Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-01-01
44s,0s7


The year of 1902 has passed into history
as one of the most satisfactory years, taken
altogether, Omaha has ever experienced.
With one or two exceptions there has not
been line OF industry or business which
has not shown decided advance and these
exceptional cases have been due to ex-
traordinary conditions, which now promise
to change.
The retail trade OF the city has been in
jured to considerable extent by the
Union Pacific strike, which prevailed dur
ing the last six months of the year, and
this strike also has had bad effect upon
real estate, both as an investment and
moving commodity, rumber OF former
residents of the city having moved from the
town, and the purchasing power OF more
than 1000 men having been materially re-
duced. This has had to a certain extent
a reflex action upon the jobbing trade, but
the growth in other directions has reduced
this shortage to a point where 1t has had
little effect upon the business houses. as,
with one exception. every iobbing line of
the city shows a paterial advance, the
general average app; Cxlmating 20 per cent
| increase over the year 1901, which was
| the highest point reached previous to last
year.
| With the exception OF the Union Pacific
strike there have been no serious troubles
between employers and employees in the
| city and labor has been employed In all
of the trades more regularly and at
higher average of wages than In any
previous year in the city's history. In
| the building trades this has been true
to a degree, and although the value Of
building permits issued show slight
| reduction below last year this cannot bs
taken as a positive evidence of the rela-
| tive condition of affairs In the building
J trades, as much OF the work that has been
done has been in the way OF improvements
and repairs which have not required a per
| NIT to carry out.
Balance of Trs .e Turns.
One Of the most satisfactory evidences
OF the city's gr3wth is the showing of the
money order branch OF the local postofiice.
Here the difference between the receipts
and expenditure, that is, the money re-
cived for orders and that paid out upon
orders has been greater than ever before
in the city's history, the difference ap-
proximating 81, 900, 600. showing that Omaha
| is receiving from outside towns that much
more than it is sending abroad. In other
| words, the balance OF trade has come
| around until it is that much in favor OF
! Omaha through the postoffice transactions.
and as these transactions generally repre-
! sent completed business and transactions
in comparatively small amounts, 1t is safe
to conclude that this difference is positive
gain TO the city, while bank balances may
be in the nature of speculative money sent
here for investment.
with the bankers OF the city the year has
been eminently satisfactory. While there
has been a shortage of money in New
| afrinpanav nj IN
other centers Omaha bankers have had nc
shortage. The deposits have been reduced
somewhat on the whole and the loans and
discounts reduced, but the reserve is higher
than 1t was last year and the demand fol
money is healthy, the demand being easily
met at rates but slightly in advance of thii
time last year.
As shown by Debts.
The tendency OF the year is shown by the
record of real estate mortgages fled ant
released. There we're fled this year mort
cages amounting to $3,03s.275, an increas'
over 1901 OF approximately $4,000. whil'
the mortgages released show a decrease
from last year OF approximately S41o.O 900
This does not indicate that the people haC
: less power TO reduce debts, but that the!
felt that the investment OF the money il
better than paying the debt This 10 show
by the fact that with the relative showing
compared with last year, the actual debt
of the community. in the form Of real es
! tate mortgages, were reduced By abou
$3.50 900.
The real estate transfers, in spite of wha
has been considered a slow market, shO'
: a small increase over last year on ordinar
: business, but a large increase in the aggre
gate, caused by the transfer Of the propert
OF the Omaha Street Railway company. rep
resenting 10000. 600. In the last month o
, the year. Leaving out this transfer. whic
/, was a practical reorganization movement
/, the increase over last year is approximate
, 5000. 900. or about per cent over the tots
! OF last year, which lie something not antci
pated by the dealers. who expected TO see
, slight reduction in the volume Of business
! as there was considerable activity in res
4 estate circles early In 1901. which was NO
repeated last year.