The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-01-03
HOUSTON WHOLESALE MARKET

, In the progress Of the growing winter
wheat crop. Reports from the South and
the Southwest Indicate the plant * not
doing quite as well as had generally been
expected, but elsewhere conditions are IA
| yorable. There has been an abundance Of
moisture. but In most sections snow has
disappeared. leaving the wheat unprotect-
| ed. The movement Of winter wheat to
market continues light"
The Northwestern Miller says: "The
-four. output last week decreased 10000
barrels. The quantity OF -four ground was
S4c945 barrels, against 272,995 in 1900 and
26i, 7T5 in 1899. The shrinkaee last week
resulted from some mills running lighter
aud from four wholly shutting down For
the present week the output win be very
much smaller. All the mills were shut
down Christmas and six viii be idle all
Tue week The flour production, there
TORE, promises to approximate only 2Ia,
go barrels This would not be far from
the average output for the corresponding
week in the last three years A dull
market for -four. lack of shipping dlrec-
tions and a shortage of cars all have a
bearing in causing the mills to run light,
last week than In the week before bust
ness was very poor The sales for the
week possibly equaled onehalt Of the out
put $3.50 .r
Thomas ]. Meehan & Co. Of Baltimore
report as follows on canned goods; The
year 1901 In the Baltimore market has
been of more than usual interest through
out, aud the fluctuations In prices have
been most unusual in many articles, rang
Ing all the way from, say, per cent on
10 per. cent up TO 100 per cent not all in
one direction, however, some advancing,
others declining. The remarkable move
ment In the tomato market from almost
the lowest point ever touched in tho
history of the business to the highest
reached plplf NJ
years. has been the greatest surprise of
the season. The basis for the advance is
Ihe small stocks and light offerings every,
where, and, also. the further fact that
there are no large speculative holdings
which may be thrown on the market with
Ill effect.
Outside OF tomatoes. the closing Of the
year Is devoid of any interesting feature
worth mentioning The basis of the pres
ent prices, it is believed, is safe one
Reviewing the salmon season of 1901 the
Trade Journal of San Francisco points out
that the market for the year has thor
oughly demonstrated the absolute law Of
supply and demand. owing" 1t says,
ITO the high prices of 1900 which were
considerably above the average price for
canned salmon for period of five years.
consumption of the product OF that year
materially decreased. while the total pack
was approximately the same as for the
preceding year; and while it is true that
canned salmon sold during the year 1900
at high figures 1t Is equally TRUE that the
beginning Of the. year 1901 FOUND large
quantities Of goods In stocks.
The effect of these high prices was I'M
| doubtcdly more or less demoralizing OH the
industry, as numerous new parties were
influenced to engage in the canning bnsi-
ness. while number of the old Gamers
increased their packing facilities The
spring outfits Indicated a large Increase In
the pack. which has been fully verified.
and as against an output of say 1900, 900
cases in 1900, there have been packed
during the year 1901 approximately 5000
GOO cases. Such an increase In the output
Is entirely Unprecedented in the history Of
che history OF the business The ndd-
tional pack has been largely Mad up from
new esnneries, while on the Fraser river
aud Pucet Sound the run of sockeyes was
the largest ever known, and added it's
share to the general surplus"