Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-07
TRADE CONDITIONS IN OMAHA
Heavy Spring Trade Continued and Records
Broken in Some Lines.
NO ADVANCES IN PRICES LAST WEEK
Hardware stocks Depleted, OwinR
to Large Business, Car short
age and Factories Far
behind on orders,


Record breaking business is reported by
many Joboers as having been uUnsacted
during the last week and the outlook for
spring business has never been better nor
lurther advanced at the same time In for
mer years. Ihe money situation has am
proved, IS corrections are mucn easier than
uurlnB the iHst lew VEGAS, and tne tempo
fary stringenCy seems to have passed
Trade nas been so brisk this spring tnat
IN many lines stocks are badly depleted,
with little prospect OF their increase, on
account Of rush factory orders ana some
diilculty IN moving stocks.
cars are being obtained in fair quantity,
but some Iobbers report that continued
shortage in TINS respect hampers trade to
a great extent. Ine railroads are doing
their bsst TO relieve the situation, out the
immense amount of spring trafhc has taxed
the carrying capacity OF the roads and all
JOpberS sutter alike.
Local dry goous jobbers report that the
house trade during the last week has been
quiet although orders from statesmen, both
Tor immediate shipment and future delivery,
have been very satisfactory. Eastern repre-
sentauVes OF Omaha 1oDDers report that
lnulgo and other staple prints have been
Wlthdrawn temporarily from sale, which
would Indicate another advance of at least
hair a cent. Cotton goods Of all descrip-
tons maintain their strong position, but no
QuOtApie changes have been made during
the period under review. Collections have
improved to marked extent and indicate
much better conditions prevailing in the
been about normal for this advanced spring
season and few second orders are being
received from the trade. Rubber goods
sales have fallen of appreciablY, as dealers
are well stocked, and the trade will con-
unue to be light. This is caused by
weather conditions. There has been no
rain during March, which is unusual, and
merchants have not had an opportunity to
unload their stocks. The demand for OK
that sales have been heavy. but the de-
mand win be light for a few weeks unless
extremely warm weather Is experienced
early In the season. Collections have been
fair, but the tendency I'm this respect has
not been pronounced and merchants are
sun doubtful as to the ultimate conditions
winch VIII prevail when calls are made.
Hardware merchants report the largest
business of the year and from present in
dlcauons the trade for the whole year will
surpasS that Of any former year In this
state: The orders that have been received
Tor September shipment are greatly in
excess OF the total trade at the close OF
last fall. The shortage in cars remains
quite factor Hardware shipments are
greatly delayed and other causes have led
70 great depletion In certain lines of stock.
Nails and wire remain very scarce and
factories are getting farther behind each
week IN orders, so that little change for
the better is expected. The demand for
local builders hardware has been very
active, as well as that from the country.
laying tools have been moving fast for
the last six weeks, which Is an unusual
condition for this season OF the year An
advance Of 10 cents per 100 pounds in zinc
is reported, which was the only advance In
prices during the week, and this was made
on account OF the technical position of the
market, the supply being scarce and the
demand large. Small garden tools are being
sofa In large quantities and sporting goods
continue to be in strong demand.
NO change In prices on implements is re.
ported during the week. but the recent FIAT
advance on bIggies and wagons has gone
Into effect. The advance caused some pro.
test, but manufacturers assert the raise
! was more than justified I'm view OF the
prices labor
| terial. Implement sales have decrea SEQ
during the week as has been expected, al
| passed. Sales have, however been of much
| greater voume than during the same perioS
| OF last year. Retailers have not been re
hitting on accounts as we'll as had beer
| anticipated, but they have not realized OF
| recent sales and improvement Is expected
sales of buggies continue to hold we'll FOL
| the reason that the roads are in good con
| dition and make travel easy.
| lower prices, but the supply of strawber
| Ties, which are shipped mostly from Texas
Is increasing 81, In like ratio to the deere9s,
received is much poorer and prices ar,
| lower Elephant, new asparagus and new
| potatoes are in plentiful supply and hav'
| met with good sale. Oranges are Of eXcep
| tional quality and lower in price. Potatoes
| hold steady. the supply coming principau!
65 cents.
There has been no change in prices oil
sugar since the last report, although raw'
show considerable strength, with an &C
| tual and sustained advance of cents pc
! hundred. Higher prices are met with 70
| May delivery. The demand for the reflnel
! product has been only fair, but the cont
uation of fair weather Will cause increas
! in this respect.
prices on all grades. as large manufac
| turer Of popular and low-priced brands
said to be in the market buying indiscrim
inatey in large quantities without regar
TO quality. The speculative situation
! still a matter Of some concern, althoug
the May delivery has not disturbed tn
| market, as liquidation has been quiet. Tn
| new crop is reported to be large, but Q
poor quality, and the best grades will con
! tinue TO rule higher. Sales have been fai
for the season, but this is the period whe
| sales decrease to some extent
The spot corn and tomato markets ar
without material change. The easy feelin
on tomatoes still continues in the east be
cause OF the absence OF any active de
mand. In the way OF futures tomatoe
are selling fairly we'll, particularly on tn
higher grades and reliable packers brands
No prices have yet been named on futur
corn. Some brands which are not up
standard are being urged upon the marke
| at low prices. Packers whose goods ar
strictly all right are content TO await tn
developments OF the season, confident tina
they Will be able TO sell at better price
With possibly one or two exceptions IN
! holders OF Red Alaska salmon have ao
vanced their prices, on the coast from
| reason to anticipate higher prices on re
Alaska IN the near future II is only rea
sonable to suppose that the packers wi
take advantage OF the fact that 1t VIII COS
I at least 10 cents per dozen more 10 pac
| red Alaska this year than II did last Fo
this reason, together with the known shori
age In the available supply, the markS
will trend 70 an advance In prices.
! The last three weeks have seen alfnoi
continuous storms in the Sacramento va
/ ley and as a consequence almost all
, | the asparagus beds have been flooded.
! | Is now estimated that not more than
| per cent OF the estimated pack can
made while under normal conditions n
packers had hoped to pack 5000 case
| more than they did IN 1906
The market on dried fruit Is not particl
larly active on any article. Prunes 81
moving well, peaches only fairly we'll, wit
the market easy on evaporated apples.
. The very serious storms which hay
caused the damage to the aspa' agus Gre
have done a great deal OF damage to q
fruit crop. ApTicots have suffered q
, most Throughout the Santa Clara vallt
the report Il well substantiated that q
| output OF evapOrated apricots will not
n ! greater than that OF last year. and III
n Teport Is general throughout northern Ca
n | fornIa in the aDricot districts. Fresno n,
n ! escaDed somewhat and the apricot or
there will he considerably better than
the Santa Clara valley. Serious damal
=, also is reported to Crawford peaches al
. ! prunes, but inasmuch as II Is almost o
u 1yova necessary to thin the pFunes al