Omaha daily bee., 1907-01-06
CONDITION OFOMAHA'S TRADE
Local Jobbers Busy Taking Invoices Of
Stock Last Week.
sEAsoNABIE GOODS WELL CLEANED UP
Business I'm All Lines for Year shows
satisfactory Growth - Floor
Trade Light at Present
In Most Houses.

Last week was one of invoices among
the local Jobbng houses. and managers
and employees have put in busy five days
since the New year dawned The invoice
showed most of the houses well cleaned
up on seasonable stocks That the jobbng
| business of the city has increased some-
thing like . per cent in the last year Is a
matter of great satisfaction. Every line
made an encouraging growth
hGOr rso et coT war d5y goods ana
not be heavy until the arrival Of the mer-
chants, who come to attend the spring
visitors are becoming more frequent The
retailers usually come to the market in
numbers after the first OF the year, in
usual spring car shortage.
The hardware situation is satisfactory,
Jobbers are very busy taking invoice and
/ hardly have time to consider the trade.
| Yet orders continue to come in, just as
voice. Demand for builders hardware,
| though not so heavy as I'm the summer, is
remarkably good for the time Of year.
Tho dry goods market presents no new
features. Goods are high and there is no
say the retailers ali over the country are
| in the best OF spirits when they speak VI
the prospects for the year. The main DIFF
enough goods to supply their trade. Goods
are scarce in many lines, and 1t Is almost
! impossible to obtain them.
Better Trade in Rubbcrs.
The few days of wet weather recently
helped the shoe jobbers by bringing in some
handsome orders for rubbers. Trade in
overshoes is necessarily light early ship
ments having been made a long time ago,
and no cold, snowy weather having come
to cause further orders Shoes remain at
the old prices and the probabilities are
they will be higher before they are lower
J The usual after-holiday dullness has been
prominent In all jobbing grocery trade cir
the small buying on the part OF dealers
who are actually in need OF goods to carry
them over the stock-taking period.
! In currants the tone is steady. Stocks at
the moment seem ample to take care of the
demand. Cables from Greece report that
market as strong, with an upward ten
dredweight for prompt shipment. Spot
seeded raisins are firm at 9S4c to 1Oc in
one-pound cartons. Prunes are firm on the
large Sizes but some easiness is reported
on the medium and small sizes. kilograms
strong, and the tendency of prices is toward
a higher level. Some business for January
shipment from the coast is reported on the
basis Of SIC for the four sizes (. o. b. in
bags In figs the market Is easy and dull.
The condition Of stocks is believed to be
available is OF ordinary quality. In dates les
the market Is firm on Hallowe ems and kha-
drawees but easy on sairs with some shad-
ing of the inside figures possible. Citron Is
a little easier and the tone is quiet. April
cots and peaches are firm, but there is an
raisns show an easy tendency, with the
range slightly lower.
Sardines Rule Stronger.
Sardines are unchanged locally. but in
the east are strong at the advance of 100
per case on one-fourth oils and 20c per case
on three-fourths mustards which went into
effect Wednesday. Stocks of all descrip-
tons are firmly held and in small compass.
The prices based on the advance are as
follows; - one-quarter oils, key-opening
cans, 2.95q3.O0; keyless, one-fourth oils,
$40; small one-fourth mustards, drawn
S SanS cans eaTS g ,sTSe ards
off W d
mustards, COS, g. IS, and ASS, $2.S5; one-fourth
tomatoes 1925; all {. o. b. Eastport. Red
fair movement is reported from jobbers.
me buying from first hands is on a small
mon Is In small compass.
The tea market is still strong, with good
demand from jobbers for interior consump-
view Of the shortage of 100000 pounds
IN the years supplies. No sales OF especial
significance are reported.
Business in drugs and chemicals for the
year has begun auspiciously, and mail
orders have exceeded expectations, but in
ments of the pure food and drug law is
causing more or less confusion and incon-
ven1ence. IL is expected, however, that
affairs will shortly adjust themselves to the
satisfaction OF those concerned, and dealers
are disposed to view the situation philo-
chiefly of minor consequence, but the gem
eral market retained a steady undertone.
Bark shipments from Java show consider
able shrinkage, and the position OF quin-
inc is firm. Balsam copaiba values have
again been advanced, and Valencia saffron
is higher. Cotton root bark is dull and
shade lower. CulverS root and deer tongue
leaves are hrmer and the latter is very
scarce.
Quinine remains quiet in the continued
absence Of important demand, but manu-
facturers' prices are well sustained on the
basis of 1712c for bulk I'm 100-ounce tins. A
stimulating feature of the situation is the
falling of in bark shipments from Java
during the past year. the figures for
December being $4,000 pounds, against
The total shipments for 1906 are 135l6,OO0
pounds, against Is 10000 I'm 1905. showing a
shrinkage of nearly 100000 pounds.