has nevertheless
been a noticeable decrease in the numhe
OF bills paid IN promptly. An Improvement
however, in this direction Is looked LOT IN
the near future. Taking an things INTO
consideration. then, the outlook Tor iuLure
business in this section is much better than
1t was "A week ago.
The wholesale markets as n whole are in
much the same condition they were in a
week ago and 1t is to be noticed that what
ever changes there are reported are in the
direction of higher prices. Firmness and
activity are the leading features and all
indications seem to point to this being the
case for some time to come.
Coffee Market Excited.
The most important incident in last weeks
grocery trade was. the great excitement IN
Conees. The market has of course been
advancing rapidly for some time past, but
uhe climax so far was reached last week, as
reports show that there was great excite
ment in eastern markets and that specula-
tion was wild. 1t is said that brokers are
freely betting that No. Is will so to 15c by
July l. The present value is 9lsc, which Is
s4c higher than it was ten days ago. me
about by people realizing that Consunp-
tion is running far ahead of production.
Statistics show that at the present time
there are only about 100000 bags pro
duced in a year and that 100000 are being
consumed. The visible supply since oGto.
Der l has decreased by 100000 bags and at
that rate the surplus, it is said, will last
only about a. year. Local iobbers are freely
predicting higher prices, but are cautious
high the market viii lgo.
as 1t was a week ago, but raws advanced
a full 1sc and indications are thought to DE
favorable for higher prices on refined as
well. Axle grease advanced again last
week, the higher prices being caused by
advances in oils, boxes, tins, etc, as well
as by higher freight rates. farlndCeOuS
goods are quoted the same as they were a
week ago. though the market is firm. In
spices, pepper and cloves are higher than
that still higher prices will be seen on the
former. Several articles in the woodenware
line have been marked up again, clothes pins,
butter dishes, tubs and pals being affected
the most. The market on dried fruits Is in
about the same condition it was Il week
ago, but higher prices are being predicted
in the near future.
Hardware Hard to GctS
Hardware jobbers also report a good, ac-
tive market for last week and are hoping
wave in the way of better collections, 1t
seems that general merchants have had no
difficulty in disposing of their stocks of
hardware this winter, but have used much
of the money obtained from that source to
pay for unsold stocks of dry goods, boots
which the mild winter has affected hard
ware men. The market is in just about the
same condition 1t was a week ago and 1t is
thought that 1t will not go any lower as
long as the present shortage in goods shall
last. A prominent iobber of this city in
speaking of the difficulty in getting sup
plies said that some goods that were OF.
dered a year ago for last falls trade were
just coming in, so that manufacturers are
from twelve to fourteen months behind
That of course does not apply to manu-.
facturers of all classes of hardware goods
for some are even worse off than that, while
others have not run so far behind.
Dry Goods Prices StiT.
The situation with dry goods jobber.
remains practically unchanged. They are
still getting i'm their spring and summer
goods and shipping them out Into the coun'
try as rapidly as possible. Travelling mer
are meeting with good success on the roaC
and are sending in heavy orders from mer
chants who failed to place their orders
earlier in the season. a representative from
a local house who has just returned from
the east reports stocks scarce and prices
stiff. Hosiery and underwear in summer
weights are especially scarce. but it seem,
that sellers in all lines have matters prac'
tically in their own hands. The volume
of business In eastern markets is still un
usually heavy, and indications are that tn,
present scarcity of stocks will continue fol
some time TO come. AS FAR as the loca
markets are concerned there Is not much Il
be said, prices remaining practically in thu
same notches they were n week ago. The
cold weather did not bring in any orders
for winter goods, but undoubtedly helpet
retailers to clean up their stocks. and II
that way will help jobbers in their fal
trade.
shoes Travel Country ward.
Boot and shoe jobbors had nothing par
tcularly new to report regarding the con
dition of trade, They are rushing sprini
goods into the country at "A rapid rate an,
future trade. Tho fact that retailer
cleaned out a few more of their heavy
weight shoes last week. II is thought, vii
put them in "A better humor and make Their
more willing to place liberal orders 70
summer goods. Local jobbers are a
present looking At samples for next fall
stocks, and find that while prices are goo
and stih they are not much different froI
prices on summer goods.
Rubber goods men are more cheerful tina
they have been for several weeks, as tn
demand for rubberS was better last wee
than II has been any time before this win
ter. A local retailer remarked that he sol
more rubbers last week than during TN
two months preceding, and II Is though
that the same holds true with the maiOrit
of dealers, If that is the case not nearl
ms much stock will be carried over as wa
contemplated, and will go a long way &c
ward doing away with the surplus OF stoc
I'm thls section.
The hide market is not as unsettled as
was "A week ago, and there IS no chang
I'm quotations, II Is thought that the MAJ
Ret viii he fairly stationary for some littI
time,
Fruit and Produce.
Not much of interest took place last wee
with fruit and produce dealers, The yolun
al trade was none too large, but prices al
not n~ucthate 10 any great extent, III
potato market is SIN attracting consider;
bile attention, Local dealers are convince
mat there are a good many potatoes left
Nebraska, and that Minnesota is fun
them, The only thing that maintains N
market at it's present position, they say,
the dCman from the south. and when tn,
- over with nriCes are certain 10 take
drop. by the middle OF March new pot,
toes Will begin 10 come ON the market. an
although they viii be i'm small quantitit
at first, they Will, nevertheless, have
depressing influence ON the market. Takir