Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-04-28
TRADE CONDITIONS IN OMAHA
Weather Conditions Have Diverse Effect
Upon Local Jobbing Trade.
DRY WEATHER HURTS IMPLEMENT TRADE
shoe and Implement JObbers Report
Late Spring of Dry weather
Has Affected sales in
Their Lines.

Weather conditions have been the i'm
portant factor in the trade Of Omaha job
bling houses during the last week, and the
cold, dry weather prevailing In most sec !
lions covered by the local jobbers has af-
fected some lines seriously, while other
lines have noticed little change in the
volume of trade for this reason.
Few outside merchants have visited the
trade during the period under review but
the orders received from statesmen in most |
lines of trade have more than made up for !
the falling off in this particular. The
heavy fall of snow during the first part of
the week stimulated trade in small hard |
ware lines, but the precipitation was con- |
fined principally to Nebraska and South
Dakota, with the result that the volume OF
trade from other states has been somewhat
reduced, notably in the shoe and imple- |
The partial failure of the wheat crop in
Kansas and Oklahoma, caused by the
unusual dry weather prevailing this spring. !
has caused serious harm to the trade of
harvester jobbers, and many statesmen
have been taken from the field on this
account. This condition has reacted, by
causing farmers to be backward IN CIV |
ing orders to retail merchants for imple-
ments, and thus causing some stringency
IN collections, as well as in current sales.
With the winter wheat crop badly dam
aged in Kansas and Oklahoma, the Jobbers
covering that territory Will be seriously
affected, but, fortunately, few Omaha
houses have agents in the aifected states,
of trade has been largely in excess of that
Of the corresponding period OF last year
and general conditions throughout Ne
braska point to continued prosperity In
! this respect. The crops of Nebraska have
not been affected by the dry spring and
! farmers OF this state will reap the benefit
| of crop failure elsewhere
! The trade in implements is very quiet
| due to the unreasonable weather, which
has been cold and dry with the exception
/ of the heavy snowfall recently. This,
! taken in connection with other conditions,
has hlndered farm operations and spirit
of anr Nvaf1 Is hRfp MAJ nj act "
farmers as to their future operations.
| Farmers are not buying implements in
trade Of retailers has been dull. There has
been no change in prices, but the general
! tendency is toward higher values in nearly
all lines. The demand for buggies con-
tinues to hold firm and jobbers report con-
| tinued large sales, which are greater than
| last spring. Buggy stocks are at low ebb
! on account of the inability of tobbers to
secure shipments from manufacturers be
cause of some shortage in supply, but
principally because Of the failure Of manu-
facturers to keep up with the orders. Fac
tories are uniformly far in arrears on or
ders, some being as much as three months
behind
The house trade Of local dry goods job
bers continues very good. order business
has also been very satisfactory. both direct
men. Local jobbers report that their ad-
vance orders for fall goods for delivery
after July I is largely In excess of similar
business OF last year There still con-
tinues some scarcity in popular lines, such
as ginghams and other staple cotton goods
for spot delivery Manufacturers are TAX
ing orders for the spring Of 1908 and there
seems no possibility for accumulation OF
popular lines Of seasonable cotton goods.
Prices continue strong, although no quota
BILE changes have been made during the
last week. Collections are very satisfac-
tory and discounts are frequent,
The shoe trade has suffered slightly be-
cause OF the backward spring and the I'M
usual dry and cold weather prevailing.
The cold weather has resulted I'm lighter
| sales of summer leather goods. although
sales are far in advance of those of last
year for the same period The rubber
unusual dry spring and extreme lack OF
moisture in the territory covered by the
the market from the demand for tan shoes
beginning to be noticed among local
tobbers, even TO a slight extent with the
essentially country trade, and sales Of tan
leather goods are beginning 70 show de-
! cided Improvement The demand for tan
goods is expected to increase with the ad-
vent OF warmer weather. as well as the
IoW-quartered shoes OF all grades, as this
class OF goods has been slightly stagnant
have a large enough supply Of low shoes
to supply the immediate demands Of all
customers and from present indications
the wearing OF tan feathers will be in con-
trast to the season Of dull feathers Of the
last two years. Collections are only fair
although stringency in finances is not APP
great part of their bills on all present
sales. Improvement in the collection, stu
and It is anticipated that no difficulty will
be encountered in this respect.
/ Weather conditions have not had any
effect on the hardware trade. as the little
| snow and rain had in some sections has
made the ground more receptive and al
lowed for more extensive use OF small
| hardware goods. There has been no change
In prices on wood stock. such as single
and double trees for wagons. which has
advanced g ner cent, and mills are six
| months behind in orders, with great
scarcity in the available supply. The large
n fTaH q ha 10 At 90 he
was continued during the period under re-
view and the trade. week by week and
OF many previous years Visitors from the
country have been few. but orders from
statesmen have increased commensurately.
Il The supply OF nails and wire continues
light and manufacturers are about sixty
days behind in shipments, with little pros
pect or material Improvement in this re-
fairly complete, irregular sizes, for which
there Is frequent inquiry are out Of stock.
sales OF sporting goods continue large and
winchester firearms have been subject 70
q nat increase OF per cent In all lines
Jobbers are unable 70 provide for the large
demand for small garden tools and some
fourth orders for hardware Of this Clas
have been received. Collections continue
good and merchants are uniformly meetinl
their obligations with little trouble
Several staple articles have disappeared
from the wholesale fruit and vegetable
market during the last week. but new
fruits are being received In large quantities
70 take their places. Strawberries Of fin
QualllN are uellE received from van buref
county, Arkansas, and viii be on sale for
the next three weeks, but az high prices n
comparison with the recent state OF th'
berry market The demand for the Ar
kansas berries is so great that prices ar
about twice as high as on other qualities
but the berries are extra select and NEE
with ready sale by discriminating trade
Apples are out OF the market, with the eN-
ception OF few lines Of Ben Davis, which
are being cleaned up I'm the face OF stag
nant demand. Head lettuce Is scarce, al