Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-16

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as service, and the service to the west has
always been favorable to Omaha, SO that
the Rocky mountain country 10 tributary
to this city. In the furniture lines the
growth has been. II anything. equal TO
that in the grocery and dry goods trade,
one house reporting an increase OF "a per
cent over the business Of last year, taking
the months Of August. September and Oc-
tober as a basis. The hrst two months
mentioned showed a higher increase, the
latter q much lower one, as the trade OF
October. 1901, was phenomenal. other
lines Of trade have shown equal growth
in the more distant territory.
Improvement Nearer Home.
It lie not in the outlying territory that
the most satisfactory results have been
found, although a number Of Omaha houses
have statesmen and branch ofnces as far
west as San Francisco, and work the coast
states almost as closely as they do those
nearer home. but the greatest satisfaction
is found in the states Of Nebraska, Iowa,
Kansas, South Dakota, Wyoming and east
ern Colorado, with Nebraska heading the
list. One may travel over the broad ex-
panse Of the state and from the car win
dow see signs Of improvement almost un>
equaled. The towns bear an evident air
Of prosperity and the farms are we'll kept,
the people satisfied, but a trip over the
state would hardly bring home to the
observer the great improvement made in
the last few years in such a striking
manner as a visit to the wholesale dis
trict Of Omaha, especially to one who had
visited II in former years.
1t has only been in the last three or
four years that Nebraska has been undis-
puted Omaha territory. Previous to that
time the retail dealers Of the state bought
more goods in Chicago than they did in
Omaha, and Kansas City and st. Joseph d.
vided trade almost equally with this city,
while goods from st. Paul were not I'M
known to the Nebraska trade and Sioux
City sold goods to an appreciate extent
right at Omaha's door. A systematic cam
paign was inaugurated for the Nebraska
trade. Arguments and expostulations were
used. These had their effect, but the
greatest factor was improved transportation
facilities and the Improvement in the lines
of goods carried in this city. First came
inquiries, then visits, then trade, until to-
day the Omaha jobbers are supplying the
Nebraska retail dealers with the larger
part OF their goods. There is still a little
territory in which st. Joseph, Kansas City
and Sioux City make a fight for trade, but
N-9 NNAAAApA ~ constantly utNItdSluk III
size. The state has gained inhabitants and
the people are using more and better goods
than they did a few years ago. The mum
Der Of statesmen has not only been in
creased, but the average sales are much
larger than they were. This has had a great
effect upon the work in the houses.
Results of Growth.
On grocery house whose ONCE a few
EnaFc aun uuna aaAaaaI
the first floor has been compelled to take
from the floor its display room and with
the coming dull sason this winter ex-
poets to devote the entire floor to ofices.
Where three desks were used few years
ago there are now eight and stu not
enough to handle the business as it should
be conducted. One dry goods house has
been compelled to extend it's salesrooms
and devote one-half OF its former room to
offices. Another which started more re-
Gently now occupies a building 66x132 feet.
nve stories high, with its manufacturing
plant, which has been established less than
two years, and its capacity does not ex-
coed its trade. These are but typical incl
dents OF the development Of the wholesale
business Of the city during the past three
years. The year 1900 was the first record
breaking year which attracted attention,
oHN ~ was lOOh0u upon as phenomenal.
When the trade Of last year began no one
was willing to prophesy a year equal to
that then closed, but the first three months
showed up better than the first three
months of the preceding year and jobbers
began to hope. The second three months
were yet better than those Of the former
year and the last six months proved no
decrease. Then it was thought that the
limit had been reached for some time. but
this year has been as much better than 1901
as that year was better than 1900 and 4.
Is now considered that the changed condi-
ton is permanent and dealers are making
their estimates upon this basis.
New Lines of Railroad.
Several reasons aside from the present
condition Of trade warrant this course.
Two new lines OF railroad will be in BUSH
ness next season and will add much to
the possibilities OF this city as a jobbipy
center. Probably the most important OF
these is the completion of the Elkhorn rail-
road through Boyd county, the effect Of
which is now being felt. This road passes
through one of the most productive sec
lions of the state. but before its construc-
ton most OF the trade of that territory
went TO Chicago and Sioux City. The near.
est railroad was the Milwaukee, which
touched Running Water, S. D., on the Mis-
souri, river. Its line ran down the east
side OF the river, touching at Sioux City,
and giving that road the advantage Of the
long haul on the Chicago business. Goods
received at the Missouri river were
freighted in wagons acrpss the country,
and the grain and stock were delivered at
the river. Today the tendency is TO de-
feet shipments, both OF produce and mer-
chandise, 10 the Elkhorn. which gives a
more direct route, and that means thai the
trade comes 10 Omaha. 1t will require
some time to break the business connection
Of the other towns completely. but that
will be the result.
The completion Of the Chicago Great
Western TO Omaha will open a territory in
northern central Iowa which may IN time
be Of greater value than that in northern
Nebraska on account Of the larger popula-
tion, but IL will always be debatable ground.
At the present time the Illinois Central
gives a direct line 10 Fort Dodge and the
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