The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-09-08
BUSINESS men
READY FOR FALL
Situation Between Seasons
Appears to Be in Health
full Condition.
COMBINES ARE TARGETS
A BIG FACTOR.
COMBINES ARE TARGETS

Local tradesmen are busy getting
ready for an early fall and closing out
a heavy summers business. CONNER
eial conditions have changed very lit
tie the past ten days, the general tone
of the situation remaining healthy and
encouraging.
The calling of a grand jury TO inves-
tigate the combinations alleged to eX-
list in local commercial circles for the
fixing of commodity prices and IN re-
str6int of trade has been the chief
topic of the week end. There is a pre-
vailing feeling among business men that
the time is at hand to put a stop to
price raising in Salt Lake and vicinity
and to call a halt on trade combina-
lions. The action of the grand jury is,
of course, only probiematical, but from
all Indications a searching probe VIII
be conducted into the reasons for the
high cost OF living in Salt Lake, and
plenty of evidence seems TO be at hand
proving conclusiVely that either the
wholesalers or the retailers of food
stuffs, OF a combination of the two. are
responsible for the abnormal level of
food prices.
The campaign that has for two weeks
been conducted against the retail and
wholesale butchers and grocers has had
an appreciable effect on retail grocery
trade, customers changing their pur-
chasing places all over the city in an
effort to find grocers advertising them
selves as Independent dealers.
Banking and Realty.
The bankers are feeling better than
they have all summer over the local
and national condition. Conditions
have cleared up wonderfully we'll all
over the country, and locally there is
lively speculation in mining stocks.
New York has put considerable Z per
cent paper on the local market the past
week Bank clearings are away ahead
of last year.
The realty market is active in small
stuff Residence property is selling at
increased values. Little lumber is
coming in at present, and the brick
men are tied up, according to contract
ors Plans have been completed and
are published elsewhere in these col
umns for the Peery building to go up
at West Temple and Third South
streets, and for a hotel on West Third
South street. Both buildings will be
good, substantial affairs, and work has
already been started on them. The
first car of stone for the NewhOuse
buildings arrived yesterday, and it is
expected the first shipment of steel
will reach here Tuesday OF "Wednesday.
The stone and steel work will be car
ried up together on the two buildings.
The Judge building is progressing rap
idly.
The Wholesale Trade.
The wholesale dry goods men are
preparing for their fall and winter bus
mess and doing little else these days.
The orders for the fall and winter con-
sumption are coming in and the goods
are being shipped out all over the in
termountain country. Print stocks are
still on the rise. Fancy and novelty
goods are being brought TO the 'front.' by
the importers and domestic houses. me
market is reported comparatively pare
of quilts. Knit goods are commanding
higher prices than heretofore. and the
continued strikes of employees in the
silk mills seems certain TO raise prices
in this direction this year.
The grocery wholesale men have had
a strenuous time the past week, with
charges preferred against them from
all quarters of being responsible for the
high price Of food stuffs in Salt Lake.
Even the officials of the Manufacturers
& Merchants ASSOCIATION have gone so
far as to state that the wholesalers 90
not belong to that organization
Through il all the wholesalers have
had very little TO say, though one ad-
mftted Yesterday that the business of
ali the houses has been hurt by the
campaign. Restaurant men and cltl-
zens are planning to buy goods in the
eastern markets and have already done
so tn a considerable extent. This hurts
the local houses.
The machinery men report very ac-
tive season.
The Retailers.
This is between seasons for the ma
jority of the retailers, though the gem
eral volume of business the past two