Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-25
CONDITION OF OMAHA'S TRADE
Crowd Comes to Third Spring Merchants
Meeting.
LOCAL HOUSES ENJOY LARGE BUSINESS
Prices Are Firmly Maintained and the
Prospect of Some Advances, Espe-
ciaIIy in observation-disclosures
in Price Quotations.
LOCAL HOUSES ENJOY LARGE BUSlNE

The third of the spring merchants meet
ings brought a larger number of retailers
to the Omaha market than either OF the
others. and the Jobbers are pleased with
the results. The activity extended to all
lines where goods are shown on the moor,
while other lines enjoyed large trace
through mail orders and salesmen's orders
Prices have been firmly maintained ana
some advances are threatened, especially IN
groceries Retailers visiting the market are
unanimous in their opinion that the year
trade will be good one.
The canned goods market shows very few
changes. A price has been named by Name
lower than last season. Canned corn IN
the west immediate delivery is still be-
ing offered at low figures. There is noth-
ing offered, however, which could be sold
to the retail trade at fair proht under DOC
a dozen, and some heavy lots have changed
hands the past week. A good many can
! ners, especially in Iowa, the biggest corn
| producing state of the union, report they
| have cut down their acreage 80 to 80 per
| cent, II thew hold to this determination it
will be but short time before canned
corn will be doing considerably better.
In the line of peas for future delivery
| many Gamers say they have sold prac-
| tically all they care to sell until the pack
| is made.
! Spot tomatoes show no change. a few
| transactions in futures are heard of on
| the basis of present prices, but as these
| goods will not make lOc sellers, the buying
Dried fruits are in a strong position.
| Some of the Omaha jobbers say they are
| selling some fruits at price less than
| they would have to pay were they buying
| now in California. Peaches, apricots AMI
| prunes are very closely cleaned up on the
| coast, and are now held at little above
| the market in Chicago, when the freight
\ is considered. The Chicago market, how
| ever, Is responding gradually, and there
| are numerous inquiries for dried fruit at
that market. Evaporated raspberries are
| still higher, and apples show a stronger
Pre-Lenten Fish Trade.
| 40 hae haa in dine 10 the
| near approach of the Lenten season. The
! market is strong, and the prospects arc
| that prices will be higher. Stocks are get
ting exceedingly low in some lines.
In -four there were no changes in price
for the week, but Jobbers expect that the
! lower market Rolled oats in bulk are
slightly lower. The demand is fair;
A large amount of poor cheese is being
| offered at low prices. but the fancy grades
hold firm. The demand remains good.
| Raw sugars are still weak, as they were
last week Prices on rened tbsrs Wei
be no great fluctuations until the opening
| of the canning season, with the PROBABLE
ity that prices will be little lower than
Prices are very firm in coffee, but there
have been no changes since last week, Re
| ceipts small and consumption large,
| IL being estimated that there is shortage
of 100000 bags. Brazilian estimates place
the new crop at 100000 bags, which Is
rather sl..-.ll. Last year the crop was
| 1850, 600 bags and the year before TO-
100000 bags, and these crops were not
| large. Sevens are quoted to Omaha job
bers are SIC and are considered cheap al
| that. OF some grades of coffee there is
scarcely a two-months supply on the mar
ket.
with Dry Goods Jobbers.
Business with dry goods jobbers has
been very good, both in the house and on
February was largely in excess Of last
| year. Prices on cotton and wooden goods
of all kinds are firm: There is still some
Lott % had Aala hxF ann.
facturers, and the commission houses re.
port that the mills are sold up. Some good
orders have already been taken here foi
to buy Literally as fast as samples are
shown. The wholesale effect of the excurs
Jon rates has been especially noticeable In
the dry goods trade.
Some changes in drugs have been noted
Blue vitrol is higher at 61sq7c In barrels
Arsenic is quoted in kegs at lie. IpecaS
is little lower. Small advances have
been made in quinine, camphor, American
saffron, oil peppermint and pink root.
Good Trade In Shoes.
| In casting over their accounts for Feb
ruary, the shoe Jobbers were surprised t.
| md that their trade was much largel
than for the same month last year. Tit
demand for light goods was large, but OIL
account of the mild weather, that fo
! heavy shoes was small, and the iobber
will be compelled TO carry over heav!
stock Of seasonable goods Rubber sale
for February were much smaller than las
, year, but the jobbers were helped out b!
snow was responsible for good retail
! trade. The last number of the Boot ant
Shoe Recorder computes the cost of tn
J $3.50 shoe to manufacturers in 1906 at 81 l7s
and the cost Of the same shoe this yea
2 at $2554t. Shoes which formerly sold a
, $3.50 at retail are now 81 shoes.
Turpentine scored another advance o
l11c the last week, now being quoted a
&c. The market remains very firm at tina
figure. Lead is unchanged, southern sell
i ing for 7Ssc and Carter &c lower. oils ar
unchanged. The window, glass market /
3 very firm, with an excellent demand. N
change in prices Is noted. The plate glas
| market remains the same as last week
/ with the demand continuing good. Fac
: tories making both window and plate glas
D 4 report that they are kept busy, having al
the business they can care for, which in
dicates that prices will not go lower 70
1 | the time, at least Local jObbers in al
: these lines report a good business for tn
last week.
New York Live stock Market.