The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-02-12
MANY COMPLAIN
OF DULL TIMES
Volume Of the Local Business Is Not
Satisfactory.
COLLECTING is SLUGGISH
SUGAR STOCKS HAVE ANOTHER
GOOD WEEK ON THE STREET.

General dissatisfaction was expressed
among merchants during the past week
over the condition of local trade.
Sales were slow in all lines, and col
lections were slower than for many
months. At the same time some re-
port a larger volume of business than
for the corresponding season of last
year, and this gives encouragement
IL Is remembered that February is per-
maps the dullest month of the year
naturally. and little buoyancy is looked
Tor in retail circles in any event, but
the only word that expresses condi-
ttons as they exist at the close of the
second week Of February is ''unsa It's
factory"
The continued heavy SHOWS in the
mountains are looked upon with favor
by all classes. 1t is realized that the
snow and rain are making up for their
shortcomings of the earlier part of the
season. The winter sheep ranges are
sending in better reports; winter wheat
Is promising better, and those who ir-
rigate FOR corps are beginning TO pre-
dict another good year. This carries
with it the assurance that it viii be
a good year for cattle also.
Less Talk of Railroads.
Talk of railroad development was
heard but little during the week just
closed All the talk of the Moffat road
selling out has given rise to the con-
viction that the line viii never be built
as an independent enterprise; there is
a lull I'm the talk OF the Western Pa
cific, although the sentiment prevails
that construction work will begin as
soon as weather will permit in the
spring. The later report is that the
San Pedro VIII not be open for passen-
ger traffic until spring. All of these
things combined caused a cooling of
a N IN Il hot
was noticeable. The fact that the To-
cal railroad shops arc now running
short and that a large number of men
are temporarily out of employment as
a result of this had much to do also
IN depressing the business situation in
the city.
Real estate was dead issue locally
throughout thd week. 1t was one of
the most quiet weeks experienced by
the local dealers in many a day Not
"A sale of any Importance was recorded
for the week, and business was con
fined to low priced homes and small
vacant lots Nothing trauspired during
the week to change the building stu
alton. Many mechanics are out of
work until the better weather permits
of an opening up in building lines. In
terror work was prosecuted during the
week on a number of the large uncom-
pleted buildings. Decorators are i'm
greater demand than are expert work.
ment in other lines.
No Lack of Cheap Money.
There is no lack of money for invest
ment in the local banks. and loans
could never be secured on better terms
where there is no flaw in the secur-
lily; but there is no money available for
wildcat schemes. Bankers are paying
closer attention to matters of this kind
than for some years past. This re-
Neals a spirit of conservatism that is
the result of business conditions
nrrEar he =
the business conditions prevailing at
home.
Again the activity in local CONNER
cial stocks was confined TO the sugar
securities and 10 Consolidated Wagon
d Machine company stock. This last
named stock is enjoying a little boom
based on the good report of the com
panys business for the past year.
neutrality-suspicious. the fire at Idaho
Fails. in which the company suffered
severely, the net profits for the year
are the greatest since the consolida-
ton. a special 1 per cent dividend,
in addition to the : per cent on the
preferred and the I per cent on the
common stock, helped materially in
givinS the stock its little boom.
Boom in Sugar Stocks.
Local sugar stocks for the past two
weeks have been enjoying an activity
that speaks well for the prospects Of
the factories i'm this state and Idaho
for the coming year at least. During
the week just closed over $50. COO worth
OF sugar stocks changed hands: the
previous week similar record was
made Most of the stocks were trans
ferred among local investors: few of
the stocks are going out Of the com
munity- The final quotations for the
week follow:
Deseret National bank -...-..........S 277 50
r. {, n. l. ...-...-.-..-.-.....-.... 164 50
Home Fire Insurance ------...-.--..- AS %
I tab Sugar Co, pfd....-.....-..-.... 10 10
Utah Sugar Co. cOm.................. 8 90
State Bank OF Utah .....---..-...-... 162 50
DeSeret Savings bank ...............- 3I5 90
lions Savings Bank q Trust Co.. $50 90