Omaha daily bee., 1903-05-03
CONDITION OFOMAHA'S TRADE
Business Quiet Last Week Owing to Cow
Weather and Labor Troubles. Z
NOT MANY CHANGES IN PRICES
Jobbers Devoted Most OF Their Atten-
ton TO Advance of Business and
Reported Fan rders Coming
In More Freely Thar Usual.

Trade with Omaha jobbers last week was
hardly as brisk as usual, OWNS ne.
| ports received from the country, snow thst
the cold weather retarded retail tIaue "
chants did not nnd it necessary 70 place
orders for any. quantity OF goo1s; 3or
wholesalers and Te hsn , ,pay are Confidently ex-
pect that business will be OF very sa'lslaS-
tory proportions. Conditions IN the coun-
try were never better than the present tltne
and merchants say there Is no reason why
they should not have the largest spring
and summer trade that they have ever eN-
Labor troubles in Omaha also interfered
with trade the latter part OF the week ahS
business. Practically all lines were more
or less affected by the strikes and probably
will be until the difficulties between en-
ployers and employees have been settled.
But while immediate business IL being In
jured by strikes ana colo ~estn 1Ssr 'stttens
ton to future business, which at this time
OF the year is in reality Of the most Inn
who hapdle dry goods. boots and shoes,
rubbers, rubber clothing and that class OF
goods never expect much immediate bust
ness at this time, but they do expect to
land n nice line OF fall orders, and so far
no complaints on that score have been
Collections are reported as being only fair,
owing, II is thought, to. the fact that re-
the last few days. It only takes a few
days of brisk trade in the country, however,
to make a big Improvement in collections,
so wholesalers are not worrying.
So far as the markets are concerned there
Is not much to be said this week, There
forth, especially in groceries, but as a gem
eral thing the changes have been Of minor
best be described by calling prices firm on
nearly all classes Of goods.
Local Sugar Market Unchanged.
rho ~ ,,,rLot 60 far a G Omaha IL
concerned, is I'm the same position 1T was a
week ago. The New Orleans and California
markets, however, have advanced prices IN
per hundred pounds, but as yet other rev
fneries have not made a corresponding adj
vance. In case they should prices In Omaha
would also have to be marked up.
The cheese market advanced %q1c per
pound last week, owing to a scarcity. Prices
on sisal rope were also marked up 1Ac per
pound and still higher prices are looked
for, owing to the fact that two of the
largest manufacturers In the country are
closed down at the time OF year when ordi-
narily they would be turning cut the great
est amount.
In the canned goods line there is very i
/ little new except an increased and a more
healthy demand for nearly all lines. The
tinue to increase for some little time. Local
Jobbers are still of the opinion that to-
that higher prices will prevail in a short
time should the usual spring demand be
experienced.
dried fruits showed quite an increase last
week. As a result the market on %apricots
is quoted stronger and peaches are also
hrmer. The cold weather of last week,
which is thought to have destroyed a large
proportion Of the small fruit crop in this
section of the country, is undoubtedly re-
strength of the dried fruit market, for If
the fruit crop is destroyed II will mean a
prolonged season for dried fruits.
Rice was marked W. ihc per pound last
week, owing to the liberal demand and
Advices were received in Omaha last week
to the effect that a sharp advance in the
Local jobbers, however, were inclined to
decredit the story. as 1t has not been con-
being dull and weak.
Dry Goods Trade Very Quiet.
very limited last week SO far as immediate
business was concerned. Very few buyers
arrived on the market and mail orders
sudden falling off in the demand is thought
to be the cold weather which prevailed
a good share Of last week. People. of
course, will not buy any great quantity
Of spring, goods when the weather requires
.prised at the slack demand.
be Ea1l E business ss ft hoTeysr' Is TePEirted as
have so far met with better success than
ever before in getting merchants to place
their orders early in the season. IN fact,
many popular lines Of staple goods are
sold, up and %jobbers are finding It difficult
to place recorders with manufacturers This
situation will doubtless continue until the
labor troubles with the mills have been adt
justed.
short supply and manufacturer refuse
orders at any price; Cotton continues
a result best informed buyers feel safe in
placing orders at present prices. An ad-
vance in the price Of Fruit of the Loom
bleached amounting to &c is announced by
manufacturers, and kindred lines have adj
vanced in sympathy. There are no other
changes to note during the period under
review.
No Change in Hardware.
There is no change in the hardware mari
ket worthy of mention. There have, Oh
course. been a few minor fluctuations. bud
nothing of any Importance. Prices are hi
the same firm position they have been for
some time past. TIL demand. though, has
jobbers say that their sales have been Inn
tied only by their ability to get the goods.
That has been the case for some time past.
and as jobbers have had even more DIM
Guilty, in getting goods than they expert
any Increase Over last year whereas VII they
should show a big increase. Trade out
through the country is reported as being
are Just as short on supplies as whole
salers.
Rubber Goods May Advance.
The general impression is that an advance
of s per cent will go into effect June l on
rubber foot wear. Jobbers are naming
/ ~ - Why AAAAA wa - III u
the advance. Owing to this expected rise
in prices, retailers are now placing their
fall orders very freely, and jobbers think
that before the end OF the month all the
larger orders will have been booked. A
few merchants, of course, never order until
they actually need the goods, but the num-
Der Is small. Immediate business with
rubber goods men has been very quiet and
not much Is anticipated for the near flu
ture.
Leather goods nave also been moving out
rather slowly, as this is a between-season
period. There has not been enough warm
weather as yet 10 bring spring foot wear
into demand. The fact that low shoes are
being so generally worn by both men and
women has a tendency TO Tetard spring
business, as comparatively few people will
wear a low shoe until the weather Is quite
warm. When the demand though, does
set in, II comes with a rush. so that in the
near future jobbers look for quite a sizing
up business.
Fall orders for leather goods are coming
in quite freely. and in fact more so than
usual, owing no doubt to the upward ten
dency OF the market.
Fruits and Produce.
There have been comparatively few
changes in the fruit and vegetable market
during the past week. Strawberries though.
are down TO So per twenty-four-Quart case
which enables grocers 10 sell them al I2I
and Is cents a box. A few berries are
coming from Texas, but Arkansas Is sun
plying the larger share. Receipts OF fresh
vegetables are increasing, but the demand
has been sufficient to prevent much az q