Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-01
Concrete Facts Illustrating Growth of Omaha During the Last Yea
implements show Decline.

Omaha can justly boast at the close Of a
big year.
Implements show Decline.
In the agricultural implement Inc, it is
believed the business is off 10 per cent
to a full 20 per cent. Many reasons are
given for the decrease, but the principal
one seems to be that almost every farmer
bought new wagons, carriages, plows. Gull
tivators and harrows during 1907, when the
business done by Omaha houses was more
than $11, 800, 600.
This figure looks high, but on the testi-
mony Of the most conservative business
men in the line, It is not too high, perhaps
not high enough. and a new house or two
has been added, while the John Deere Plow
company has more than tripled the space
occupied by its warehouses and its bust
ness is climbing In proportion.
One feature of the implement business
has been the elimination Of surplus stocks
and the placing of everything on a better
footing. One house which had 200 car
riages in its warehouse a year ago now
has less than 800. The wholesalers arranged
to assist the retailers who had bought
heavy and where a house had a carload of
wagons and the dealer a few stations be-
yond was ordering wagons. the goods
were shipped from the retailer who had
the surplus. Thus stocks both In the whole
sale houses and in the country have been
well cleaned up and there is now little
doubt, but what the agricultural implement
men. who nave sold more than 49, 900 OF
a 100000 business during the coming
goods during 1908, win make 1t better than
season.
Druggists have held their own-some
have even done better because of new ter
ritory which they have been adding, and
the Omaha houses are now selling clear
to the Pacific coast, which has made 1t
possible to make up any loss in business in
the middle west by pushing further toward
the Pacific. L. L. Bruce is responsible
for the statement that there is not a plia.
BILE 5 per cent difference in the gross sales
of 1908, as compared to those of 1907. either
way.
One line of business which has attracted
attention by a heavy increase is the whole
sale milliners. The increase in this line
will be more than IS per cent, an increase
from $4SS,0OO to almost 100000 in one year
Business men are of the opinion the mil.
linery business is a good barometer-al-
most as good as bank clearings. When
people are buying millinery they are also
ivy us 6ibNNAN NSI AhbbtA 6pphof ONAilA
carpets, coal. lumber, paints, wall paper,
boots and shoes, confectionery, hats and
caps, say the business houses.
Millinery as n Barometer.
Tho millinery sold in the Omaha terri
tory has been better and has cost more
money than it did last year. The ten.
dency Of the hat market Is not inclined to
be downward and, as a result, people had
to have more money to buy millinery, but
they had 1t and spent it, and If they could
all afford new hats for their wives and
daughters, II Is almost certain the con.
sumers were buying other lines literally
The trade in groceries has been steady
no falling off, and with the hope that II
will show a good increase when the books
are finally closed on the year. Even dur
ing the first few months of the year the
people did not stop eating because many
were trying to urge hard times, nor did
the consumption decrease because Of the
presidential campaign. The record made
by the grocers has not been hard to make
mot as hard as it was in the dry goods
lines.
Leather goods and advertising novelties
had a good year In Omaha. and a new
leather house or two came along to swell
the business.
Both the sale and manufacture of poul-
try and stock foods has increased, nota.
bly, the alfalfa foods.
Factories in Omaha have made a
good record. $1sS, 172.165 worth for the
year. The most notable Increase is in the
manufacture of flour and feed stuffs, the
mills of Omaha running day and night
during the entire year, while the largest
mill in the city ran only two months the
last of 1907.
Healthy increases are shown by the
creameries and Omaha maintains the posi-
ton won several years ago of the largest
butter manufacturing point in the United
States.
Cracker showing Late.
The manufacture Of crackers decreased
during 1908 because the National Biscuit
company closed it's plant during the win
ter of 1907. and until the plant Of the Item
Biscuit company started in September. no
crackers were made In Omaha. The Item
plant, with a larger capacity than the old
National factory, is now running, and the
Loose-Wiles Cracker and Confectionery
company is erecting a plant of equal ca
pacity, which will soon make Omaha one
of the largest Independent cracker manu-
featuring points on the biscuit map
Beer and malt products did not show a
decrease. One d~istillery was closed for a
short time. put resumed TO make up FOR
the time lost when it was closed for i'm.
p%rovements and repairs.
The cement block industry shows an in.
crease, no less than six new plants opening
in Omaha during the year.
Among the notable records is that made
Ey the manufacturers Of poultry supplies,
Including incubators. More of these sup
pies have been manufactured in Omaha
than ever before and sold from the Mis-
sissippi river to the Pacific coast.
The following is a detailed statement OF
the wholesaling and jobbing business OF
the city for the twelve months of 1905,
Record Ina Detail.
Agricultural implements ..........$ 9,7OO.O 600
Advertising novelties ............... 197,OO
Automobile supplies ..............., 10000
Bakers supplies ................., 5000
Bakers goods, tobbed .....,...... 10000
Barriers supplies ................,.. I5,O0U
Billiard room and bar fixtures, go. ll5,OOO
Boots and shoes .....,......"...... 100000
confectionery l,4O0,O0C
CONTINUED on Twelfth Page.)