The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-25
JOBBERS OF ST.PAUL
LOOK FOR GOOD
SPRING TRADE
Declare That Indications
Point to Continuation of
Favorable Business Condi-
tions Of Last Year and Are
Optimistic in Expressions
on Outlook.

|
record breaking spring trade this year,
and anticipate that business during the
coming season will exceed that of last
| year, which was regarded as the best
| ever known IN ST. Paul. Notwith-
| standing the high prices of commodi-
ties and labor, the demand for manu-
faetured articles is so great that the
factories and wholesale dealers ars
having lively time and are conse-
| quently enjoying prosperity.
The steady condition of the market
| OF all kinds of commodities has a ten
! dency to stimulate demand and to
keep things moving. All the jobbers
| VINO are familiar with the situation
| speak encouragingly Of the prospects.
| They see bright future for this year,
| at least, and have no apprehension Of
a reverse. The following interviews,
given to h e Clio b yesterday, ex-
| press the prevailing spirit.
Hardware Business Good.
r. A. Kirk. president of Farwell, o.
mum, Kirk & Co., wholesale hardware,
said: 1.-THE prospects for spring trade
| we regard as very good. The condi-
ton OF the country, on the whole, is
quite favorable. There are a few Sec
lions that have had short crops, in
which trade will be cOmewhat restrict
ed, but the area thus affected is not
| large, and we consider the conditions
very favorable for a satisfactory trade
| for the first half of the year. The last
half of the year will find it's trade de-
pendent on the condition of the crops
Prices In hardware are very firm, and
we do not believe there will be any de-
cllneS of consequence for some time to
come. Taking the prices of hardware
all together, they are not high, and
until labor is cheaper and goods can be
| manufactured for less money manu-
facturers will not be disposed to re-
duce prices. The condition Of the
weather in the Northwest through the
winter has been quite favorable for the
hardware interests as well as others
1t Is very seldom that so favorable a.
season has been seen as we have had
the present year. Collections are not
quite so good as we would like to see
at this season, but they are not very
far behind that of former years. We
would add that one of our greatest diff
ficulties is that of getting goods from
the factories, and large part of this
difficulty seems to come from the ina
bility Of the railroads to furnish trans
portatiOn facilities. We trust that
when the pressure for coal is some
what relieved things will come back
into their normal conditions and we
can get delivery of goods in satisfac-
tory shape"
Effect of Freight Congestion.
Mr.. Kirk speaks very moderately in
reference to the lack of transportation
facilities The trouble arises from the
great congestion Of freight traffic at
Chicago, Pittsburg and other Eastern
cities. The situation at Chicago, how
ever, is what most seriously affects To-
cal dealers. For nearly two months
freight has been tied up at Chicago,
owing to inability of the railroads to
handle the vast volume of business.
The increase of freight traffic has been
so great that the railroads have been
found unprepared for the rush. This
condition, however, is confined to the
railroads east Of Chicago, notably the
trunk lines, but the st. Paul Chicago
lines are able to handle expeditiously
all freight offered them. They are,
nevertheless somewhat at a dfsadvan-
tage, owing to the fact that Eastern
roads have refused to reload at Chi
cagO and have taken the cars Of the
Western roads. But, though this stu
alton Of affairs causes trouble to the
Eastern dealers, ST. Paul jobbers say
that they are not seriously affected,
as most of them have already received
their spring stocks. Merchants of the
Western states, however, who order
goods from Eastern jobbers will suffer
from the freight congestion at Chica-
go. st. Paul jobbers, without excep-
ton, say that they have sufficient
stocks on hand to tide them over the
period of congestion which appears
now to be passing.
Cotton Market Firm.
Albert H. Lindeke, of Lindeke, War
ner & Schurmeier, wholesale dry goods,
said "Our business this year Is fully
up to that of last year. which was the
biggest we have ever had. There was
a slight falling off in January, but 1t
has been more than made up during
the present month. We expect to show
a large increase before the spring is
over, as we have many untitled orders
yet on hand. Last week, owing to the |
country merchants excursion, was one
Of the largest our house has ever had
during the spring season. The mar
ket for staple cotton goods is very ac-
tive. American prints of all kinds have
been advanced one-fourth of a cent a
yard taking effect Feb. "a. This is fol-
lowed by many other manufactures of
prints owing to the firmness of the cot
ton market, raw cotton having been
advanced during the past five months
Is cents per pound. courtyard
Sheetings and also all kinds of bleach
ed goods have been advanced during
the last six weeks IL cent a yard.
Collections are about the same as US
ual this year, especially in those Sec
tons having good crops. Everything
is booming"
immigration Helps Trade.
c. J. McConviIle, of Finch, Young & |
McConville, wholesale dry goods, said |
substantially the same In regard to |
the market. He said: Though we |
had great increase Of business last |
year, we are looking for a much better |
business this year. We have already |
done much Of our spring business and |
from indications it will surpass that of |
last year. The market Is steady and |
that produces satisfactory conditions |
One thing that has caused increased |
business was the great immigration |
into the Northwest last year. Already |
we are receiving orders from dealers |
We have never had on our lists before, |
and they are in new and growing towns !
where the immigrants settle. Collec- |
tons, it appears. are not as good as |
they might be- for it seems that the |
farmers are specializing with the mon |
ey which they should use to pay their |
merchants. eW are looking for an in |
crease of trade on account of the great |
immigration movement especially. The |
result of this was not so apparent last |
year, for most of the newcomers |
brought with them all the things they |
needed for at least a year; but their !
presence will be felt this year"
D. r. Noyes, of Noyes Bros. &~Cutler, !
wholesale drugs, said: 1.-The early |
trade this year has surpassed all ex- |
pectations, and the prospect for spring |
trade was never better, never, indeed, |
so good. New orders are a marked |
feature of this seasons business thus |
far. Prices show signs of advance,
and we should be surprised If they do |
not advance further in many staple |
lines Collections are excellent"