The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-04-23
AS OTHERS SEE Us.
British Consular officers Make Re
port of Affairs in America.

those of the vice consuls at st. Louis,
Kansas City St. Paul, Denver and
Omaha and reports upon the trade Of
Milwaukee and Duluth have just been
received here. The reports generally
attest to a very prosperous condition OF
trade in this district and furnish many
interesting instances of the view taken
by BritiSher of American enterprise
and methods Of business For instance,
in describing a department store IN chi
cago, Consul Wyndham says.
"A department store means an ag-
gregation of many trades under one roof
and management enabling customers to
buy everything necessary for life WITH
out leaving the building
He also comments upon advertising
methods OF these stores, pointing out
that the main object is to get the people
into the stores and not especially TO
sell any one branch of goods whose sale
is heralded in the daily newspapers.
ITO this end" the consul says, many
firms spend several hundred pounds
week
The export business of Chicago during
1900 in farming implements is shown to
have been the largest on record. Chi
cago banks, it is stated, have had a
most successful year and probably are
in a better position than ever. The man
ufacture of shoes, which has been a
monopoly of the New England states, IS
now said to be rapidly moving it's CEN
ter to the west. In this connection the
use of the word boot in America Is
referred to and is shown to mean high
boots" as it is applied in the United
States. An English boot is in America
simply a shoe. Brewing in the Chicago
district is shown to have been far from
satisfactory the past season, though the
sales showed a slight increase over 1879
In breeding and raising live stock the
past year is stated to have been remark
ably favorable in the Chicago district
The consul cautions exporters to send
only good breeds of cattle to America
The American farmer, he says, VIII pay
good prices for good cattle, but does not
want inferior stock at all. The quality
of meat, he says. has improved of late
and the lank animals of ten years ago
have been replaced by sleek looking cat
tie of medium weight
AS to Chicago schools Consul Wynd-
ham says:
the necessity of teaching fewer subjects
in schools and geography, history and
English more thoroughly"
The sale of fish in Chicago is stated
to be very large and it is predicted will
increase on account of the large Catholic
population and the rising price of meat.
The output of flour for 1900 was the
largest on record. The export trade how
ever has been less satisfactory.
: 1.-THE millerS state" says the consul.
that freight rates discriminate against
flour to the advantage of wheat and
they look forward to the future when
no American wheat will be ground In
European mills
The gold output of the Chicago con-
Sular district IS estimated at about -
500, 600 pounds sterling. The fire insur
ance companies doing business in the
United States had a very bad year dur
ing 1900. The Chicago claims were about
100000 pounds or 55 per cent Of the
premium.
About one-fourth of the iron and steel
produced in America, it is said is en-
bodied in the machinery of Chicago's
manufactures.
AS to the need of a good system of
storing water for irrigation purposes in
this section of the west the consul says:
1T is thought that the government
should undertake the task of building
dams for the benefit of the general pub
lie
Consul Wyndham comments at some
length on the condition of labor The
price in any one branch, he says, has
No half holiday on Saturday is given, he
says, and absence for any reason is not
allowed to occur more than once
The unions, owing to the large immi-
grafton into these states, have not the
power they possess elsewhere. Inc I'M
migration averages about l,OOO a day, and
the newcomers will work at almost any
hgure- In one large place Of OF business II IS
pointed out over 500 OF 500 men cannot /
speak English. The decline in the wages !
of stenographers is commented upon. and |
the supply IS said TO so far exceed the |
demand as to cause young girls to work I
for los. or about "a week and less |
ket in the United States. it is stated, and |
feature OF last year trade has been a |
There was a marked decrease in the sale /
of Chicago real estate during 1900. ac- !
counted for by the labor troubles which |
have made building practically impOs- /
the enormous buildings with their great /
CAPACITIES that have been erected. Ship /
building has Deen prlsk during 1900, and /
many large orders have been booked for |
The comforts of the ice box during the /
summer months are spoken Of in admir- 4
ing terms. The consul says:
I'm Europe. the American ice habit is
regarded with establishment. but here, /
where water is the beverage at meals for I
most, ice is a necessity
port, says that the Chicago manufac-
turers are greatly interested in the trade I
possibilities OF South America and hope /
to gain a foothold on that continent /
through the medium of the coming Pan
American exhibition at Buffalo. He ad- /
vises young Britishers without a trade /
of some kind not to come to the United
States. Clerks in offices and stores re-
ceive only a bare living in many cases, he
warns them, while in agricultural or
manual labor fields he would have to
give way to the great number of emil
grants who are thoroughly Injured to this
sort of work.
A great quantity of sausage is said
to be made in Milwaukee. It is said
to be becoming a very important man
ufacturing town. Duluth is spoken Of |
as an important shipping point and /
particularly of iron ore and lumber.
The prosperity of st. Louis territory 4
was general during the year 1900 ac-
cording to the report of Vice Consul !
Bascom at that city. Decidedly satisfac-
tory returns were received from all \
branches of financial activity. Brewers.
clothing concerns, boot and shoe indus
tries, agricultural implements, manu- 1
factOrieS-in fact all branches of trade |
there reported most satisfactory sea-
son. The city leads the world in the
of tobacco Mr.. Bascom
states, and is also one of the four recog-
nized wool markets of the country
OF Kansas City, Vice Consul Young
N ade a most favorable report, partfc-
ularly as to the growth of agricultural
and stock raising interests. He dweIls
upon the growth of Oklahoma as re-
markable and describes the farmers and /
stock raisers as very prosperous. He
advises British manufacturers to cus-
tivate a market in that section, point
ing cut opportunities for the extension |
Of trade il Scotch and Irish whiskies
and in cutlery. He even thinks there is
a market for British harvesting ma