Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1907-03-24
TRADE CONDITIONS IN OMAHA
Week Of Favorable Weather Stimulates
Business in All Lines.
WHOLESALERS REPORT GREAT ACTIVITY
Partial Relief Of Car Congestion Con-
tributes Materially Toward
strength and stability
of the Market.

of the Market.
One week Of exceptionally. favorable
weather has greatly stimulated the trade
Of all local joDbers and remarkable aCtlN,
ity for this season of the year rs reported
by practically all wholesale hrms. Nhlle
the business Of the last week has been IN
diCative Of the annual spring rush in many
lines, some jobbers believe the trade IS
about due for a temporary setback OF az
least two weeks, as II Is not peneNed lne
present volume of business Will be MAIN
tanned in case of predetermined reacuoh
in weather conditions.
Although the number OF visiting meI-
chants from nearby cities has been unus-
ually light in most lines of trade, travelling
statesmen have generally had more business
than the home houses could MI win any
degree Of facility, and shipping 1ePaL'-
ments have been very much rushed,
The situation as TO cars 10 decluedly I'M
proved and the stringenCy in this partlcu-
lar has been alleviated. to the reiet OF
shippers Cars were practically unavaliia "a,
BILE few weeks ago, either Tor the reCelpl
complaint is now offered by wholesalers on
this score.
All Grades of wagons Go Up.
The most notable feature among imple-
ment jobbers was the fiat advance las
week Of per cent in the price or al
grades of wagons. The increase DecoHt :
effective Immediately and all dealers VIII
be notified within the next ten days rms
the last ninety days and Jobbers are pc
ginning to wonder when the end Will be
reached The reason given by manutaCtur-
ers for the advance Is that there has been
considerable increase in the price Oh raw ,
materials and that the situation really
warrants an advance Of an additional per
cent, Wagons are now being constructed
of hard woods, such as oak ana hickOIgi
which are becoming more rare each year
Conservative jobbers believe an increase
In price will also be made on implements,
as the prices are deemed very low III we"
of the Increased prices on vehicles.
implement dealers report many large
sales of seeding machinery ana drills ana
the very warm and unreasonable Wedlner
of the last few days Is assigned as the
primal cause. Farmers are beginning &C
tive work in the fields and are making rush
demands for machinery, in consequence OF
which the shipping departments OF "hole-
sale houses have been forced to work over
time. Collections in the implement trade
are only fair and not what they should be
at this season.
Shoes Rise In Price.
Shoe merchants report constant stiffen-
ing in prices on practically all lines OF
goods with advances of from "a to IL
cents per pair. The largest advances are
reported in the standard grades, while the
more expensive classes have been subject
to the least advance. The demand Tor rub
Der goods has become lighter and Will PROB
ably remain SO.
The dry weather of the last two weeks
has caused the falling off in demand for
all rubber goods Leather shipments have
been good, with oXfords in the greatest
demand, which is expected to increase with
the advance Of warmer weather. Factories
are behind on orders and some difficulty is
BEING experienced in securing stocks on
account of the many rush orders in the
market for the supply of raw materials
has not abated The trade during the last
week in most lines has been about normal
Many country merchants called on the
trade. Collections are reported to be In
the most unsatisfactory condition in recent
years. Several failures have been recorded
since January l and great stringency is
apparent. Jobbers are experiencing great
difficulty in reducing credits and the cause
of the situation seems to be the enormous
credit business done by the retailer re-
Gently and the burden falls on the whole.
saler. 1t is believer, however, that condi
lions will improve after April l.
Marked Jump in Dry Goods.
Business among dry goods merchants has
been subject to a marked increase during
the last week. Cotton goods are firmer anc
is very satisfactory, as merchants appar
emily believe prices will advance by fal
and full lines of stocks are being secured
in anticipation. There has been another
advance in bleached cottons with pros
poets of still higher prices. There Il
marked scarcity in the market OF leading
lines of staple goods of & descriptions.
Wash goods and light fabrics have beer
in unsual demand during the last weel
on account of the warm weather, and there
has been noticeable increase IN recorder
ing Of thin wash goods, which is rathe
unusual al this time of the year for broker
stocks. This situation Is believed TO b.
indicative Of an unprecedented business II
this class of goods during the coming sum
mer season.
Rushing in Hardware.
Collections have been good among hard
ware jobbers and business has been rush
ing No increase IN prices is reported, bu
there is great scarcity in. the supply o
wire cloth. screens and screen doors ant
poultry fencing, The supply of these arti
cles is estimated as about 30 per cen
less than the demand and prices are boun'
to soar within a short time. shortage o
a like amount in small farming tools
also reported and there Is apparently llttl
hope for relief from manufacturers, VIII
are months behind in their orders. Wiz
nails are also becoming very scarce am
factories are thirty days behind in ship
ments, with little prospect for immediate
Improvement in this respect.
Sporting goods are in increased deman'
and base ball goods are beginning to b.
shipped in great quantities. 1t eugurs 70
record trade this year in base ball ant
golf lines, although unusual quantities o
tennis goods and firearms have been soil
as well.
Most Fresh Fruits Abundant.
Fresh fruits are in plentiful supply, will
the exception of strawberries, which ar
a pint and from 30 to IS cents per quart
All vegetables are plenty but head lettuce
which is now between seasons ana retail
at % cents per head. Local stun has no
yet made its appearance on the market 4
any extent, but carload of fine Cuban to
matoes, new potatoes and pineapples i
meeting with good demand. The new po
tatoes retail at from to 10 cents pc
pound, but meet with ready sale at tina
hgure. The market on old potatoes Is
| little easier, and new Texas cabbage &
| coming in to the market at a reasonable
price. Oranges are fully ripened and eN
| ceptOnally tne for this season, being yer.
| large, with no small stun offered.
Sugar and Coffee.
The sugar market has been comparativel,
| quiet during the last week, with no ad
vance being reported in prices. While tn
market has not been subject TO great activ
| ity for several weeks, jobbers have beel
disinClined to extend lines on account o
/ the speculative character of the trading
Raws are unchanged after an advance o
/ several cents last week. The retnei
product Is weaker, but foreign market
/ have been firm and better tone Is antici
Trade in coffee has been very quiet, a
! iobbers are now waiting for the May liqui
! dation, when large options OF the big in
! teTests will have TO be liquidated, and IL
| questionable n this can be accOmplishe
| without disturbing the market The sprin
| trade in coffee has not begun and there ha
/ been no change in prices, except for tn
J finer grades which are becoming NOR
! scarce.