Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-05
OF OMAHA TRADE
Spring Goods BOT Moving as Freely sS They
We're a Week Ago.
GENERAL TENDENCY OF PRICES UPWARD
Jobbers Doing Considerable COM
planning About the scarcity Of
Goods and rear shortage aud
Higher Prices next Fall.

goods was hardly as heavy last week as
II has been for some little time past. JoD,
beers have been expecting the volume OF
business to show a marked railing on tor
the last two or three weeks, go that tne
ehsnts have Of course purchased their
spring goods and will not be on the mar
ket for any great. quantity OF GOODS unui
their stocks are broken. Tne weather SO
far has not been very favorable for a
brisk trade with retailers, but no com
g ssasSn. are Eys he ~ n: Is d ls is fSiEi on sSr a big de-
mand as soon as more settled weather ar
Tiyes, and no fears are expressed but what
Parmers are are not as badly ersmped for
ready money as they were a little while
ago, so that collections with. both retailers
and wholesalers are improving,
Prices on most lines OF goods may be
said to be In a very strong position, and
the tendency is undoubtedly upward Inc
labor troubles are causing a material re-
duction in the m output OF many
lines Of goods ,s snd vo as 2 T Ts1u he !, scarce aI trg ans
that prices will be high. Jobbers say with
a good deal OF confidence that retailers are
sale In anticipating their wants as far
into the future as possible, for II manu-
facturers grant an advance IN wages 70
thsir employees they will adyancesthe price
OF their manufactured goods, and u they
refuse the advance the output will be re
duced, which would cause a shortage IN
supplies and consequent high prices.
IN view OF these conditions jooDers look
for an enormous advance order business IN
fall lines. The majority OF retailers seem
consi4erabie anxiety 10 place their orders
and make sure of getting the goods they
want.
sugar Declined Five TO Ten Points.
One OF the most important changes in
the grocery market last week was a de-
cline In the price OF sugar amounting TO
6aio points. This change went into effect
on Wednesday and was undoubtedly caused
by the lower prices ruling on raws In Eu-
rope. The demand at the present time
seems TO be rather limited. but an I'M
provement Is looked for In the near future,
"a IL is thought the market will react,
There has been practically no change IN
the bean market since last report. Cheese,
though. is a little irmer in price.
The canned goods market has shown very
little change during the week under re-
view. The easier feeling on tomatoes that
was reported q week ago Is still felt In
the east, but there has been no change in
QUOTATIONS since last report IN SSS np
prices at this point have saggec a little,
but II Is thought that prices are now about
There is also a little easier feeling on
peas, but they are moving out IN better
shape than they have been and the same
Dried fruits are in good demand and de-
slrable trades are quickly taken up.
There has been no change In rice. as the
market is still strong and active.
The tea market Is quiet 2 ~Snenange1
first OF the year, n as a result the de-
mand Is very limited at this time, The
EOHGo mEIkNL ~ dGAlNG hlAa BGAAC hAAg 90
Prices nrctuate back and forth to some ex-
tent, but there has been no permanent
change In either direction.
The demand for groceries last week was
only Of fair proportions. Rtailers are show
ing q tendency to buy in limited quantities
and to clean up the goods they have on
Dry Goods a Little Quiet.
For the first time in many weeks dry
goods jobbers report trade as being a little
quiet, There were a, few buyers on the
quickly supplied and the total volume OF
business for the week was light. The
tRis year that has ever been experienced
so that jobbers have no complaints to oher.
Retailers who have been heard from also
report business a little quiet. owing TO the
lack Of settled weather. They report the
prospects for the future as being very
bright and all fee. confident that they are
going TO do a rushing business from this
Trayeiing. statesmen are, out with samples
Of fall goods and so far have been meeting
with exceptionally good success. ms out
look for higher prices Is apparently having
and dep 10 aStticipate their wants as much as
Of a shortage Of Desirable fall goods, which.
Of course, would mean considerable higher
prices, 80 that merchants are anxious to
get under cover.
The cotton goods market Is in a very
strong position and those best posted are
predicting higher prices. In speaking OF
the situation a local iobber said that the
the eastIWill cause a big REDUCTION in the
output 81 the mills and also increase the
cost Of production: BESIDES b tnst me NEE pr tot
high as compared with the cost OF the raw
cotton, so that everything seems to point
TO an advancing market.
nrfak Deman for Hardware.
Hardware Jobbers report the demand foI
brisk and in fact Is far in advance Of tbs
supply. Local jobbers thought they had 9
hard sSG1.S tine re lat ss t hear d to sst sSGds sh sSpi say
the situation il much worse this year
and IN fact u IL very seldom, that they arr
Ia claimed that manufacturers require from
. three 10 ak months to MI an order ant
that It takes from four to eight weeks 10
which explains why wholesalers find II i'm
possible for them to keep complete stock
or TO get the goods rapidly enough 10 NEE
the REQUIREMENTS OF their customers.
Under such circumstances the market y
naturally i9 q very n stTOTS p1 w,1S aS Saq ns IL
are nrm. but have shown no change u
price since last report. Galvanized iron ma
Sssn s @4rH soin " up at a rapid rate cope
goods are naturally higher. Shot is an
other line which has been moving upwsrG
plates are also higher and the tendency l
still inward. AS a result tinWere mas pee
the more Important changes that hav
q recently gone into effect; but the marke
on practically the entire line u very stTonH
with the tendency upward.
No Change in Leather Goods.
There has been no particular change {
the leather goods market during the week
This Il sort OF q between season period, 3
that jobbers are hiding business a littl
quiet. Travelling men. however have starte
out after fall business and expect TO tax
q nice line OF orders.
The leather goods market Is IN a yer
strong position. as manufacturers clair
they have been running Without profit 10
some time and that prices must be ad
Rubber goods are also a little quiet. by
still there Is fully as much doing as coul
be expected at this time Of the year. Fac
more freely and retailers have evidentl
about given up hopes Of a reduction
Fruits aud Produce.
There was a very satisfactory deman
last week for fruits and vegetables. Gree
stun, however, Is still I'm very light supply
the effects OF the killing frosts that wei
experienced early In the season. Prices 9
4 result are about the same as they nav
been for some little time. The last car
California celery arrived on the mark
and unless Florida growers make son
shipments there will be no stock on a
Potatoes are a little lower than they hay
been. home crown stock selling at 2ogS
per bu., and ColoradOs at soc.
Strawberries have arrived more free
during the last few days and are no
quoted at 33 Der q pit case. Apples al