Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, January 1, 1879, Page 6

e biowc i [ generally tower than In 1877, owlag to the heavy erops, especially of the leading domestic vitie- ties. Tha eeason was moderately - lucrative for the dealers, but prices were too low for the American farmers to call it satisfactory, except in cases where an abundance compensated for the low price. The sales are roughly estimated wt £5,500,000. Neariy oll the domestic berries were plenty and exccllent. Peaches wers scarce in Michi- ean, and a {alzcrop to Illinofs. Thequality wes rather Inferior, though fine peaches Were con- tributed by this State and Northern Michigan. Prices ranged from 25¢(2$1.00 per basket, Ttie apple crop was probsbiy the largest ever ralsed In the United States and Canada. The Joca) market was kept full to the brim all the a1l witl the product of the Nortbiwestern, New York, Ohfo, and Csnadlan orchards, Priccs werc about 40 per cent lower than fn 1577, raog- nc frotn $1.2%@1.75 per brl In car-lota. Heavy shipmenta were made to the WesteruStates and ‘Territurles and some parts of the South. Large guantities of Eastern fruft were exvorted to Europe aud trovical America. The Imports of American apples into Liverpool were about 150,000 bris. In the more inaccessible parts of this country the farmers allowed thousands of bushels to decay in the orchards becsuse it trould not pay to send them to market. ‘The trale (n cranbesries way rather delow the avernre, owing to the abundance and cheapness of noples. The Northwestern sales were fnir, and Csiiforufa took & good many berries. The Wisconsin crop was farge, the Cape Cod fair, aud the New Jursey Jight. Bat little Eastern fratt came liere. Prices were about $1.00 per brl ower than in 1877, ranglog from $5.00@8.00 per Uil. The sales of CALIFORNIA FRUITS nre plaved at $225,000, and the receipts at abont 2,500,000 1hs. The season was satlefactory. The whurt crop of pears made them higher, ranging arotn $2.50(24.00 per box. The recelpts of Cali- fornia gropes were the largest cver known. Thes were shipped chictiy on passenzer trainsat un expente of $300.00 per car. The averagerange 01 Drices was 10@125¢c per Ib. A few plumsand other frufts wers received. ‘The trade in oranges and lemona reached nbod; thic snme agoregato s in 1877, and was faitly profitable, The eatly crop of iemons and tlie summer supply of unnEun were short, hence o higher ranee of prices. Lemons rold at 84,00 @0.00 per Loy, running up to $15.00 during the lot resson, and closing at $5.0630.00. Box aranges sold at #3.30.29.00, and case do at $6.00 @140, The new crop of lemons is fair, and tuat vl orsoves large, Nearly all the Mediter- rapean fruft is now forwardesd on steamerv. ‘The Sowtliern oranges were more plenty than usiu) and better in quality, Orsuge cuiture In tnis country seems desiined to become a of much wealth. The fine Florida aod Louisiana fruit Is biebly esteemed, aud comes to market fust Intlme "to 1 the gap becween the two Europeun crops. Cuost oranges have sold at 7.(,(!)-178.!11 per ULrl, aud Florida st §3.50@35.00 ver 100, A large proportion of.the Florida arange crop 18 lust ot account of the carciess way in which §tis pleked and shirped, sud the consignee is frequently blamed for amall returos, while the eiuloper 18 really at fault. This frult, saysun cxperienced dealer, siou!d ba carelully cut from tlie trees, lnid slx or elght days In acuring. lovae to go through the sweal, and thep be crrefully wrapped {n paper and_ shipped in boxes of uniforin size aud shape, Shippers who have taken pains to properly handle the fruit hnve Leen handsomely rewarded for their labor, ‘The sales of West Todia fruits reached atout $175,000. Tho receipts of bananas and pine- apples were upusually large and the consump- tfon of cucoanuts alao iocressed. A large por- tion of this truit came to Chicago from New Orlcans, which is new an lmportant rival of New York in this business. FISH. NOTWITNISTANDING A GENERAL ° und quite nronounced decline fo all descriptions of cured flaly, tbe total value of the sales for 1878 wus oniy a trific less than for the previous year, amountiog to about $1,400,000 as agaiust 21,500,000 for 1877, As prices show an average shnnkage of fully 16220 ver cent, It willrendily be scen that the quantity of fish bhaodled was materially in excess of that for 1877. The ehrinkaze In values was not due to cxeessive supplles or to 8 lack of demand,~npeither lake nor ealtwater fish being a8 plentiful as during the previous scason, while the demand atall tiies wag quite up to reasonable expectations. But it wos ia symnpathy with the general downe ward inclination that has marked the course of prices of oll commodifies during the past twelve wuntbs. ‘Thers was ono fallure, and that o ve: vl oue,~bnd, viewed from moral staod- puint; so the treditors aay, at least. Of LAKE PISH, the cateh siows & marked falling-off from that of the previons season, which, 1t will be re- wembered, was considerably under tho average, ‘Pl cateh of whitotlsh awd trout was scarculy 1more than a third of an average, but tho herring Alsheriea were falrly succeastul, especially during the antutnn, The greatly-decreased supply of cured lake-tish Is sccounted for lu part by the Yact that, with fmproved facilities for shipping themn, o larger supply than ususl of the catch now Hinds its way to the market in a fresh state, Prices of No. 1 whitetish opened at §4.50(z: und xoon advanced to $1.60@4.53. In February tliey hegan to decline, and the downward move- went did not stop until July, when sales wero mado as low as §2. The market soon raliied, ond from the 1st of August till about the middle of November ruled steady at $3.00@3.25. The present price 1s 3080, The MACKENEL PISUZRIZS were not attended with even the very poor suc- weas of the previous seasop, the catch of tnckerel being the lightest known for many vears, A falr quantity of the poorer zrades was takieu, aod the prices of 2ud acd 3rd are low, aelatively, The cud_tshenies also were only partially successful. Tho catch of George's was The livlitest ever kuown, but of Bauk thi a fair suyplv. The year opened at §5.75:(8.00, and gradualty decllned until $3.50 for Bank snd .75 lur Gedrge's wers renchied in Muy, Later the market advaseed to $3.00 and €5.50, but during November prices azain declined, and the year closed ot 83,5075 for Bauk and $5.00@ 5.25 for George’s. “The lowest pricy reached during 1677 was 84.50. Salmon have beeu pleu- tiful, and sold lower than ever before,~now quuted ot 1278621800 per brl. TUE PRESU-PISI BUSINERS was active, and the market throughout was steady ot vuchonged prices. 1o our Just Anuual Review eution was made of the fact that jtwus the prevaiing opiolon amonge the more promi- nent dealers that some legislation should be bad fu refercuve to “mesbes,” or, fo other words, u law regulsting the catching of small fish. We note thsl the Legislatures of the Hiates of Michizan sod Wiscoustn, realizing the vucessity of such & luw, have enacted certaln weasures hearivie upou this case, and we are informed that u slmillar petition will be pre- sguted the preseut winter to the Legislature of Hiinals for its considerstion. The number of tlyipe engaged In Uhfs branch fu this vity Is eleven, whose cavitul s §: and with an- nual sales aggregating stima.dug ot 5 cetits per poung, Lhe gross welght of flah shippen sud received durlug the vear 1573 was L3 U000 punuds, srainet 14,000,000 pounds io 13 12,200,000 pounds in 1870, aud 11,500,000 o 13 OIsTRRS. As compared with the yesr 1877, the oyster trude hus ruled sctive, aud as the weather was 1avorable, packers were realizing at au advance of 15 per cent on the sales ellected twelve moutbs ago. Packers complain that as yet tuere i3 only s small manno, and are drm in thbeir demsouds ut the receut advance, Buslness in tuls brauch was materfully checked during e woutl of Nuvember Ly the strike lu Balti- more, and our deaters were forced to purcuase teir roods {u various cliics,—Baltlmore, Phila- delphin, Amboy, sud New York,—at an udvaiice ot Iully 10 per vent. ‘Therauretwenty-oue Urms enyaued in this trade fn Ch Whows B2gre- Euie capital toote up §1,175, “‘The value of 1a¢ annual sales was £4,500,000, azaiust $3,500,- W fur 1577, 33,500,000 Jor 1570, aud $3.000,000 for 1675, A amrked feature of the trade lost bedaun wos au jmproved demand (rum Catlfor- bigy sud Lhe trade frum the Boutuwest s sléo larger tuau ever before knows., e DRY GOODS. TIE BALES OF TUE PAST YEAR show a sathfaciory increase, belng dbout 4 per cent lu currency, or 73§ oer cent in gold, kreater than.the previous vears which was 10 per ceot larger than the total of 1573, The total sales »zpregute wbout €52.000,000, spalnst $50,000,000 in 1537, The cupital employed iain the nelgh- borbioud ot £9,000,000, there baviug beca no in- crease durog the past twelve inootbs, exconk tust the protits of the busineas bave beea par- tally added tothe stock in some cases. ‘Il Lusiuess bus been the wost sctive jo aur bistory, aud the woust brotitable of suy since the pauic-of 1878, The vulume of gouds bandled was 10215 per cent fu excess of the previvus wwelve wmonths, vut a further sbrinksge o pilces, averagiug not fur from 10 per cent on all clases of gouds, nade the cash returus of the two pust years wore uearly equul, ax above. 'Fhe decline chiey occurred duriug the tret »ix aaoutas, leavivg the warket to rule steady alter THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE: WEDNESDAY JANUARY 1, I879—SIXTEEN PAGES midsammer. Thers were no Important changes of guotations pending the trade in autnmn and wioter goods. Prices are now lower than ever before known in the history of the dry-zoods business n this city. ‘The contlnnous improyements fn machinery hava 80 much cheapened the cost of production that, with wazes and raw materisl nolower than before the War, the manufacturer {a able to fur- nish his goods at s material reduction from then current quotations; an our merchants are satis- fled with a smaller percentage of profit, becauta nw{ have learned to handle the goods with less cost to themaelves on s vastly enlarged volume of business. No Immediate ‘advance in priccs feems to be generally expected, but the trade fs decidedly disposed to regard prices as down to bed-rock, and muich moré confidence is diapiayed than & fow munths ogo. Retall dealeraare more willing to inveat In goods ahead of the de- mands of the present, and consumers are not paring #o closely as heretufore In restricting urchases to the supply of immediate wants. or this reason, A hellthg trade is looked for during the coming year, with even more artivity than was experlenced during the past twelve months. e note the existence of a good and growing demand for TI1% BETTER CLASS OF 0OODS, fn which unusual atteactions are offered at the vrincipal establishments. This class of articles fs mors fully supplied each succecding year by domestic manufacturers; but the direct {mports of foreign dry goods to this city were about as great in 1578 as in 1877, though the total Imuorts into the United States show a consideratle fall- ing off. Our (Chicago) Imparts would have been much larger but “for the *“irrcgularities fnthe New York Custom-House, which have really operated as & direct discrimination agaliat the merchants of the Weat. It now scemns probable that within & very few years the fmportations ot foreign dry s will fall off to & merelv nominal figure. Our manufacturers are even uotw competing successtully with those of the 0)d World, even on thelr owwn ground, both on staples and the better class of goods. Tue merchants of this city report their trade to be rapidly extending In area, with the continu- ous scttling up of the Southwest, West, and Northwest. Toey now trada to the limits of civilization, futly half-way around the compsss, their dealiozs extendiog from Ohlo to the Eastwand, round by Texas, and Callfornis, to British America” on tho Pacillc const, and trending still further northward to the rapidiy-settiing country at _the castern end of the Northern route tothe Paclfic Occan. Deal- ers report that collections have been very good, —better even than 1n1577,—4nd that the failurcs among retsilers In the Northwest were [ower than usual, WOOLEN GOODS, This branch of the wholesale trade has ruled quite active, the volume of sales showing an {ncrease of about 11 percent {n currency, not withstanding the fact that there has been an averuge decline of 121(@15 per cent In prices. Thetotal of sales {8 estimated at fully 85,000,000, against $4,500,000 In 1877, and $4,250,000 in 18703 the sales of 1874 were §4,000,000, Tt s ditficule, lowever, to closelv lnrm“mnlu the magnitudo of the business, as all the wholesale clothing houses trade In woolens a8 well us those who desl in dry goods. Imported sod domestic goods have declined in price In sbout the same rstio, but the pro- portion of the former to the total suld contin. ues to decrease, Domestic goods are rapidiy taking the piace of the imborted srticles, the quality steadily hnproving, while they can he supplled at much lower prices than equal guall- ties of foreign make. Our fmvortations are now nearly conflucd to the finer grades of En- glish and Scotch clot! d the eales of broad. cloth are mow relatively sinall, while it is well knownthat many ofthe goodsnow sold as forefzn were never on the other side of the Atlantic We mote that the domand s more and more to Jow an oriced gonds than ever befores the same time tho cheapness of falr to zood cloths bas caured n severs dlscrimination agsinat -hodd& articles, which are now nearly unsalsble, and_the manufacturers of this class of goods bave been the heaviest sufferers, The past year las, however, been an unprofitable one for maoufacturers in eenersl. Many mills have closed during the past twelvo months, some shutting down as late as November, No features of any consequence have occur- red in this branch of trode in 1573, and, ss col- lections have been better than in any previous yesr since the panic, the business of the twelve months just elapsed may be regarded as o fairly prosperous one. Dealers nave been able to operate on amaller marwins of profit, as tho cost of handling was reduced fully 10 per cent from that of 1877, CARPETINGS bave ruled very active during the greater vart of the year. The quantity of goods sold was about 15 per cent greater thau tu 1877, ot a ro- duction of some 10 per cent ln quotations, Tnis giv n jucrense of about G per cent In cash sales, The azgregats in carpets and up- bolstery {s cstimated ot $3,800,000, agafost $3,100,000 In 1877, Tho capital employed is about $750,000, helng thie same as ona year ago. Prices sre now lower thau ever before, the de- cline having been greatest on the higher priced goods. It is aslgnifleant fact that nearly all the zoods now handied in this line are of American manufacture. One of our leading Jobvers stated that his firm have unu{uru of Toreign carpeting in thelr house. Fxcepting in some of the fluer tapestrics, the domestie article is in every respect equal in quality to the Epulish make; while some claim that our Hrussels and fograin carpets are even superfor to those of forelgn msnufacture. No lngralns are now im- ported, and very fuw havo been brought into this country within the past ive. vears. Prior 1o that time fully one-half of the Brussels and ingrain carpots sold in this market were lin- ported goods. Dealers veport the business of tho past year more profitable than that of 1877, notwithetanding the sbriukego {n prices of oods in stoc] MILLINERY. THN WIOLXSALY MILLINERT TRADE has been more active than ever, shnoat all though the year, many more goods havieg been distributed from this city thao o any preceding twelva montls. Tue weather wastavorable, ass rule lnvitingtothedisplay of personal sdorument Inmarked contrast tothe wet season of uutumn and early winter in 1877, Both the spring and the autumn seasons were lang, and the westher fine. The spring was the more active of the two, though the Exposilion in the fall lnyited aud stimulated a Jarge country trade, In our lust anuual review we stated that prices were not more than hulf of what they wero two yeara previcualy, aud It then scetied as I the rade must be down to bard-pav. But there has been a still further shrinkage to the extent of Hml‘:)f per cent during 1878, and the result is that prices were never 80 low 48 uow—=not even [ khui’ ars before the War of the Rebellion. Notwi{lstanding this fact the wholesals sales extibit an |ocrease fu dollars and cents, The supregate of Iast rur s estimated st fully 5,000,0c0, agatnat $1,000,000 In 1577, and $4,830,- |u 1870, ‘This 1s an lncrease of 9 per cent currency, or nearly 53¢ per ceut when tha sales of }u‘rs and 1377 are both reducd 1o a specle baals. The capital employed in the business is not far from one-dfth of thesnles, being inthenelgh- borticod ol $1,000,000, Thle s somewhat less thau & year ago, as two or three of tho small firma have succumbed to the {ocvitable, being ressed down by the depreiation ot atock while on hand, Tho ‘cost of dolug Lusiness remaing wbout the sanic, thers belag lew ftems ol ex- pense in which lmportant changes have oceurred. ‘Ilie Lusiucss is now vouducted ou a relatively small profit, competition bavivg caused % s~ terlal reduction withio the puat two or three 78 TUR FACT O¢ LOW FRIC has caused the deinand to run to & much better clags of woods thun formerly, and th chespeat articlca are vow but little sousht alter, Tne vountry milliner vies with the one in the city {n lookug out the newcest deslgus, and making the oiwst attractive display possible, It is no- ticeavle, Lowsver, that yery much of this suuate- rial {8 now mado tiere. Tue volume of fmported ®oods dhinluishes snnually, sud little Lesides novelties are now kmpurted, thoueh our leadluge Houdes have resigent buyers m Europe aiways ou the lookout for the most attractlve mate- vial. The fact s that Chicage uow manufac- tures her own flowers, and employa its own srt- fats to inveut and model new shapes and fash- woich are wrought by the deft Gugers of nearly 300 workers ot forme that the most cultivated Pariglan tasto might covy, ‘The artle ficial fowers of France and Ublcaro are now of- fered side Ly side o our jeadlng establishments, and the latter are oot Infrequently preferred on the score uf beauty st tasteful adsutution, ir- reapective of the dulfercuce in prices. Ae s ree suit of bl bome alent sud udustry, the viss itor to Chicazo now tids a display rivaling the choleest collections of the O1d World To quality, and offered st prices which defy competition even with cltles ot the Eust. Uur leadiug bouses can truly boust that they furnish 8 myre sttractive and varied display than auy Louse in New York City, which {s the sume 1Lfug us saylug that they beat the world, Very Hittle of tue trade uf the West uow goes to the seaboard—the quick, 2ood seuse of our lady catererd Lo the tastes of the people haviug tauglic thew tbat they can do better here. Dealers report that coliectiona bave beew quite 84 satlsfuctory duriug 1578 as sl auy time during the three preceding years, CLOTIIING, A SATISFACTURY TRADE Isreported n ibls deparument, though the gens eral declive told rather neavily ou prolits. The sagregate ssles were about 15 per cent greater fn volume than fn 1877, but s this was accom- panied by a sheinkage in prices of tally 15 per cent, the currency valne of sales st wholesale was about it eame as the previous year, when they wero estimated st 812, 000,000, sganst $11,000,000 In 1878, The eapital employed, including that eogsged fo the msnufacturing department, fs sbomt $5,000,000. 'Thecost of doing business has been less than in 1877, owing to s decline in rents, insurance, ete., while the cost of Iabor has re- mained about the same, there belng no material reduction In wages. Tradlug has been more of & hand-to-mouth character during the past twelve months than usual, buyers confining themaelves rather close- Iy 1o the supply of current wants; but & con- siderable fncrease in the number of purchasers hias more than made amends for this conserva- tivencss, and our mewbants and monufacturers bave large stocks at the closa of the year, while those fn the hands of re- inllers are light, which nrgues an sctive business In the near future, The major- ity of denlers report that collections have bren good wnesrly all through the year, and fewer losses have been sustained than heretofore. Hence the business has been satls- factory snd fairiy renumerative, thongh profits are s0 small that ' larze volume of goods have to be handled to make the business pay, ‘The wholesale clothing business {s more large- 1y one of bome production than any other, ot even exceptiug boots and slocs, nearly ail of the clothing sold here belng made here, Indeed, tiire {s only one wholessle houseof any con- sidorable magnitude that does not MANUFACTURR TT8 OWN CLOTRING here, and most of the home retailers purchase their goods in this city, The use of the best improved machinery, which reduces thecost of manufactura to s minimum, deos not prevent the employmentof a whole army of warkers, whose wages swell the salea o _other depart- ments of commercial activity, We note that the leading fdea in this clty has heen from the first to suit the climate where the Rouds are to be offered for sale, as well 88 to offer an assortment ftted for a large number of conditions in life. Hence there is much more of varfety In stvleand quality in_the goods made here than in those made East, thongh manufacturera near the sesboard are recentl following our example. This varicty witbsmall anu on bandling has enabled Chicago men to uild up & very large trade in wholcsale cloth- {og, and their work Is now womn by a great many peopls who used to wear only cusiom- made clotbing. The ready-made clothing trade of this city fs_claimed to be grearer even than that of New York, and, of cogse. it far excoeds that of any other city on the Continent. HATS, CAPS, URS, ETO. JOBAERS PRONOUNCR THE SEASON a satlsfactory one. The trade of the first elght months was prosecuted under very favorablo circumstances, and the cause for grumbling, if indeed thero was any, was In the Iste fall, when sales were lessened by the mlld weather and cheapness of farm ptoducts. Business expanded in a Western directlon. The States that were **on the ploneer" a very fcw years agzo have or- dered a greater quantity of oods than ever be- fors, and tha rccently-developed Black Hiifa district and ths Red River country have fur- nished new and important custoth. The de- mands of the older sections have also In- creased. Notwithstandiog an average re- duction in prices of about 1l per cent, dealers are report & gain 1n toe volume of sales measurcd in mouey, the transactl approximating $4,500,000, fn- cluding manufactured furs, straw, and buck ®oods. The number of firms has Levn Increased tonine by the addition of one the past year. ‘The_capital fnvested fs piaced at $1,600,000, Trade fo the country is 2ald to be in a very healthy condition. - Hills bave been more freely discounted tusn o any former year, aud fewer }l:;‘ul made by bad Ucbts. te spring and BALES OF TIATS were heavy, while those of caps were light, they being littly worn. The long warmi sumimer cro- ated an extraordinary demand for straw goods, and the stock was mimost exhousted when the season ed, The most scvere decllne in prices was in domestic furs, which are quoted 253333 per cent lower than (n 1877, The (all trade iu turs started well, bot the contibuance of mild weatber. into December fojured 1t A heavy busiuess was not expected, as the re- tallers wero known to_ have carried over larvo atocks from the preceding mild winter, which manufacturers and jobbers had considered fn’ prepariog for thls present season. But the trade, for reasons given, dld not quite sppronch the mork they Lad set for it, though it is now Improving. ‘The seal advauced 4060 per cent In Loudon, aud retslos its pouularity In this country, BOOTS AND STIOTS. TI118 IMPORTANT DEPARTMENT has not exhiibited the same ratio of fncrease 58 in 1877, when the volume of sales was not fur from $16,000,000, agalnst about 13,000,000 In 1870, Thero basbeen a further growth In tho business, the quantity of goods sold belug about 15 per cent greator than the year preced- fng; but ther®has been & further decline in prices to pearly the same extent, leaving the cash returns of the two last ycars not far from equal. The sales are estimated at $15,000,000, on a workinz cupital of 85,000,000, which fa- cludes that employed in manufacturing. ‘The decrease in the satling price of boots snd shoes {s chicfly owlng to a lussened cost of ma- terial, which has ruled very low, in comiyon with live stock. The price of labor remalns about tho sawme, and nu fnportant jnorove- tments have recently been made in labor-saving machinery, which really scerns ss f It had already reached the hight of perfection lo tLis Lusiness, The profits of handiing areabout thy saine a8 a year ago, but very much less than they wero o little earlier In our history, fncreas- Ing competition haying made & greac diffcrence fo this respect, Neither has thers been any notewortliy addition to the capital emfilnvud‘. or the number of prominent frms engaged in the business; though a ycar szo two or three Easteru firms were canvassing tho advisabllity of openfog out here. Qur jobbers report A SATISFACTORY TRADE. ‘The losses through bad debts the past year werg fewer than usual, and collections were made with greater promutnesa than In any previous year sinca the panic of 1873, All the indications point to a further rapid growth of the business, thouzh It has sircady attoined very larue dimcnsions. 1t s estab- lished on the very solfd basts of manufacturing a Jarge proportion of the goods ut hoow on tlie spot whero the raw muterlal §s prepare for usiug, The slaughter-houses of “this vity supply & very large quantity of hides, which are tanned here, and uvallable to manufucturers without cost of transportation except over short ¢ {ntramural distances, The Essteru nianufacturer hus to pay mtfim on the leather or hides from the West, aud lis wanulactured vroduct hoa agaln to pav transportstion chiaruzes befure Iy can find a market in the Weat, ‘Chis important fact has eacourazcd the (ndus- ry liere, sud moout twenty-Uve fira ure ut present engoged lu the manufacturing and jobe bing trade ln thiy city, thres of whom do s Jarger aggrezate busindss than sy othier threo tdrms fu the Unitea States, ‘hey chicy coutine themselves to the make of the heavier class of voods, but within the past two years the wanufacture of ladles' Wear has been tonducted here on & rather extonaive seale, ‘Ihe Chlcago made gouvds, sbout Y0 per cent of which ure manufactured from Chicago made leather, find Vhieir way into alinost eyery part of the Unlted Btates, ud th receut impetusmven tutho deveiupment of minfog and sgriculture fo the far Wear and Northwest hias very much widencd the murket fu tuose directlons, while they are preferred to other goods in lurye areas of the Bouth, TUE TRADE IN RUDDER GOODS was unusaally quiet duriog the greater part of the past year, The weather has beeu unfayura- ble to activity fn this dircction, Good rosds i1 the country, and good sidewalka (o thy ¢ with s gencrally wlid temperature, have vu- abled inauy to dispeuse with rubbers who form- erly ‘used them, ‘fhe trade In these goods is, bowever, a large one fu the aggregate. DRUGS AND CHEMICALS, TUS WUOLESALE DKCOGISTS report an jucreaso iu the quautity of goods sold, and an uversge dopreclation fu valucs of sbout 5 per cent. The decline fupricesoffsets the galn fu volume, 50 that the sales szgregate sbout the same as In 1577, belug $4,750,000, on & capltal of $8,000,000. The business sgstill couducted by cight houses. The pereentage of profits iy bo~ lioved to biave been larger than {a the preceding year, the market baving been steadier, aud several articies which were very low in the esrly part of the scason advanced a little in the autuwn, The fluctustions 1o toe gold premium beve been too slight to exert wuch intluence, ‘Fie gradual sbrinkage {n prives {s attributed to larger production sud competition between dowestic sod forelgn munufscturers. Bcveral wticles which were forwerly imported are wh to “whét It Was' rm\‘zm"m'n’r. hogs and ou increase of busine traders {8 increased,—four wew houses having opencd out durlng the past sentiment of the trade is that busiuesss f- now manufactured at home,—some of them in sufliclent quantities to supply the trade. In the Nrst part ol tho season J\e trade was dis- turbed by proposed changes in the tarifl, which made maniifacturers uncertaln how to act. Ap- vrehensions of a short aupply of quinine caused & sharp advance from ;:10& 10 $4.00 per oz, hut the gflce subsequently receded to $3.05. Sulph, cinchonidia, the popuiar substituto lor quinine, advanced in Heptember under the increasing de- mand. Uplum dropped from $4.65 ta $4.45 per 1b. and closed at §6.00, The sales of the PATERT MEDICINES that have been freely advertised Lava fncreased In volume, while thote of some in the older class that have not been kevt prominently before tho public have suffered a diminution, ‘The Increasc fn custom has been principall? in the freshly-settied West., The gain in business with Ohio_and other Enstern territory which was noted Inst year has heen held. ‘The anncxed’table shows the changes In some of the leading articles in the years named : July,, July. Deemder, 187 1 1678, Cltrie acid, Kasatoutias, per 1o s3afoctids, per Toras, pet fbre. Cnloroform, por Oll bergamonr, pa Ol lemon, p Quinine, per oz 2,50 Fotaua chiorate, perib .00 Dromide potassa, perlb 1.10 Opiom, per 10..,,..00. 8,03 Dlearvonatesoda. perd .08 Causticuoda, perlb,.., .09 .o : K | CROCKERY AND GLASSWARE THE WROLESALE TRADE IN CROCKERY, zlassware, lamps, and the many other articles dealt in under this head has been & more satis- factory one to deslers than in any previous vear aince the one succeeding the fire, when the business was overdone by a largs focrease in the pumber of frms ¢ogaged in it. The volume of goods sold is reported to_have n- creased about 15 per cent, which fs partially compensated by & geveral decline in prices, That, however, was pot s0 grest as in some former years, quotations baving nearly reached bardpan. ‘There was uo ma- terial decline in domestic goods, but imported articles were reduced 8@10 per cent, about half of which was due to the practical disappearance of the premlum on gold. Dealers report a marked falling off fn the yolume of lmporta. tions, owing to the [mproving quality and greater cheapness of American made woods. OUR TRADR HAS INCREASED chiefly fn the ecxtreme West and Southwest, where the rapld development of Industrics fs opening up & big demand for lambs and other 2lassware. We have done a little less business with Wisconsin and Minnesota than in 1877, Dealers report fewer losses than in previous years, probably uwing to greater care fo the wiviug of credits, and in some measure to the fact that most of the weak concerns have been wcc.v:ed out by the hard times following the oanic, Tle capltal employed in this business Is abont. the satme 88 & ycar ago, when we estimated it ot 500, ‘The sggregate sales were about 000 in currcnc{i agninst $2,500,000 fn 1877, $2,200,000 in 1870, Business is belug done ok small marging of vrofit, but the trade s zenerally regarided as in ® sound, heaitby condl- tion, Oue firm has retired trom the busfuess during the past yea MUSIC, THE TRADR IN MUSICAL INSTRUMENTY again show, ghe decrease {n the amount re- celved on sales, a further shrinkoge of some 10 per cent in prices beinz only partially compen- sated by an increass in ths volume of zoods bandled. Chlcago dealers still coutrol the trado of tho West, but do so only by dintof great competition among themselves and with Eastern houses, which are working bard to eatablish agencics fn the country beyoud us. ‘This has materially reduced the margln of profit on goods handled, which, In addition to & slight reduction in maoulacturers’ prices, bas put down tho cost of musical lnstrutnents to lower figures than were ever before known, taking the fntrinsic valde of the roods into the ac. count, The volume of sales Is eatimsted at 82,200,000, agalnst $2,250,000 fn 187¥, and 500,000 1570 ‘rado was actlve dariog the first half of the {;nr, sud somo of our dealers wera encouraged belfevo that “’f‘ year's business would show an increase (o dolfars and cents, especially na tho. crops wers . . promise well, “But graln must #el) ut very low peices, thero wi instinciive falllng back on the part of Cfl“nm buyers, aud many of the salca made afterwarda could only be effected by iving LOW PRICTS AND LONG TIME. Thia chiefly applies to planos and organs. Dealers {n the smarler kimd ol instruments re- por 2 sallsfactors Incrense, espocially in the ine of buud music. ‘These instruments Lave ot veen mitch reduced 1o price, as many of them are imported, and fAgures were already down on the bardoan. Wa note, however, that the manufacturo of tuls kind of goods i now carried on to u larce extent In tho United Btates, and some of them are made In Chicaga. Indeed, the wood instruments of domestle mauufscture aro now ranking those of fore, make,—chiclly In the better class of uumfl: They ara found to be fully equal In quality, and are not open to the scrious objection of shrink. ing and crackinig, which often occurs with goods fmported from tha molst skiea of Europe to tho drler climate un this slda ol the Atlantle. The choe of planoa Is veering round stil mora than ever in favor of thy *uprights,' which as now made are far less Iinble to get out of order than formerly. Tl es of cot- tage organs show o rather large Invrease, and considerable Improvement {8 noted fn style. Dealers 1o goud fnstruments of both these classes complain that the morket s flooded with cheap trash which can only be depended on to Rgive out, aud leave the buver distrustful even of the best. The city trade bas recently been more satisface tury, {u comparison with the country, than for twoor three years previous) the ity custons- er belni mors willing 10 huy & fair article when b can ges 16 at & fair price, JEWELRY, NO MATERIAL CIHANOGN in the value of the goods sold is reported for 1578, the salea belne estimated at $4,850,000, the suwe as {n 1877, ‘The voluwe of goods bandled to produce this totsl waa, howover, larger, thera ‘belng & shrinkage In prices fo this department s lo gearly all others, Reduced to a soccio ba- sls, there {s & gain of 3@3L¢ per cent to credit to the operations of the year juat closed. ‘The course of trade has been somewhat frreg- ularly distributed, Bome dealers report a de- crease lu business, aud two housca have fofled sloco our Iast Annual Review. Otbers report ) though the number of car. The general proving, thouth competition has elfected o ma- tertal reduction Ju the percentage of protits on some Nnes of woods, Especlally fs this the case fu watches, which are now manifactured in vost numbers in ths country, 1 competinion with the foreign govds, which up to a few years sgo were sold hiere exclusively. Wo note a gradual concentration of the job- bing trade bere, Eustern manulacturers having been obliged to opien arencles In order to secure the trade which would o Jonger go to the sea- board, The consequence 1s that our jobbing trade in jewelry Is now conceded to Le LAKGKL TIIAN TUAT OF NEW YORE City, and at least $1,500,000 capial ls employed here §n the trade, which now suoplics the whole West,—South ns well ay North, 1t 1s not possi- bie {n this departinent Lo separute the waolessle from the retail, und we have therolore fucluded butb fu the sbove total of annuul sales, ‘The beats of tbe standard clock of the Delre born Observatory ure now carried regularly aml steadily by electrleity uto the leading jewelry establishments; aud they sre thus able to make cluse vomparisuns with true thine, and regulate timepleces accordingly, LEATHER AND FINDINGS, QUE KEPOUT OF TUS LEATUER MALKRT for 1877 would suswer, in ail essential particu- Jars, for the year just closed. It is oue of tbe few branches of trade in which the past twelvs wouths have nut wituessed a chavge for the better in avy cssential particular. Dullucss aod depression bave been the predowfuant features tbroughout, aud the yesr's busl- ucss was productive of very litle profit to the jobber. The supcrior quality and very low price of the goods mow belug turned out by our large manufacturers Las driven the custow shoemaker to the wall, and it admits of scrious doubt whetber to bim the prosperous days of former times will ever re- turn. ‘Fhe scason of 1678 saw a further shriok- age In values of leather of 10 per cent, which carries prices to a lower pomt 1han ever before kuown, Collections bave beew, aud are still, our, and, tukeu all fa oll, the leather trade for 578 Was B0 wore satlsfactory thau during the' previous years sluocs the punle, The wude lo moroceo, shespskinz, glove calf, kid, and iin- ingn exhibita o further growth, ‘though the In- creass gcarcely equals the honea entertained one year ago by that branch of the trade. The capital emploged In the jobbing trade has not increased, remaining at about $500,000. COATL T WOULD RR DIFFICULT to atate {n what respett, if any, the season of 1878 was more satisfactory to the coal-dealer thao was that of 1877. Owiwog to the preva- lence of unususlly mild weather during the winter of 1877-'78, the advent of spring found dealers with more than 1€0,000 tons of coal re- maining on haod, and & majority of consumers with enough In thelr bins to supply thelr wants thronghiout the summer. Consequently the coneumptive demand durlug the spring and summer months was of exceptionally amnall di- menslous, and, with prices ruling lower than at any previons perfod in the history of the trade, the coal-aealer bad preity *bard row to hoe,"” But the coal<lealer never receives Rny sympatby. The memory of the consumer runs back to the Uime when the former bad thiogs all his own wav, and extorted in the previous year, Common boards and strips were about 50c@#1.00 por 1,000 ft higher than cargo-dimension lumber, Medium inch ll,!llvl 'Il $0.60@10.50, and cholee at $10.50@18.00 flont, S Tno year closcd with s heavy stock on hand, That of lumber wan nearly 4 m ft on Dee. 1, againat 405,434 m {t on the same dato in 1877, Thin is the largost stock aver carsled over, But it 18 not consldered excessive, in view of the fact that an nnusnaily wide area of country 1s to ba sunolied In the interval preceding the opentog of the new season. Lumber fretghts were miserably low, but & Rreat advantage to lhln{wm The Muskegon rate averaged $1.11, and tho Menemlnes $1.81. Whrinkaze In values was G@15 per cent. The most severe decling was in staple gonds, thongh severallinen of shelt hardware depreciated, fancy nrticles suffering most; but aheif goods, on the whole, wers more uniform than staples. The buel- ness yielded «'moderate profit. Tin plates closed about 15 per ceat lower than In 1877, sheet lron 10 percent off, 8t other standard articles haye shrunk in like progortion, The dealers Lave carrjied light, though adequately assorted, stocks, and thus avolded the serlous conse. quences of the decline in trices, The leading Roods -'ru ':mw down 10 & $nede baxls; Indced, s smm‘ll.l:.sm‘rlly 'tw{ ps ;:ln hor.-otl "l-“llrl’ .lre cheaper than thoy ever were ingies were abou per cent lower than in 67, The season opened with tha yards heavily ( 1aae e eis maane ca ot the game . il f:::kfid' Jl;a :acc!})!a were larger, the t:hlvmcn:: 3,000,000, 'The namber of firms his beor csy thag tn the former year, and tho repor indicate an fucreascd production. The returns :f,':,‘}f:d $2,meveny ouo haviag retired I {he were seldom sufficlent to tnake manufacturers © " covanzp A WIDER ARER ""Julir. The beat grades opened at §2.102220 [ ¢hyn 4o former seasons, having wained enor- g:rmflrdecl‘&“;l .‘;' July ég $2.00, and "u"" mously in tho new and rapidiy<developing sce- Septe nger achi Dgwf i "‘;};fl{gflfl' g“; tions of Kansas, Nebraskn, Colorado, Minnesota, 170, and ad tn peme e o G ranuched | and the Territuries. ~ An{iportant business hng .70, old fn the fall at $1.75@1. be | algo been bullt up with tho Red River conutry, Slatement Of shipmeuts {8 Incartect s It doct | The incresse in the number of new stocka fur- in| 14 n nds of cars. The m“ulfi.mpmmu WErG probAbIY nisnedl the past year fs remarkabie for the L hardware branch of trade. The older Statca— ree times those given. The yard stock ou ] $15, 820, and_even $23 fora ton of anthracite [ = Towa, Wi sin, and Ihinois—hare bought coal; and then charzed Wm an additional | D¢c.1 was 187713 m, and on Jan. L 125,640 | fewe goods than us ¢ I, owinz to the low price of farin products and 0 {og Improvementa, ‘The new yeor openswith a much brighter out~ look for the hardware trade. Prices, which have been acaled down and dawn In the past six years, seem {0 have reached thelr lowest range, no_speculative feeling exists ta disturb values, and the cancollation of ald debts {s constant), Rolog on, 1t is not expected that the healthler condition trade {s assuming will be followed fin- mediately by 8 peneral riso in prices, but that it will Inspire cuntidence and {nsure greater per- manency to the market generally. ATOVES, ETC, A marked 1ucrease in the sales of stoves Is re- ported, and the business seems to bo n a prosperous condition. The heavy spring emi- frnuun to tho West greatly enlarged the trado n that quarter, and the home business gainea in volume, thus compensating for the loss in tne previous mild winter, Prices averaged about 121¢ per cont lower, and the sales were mado on rathor slim marzins. The carriage, cablnet, and other speclalty ‘hardware houses did a falr m(::m;. and wera Sutle m. Yard prices were $1.00@2.00. The re- celpts at the careo market were 815,000 m, and In 1877 about 233,000 m. e Lath were steady at $1.25 afloat, aversaing Ieas than I the provious year, The demand was fnlr. The recelpts at tlie cargo market were 82,000 tn, whichi_Is just 1,000 m more than the offeringa In 1877, " The stwk on Dec. 1 was 43,047 m pes. The yard price was $1.40G@1.70, PRROSPECTUS. In the pine reglons of the Northwest lumber- Ing s couducted on a great scalo this winter, and the cotning avallable sunply of logs promise to be double that of eitherof the past two years, and may exceedl that of any previous sésson. ‘The wintct, so far, has been’ favorable for log- giug. Enow has falten i abundant quantitles, and the reports from tho pineries indicat a large and cheap crop of logs. Lumbermen are inore fudependent of the tweather now than they ever were. Tne extensive river lmprove meits completed tho past summer, the con- steuction of raliroads to the woods, and the ap- plicatlon of other now foventions, maokes log. ring in the prominent districts posible almost the entire year, snd probably toreyer disposes 50 cents per ton for delivery, If the buver was £0 unfortunate as to live oufside of certain pre. scribed limits, That was away back In 1804 and 503, when two or three deslers had a monopoly of the business. Now the competition has so Increased that thie malntenance of extorlionate rives {8 imposstble, and the consumer is now aking his rovenze. The extremely low prices have led to a materlally Incressed consumption, especlally fu the country: Lut the trade here did not derive much benéfit from that fact, as a larger proportion than usual of the coal taken by the country trade went sround Chicsgo. Thers haye been some fall- ures, and the capital of other firms has been reduced somewhat,—the Jow prices making it unnecessary to use so much money in the business as formerly, and the aggregate cap- ital now employud does not exceed $1,500,000. The highest PRICES YOR 1878 ware, for anthraclte, $0.60(@0.75. Those were the prices current at the heginning of the year, and there the market remained until the st of May, when it dropped to $56.25@5.75. In July there was an advance to $6.00(¢0.25, and early the depression In bufid- e | moderately well rowarded. was un- in Septeinber 10 $0.002050, since when tue | 9F the thotight of a ahiort crop., jioeAlens. ook ofliubly low carly, but closed 16 s more prome market has ruled steady, For theprevious year .| Ubon larze p ou us 8 npcentity, ¢ im- |y, condition. the lowest quotation was £3,15G0.00, and the | Wedte capital, permaently oreatal it be NAILS, 1850 ere, §708% 0. Diuminoun Cosis-aiso | U5Biveh smployment. Lol operaiorn oxpect | g, 11o,20'% O LA EAched sbout, the naua)ne. o o, e 0T P competition et G and S ninguon | ke Saaelpl et i (e o Weat | Finousizlog o mmer, Tue openfaz qusis AL, 43,00 Guring the greater par of (e yoar, | | Uyt ith compsurplies labir, and moncy. very | (2758 rad Lne i, anc st monih the pmes e Krf::‘:‘:’r‘;“u::;’:flr Axmamoims, busiuess bay alr interest, x;.lnggr;tr:&n)x;vf ':;ll:'nlam:a lfis;'n ;3:'? z["l‘l‘l: ~—nenrly 8,000,000 tous,—and the existence of business without tho ald of the middl, 3 what w{- wenernlly supposed tobe a very strong | OILS, PAINTS, AND GLASS. 'l'nla loyw river lrclghlu permit the mnu‘ulm:w:;zr ;:“1'.",‘.‘:.‘,’2‘,‘ lo'ln ‘gm\:fih n':v:“lfla:m .tg;rfi:: IN WRITING UP THIS t:;lunddm’ull murufiu lhn‘t‘ are dej ey:r]eu!. on - ; I prict {mportant branch of Chlcago's wholesale trade, | fBilroads for sunplics, and the Westeven to e of & brenking - of ‘hs comtination wnd | 1 wauld bo leazant to be able to speak:cucour- | futaraa™ o' wisier biyers e oy b the reduced priccs obtained at the November | 8giulvof the past year's business, but, unfor- | order to' insura_ greater” stesdiness to prices, and Decomber auction sales In New York dis- | tunately, the facts do not warrant a very rosy | manufscturers taik of forming an mssoclation, SEpett i Vo BT abic o manain resoas pric. | tceounts Not anly has there been u very gancr- | 801 putting the wholp buslncas ot dlsiclbuting LAKE PREIOUTS 3 “:' “:‘ o souis {;‘“““"“l'l‘ very pronounced, de- | P THON AND NEAVY HATDWATY, have been lower than for any former year, | €linein orices, but we also have tonotoa de- 1 1t Opening at 25¢ from Buffulo, they wers without | treasc In the amount of goods sold. Tho aver- .,,'{?,’,’.:,“é‘,‘,;’,’, :%21.{'{.{“0%',&‘;{1‘2,‘,:‘2'},,‘:,‘;3 change until the beginning of June, when they | age shrinkage In values falls lttle short of 15 | © per cent over 1877, Tho general market edvauced to SUc. In August they fell back to | per cent, whila the falling-oft in sales as com- | Wenkened early, but was uniformly steady e, where they rematoed untll Nov. 45 then A with 1677 b afterwards, and advanced alightly on Iron fu they advanced to 45c, and later 1o tho seasun to | Pared with 1677 may be sct down at fully 10 por | 43, "2 i "'A Jarger quantity of iron, meas- fi0c, which was the higiest rate of the year, | cent. Tho deereaso tnny by accounted for by the | yred in tons, was sold, and tha trade in wagon The loweat rate for 1677 was 25¢, and the high- | fact thot during 1878 & materially less number | materials sugmented in volume. A pew housa et §l 7T o R GPEAE of wooden bulldlugs were pat up in the West e -u!d'fd 1 ;he list, b;"- momer retired, 50 . e number of firma remains the samo az g year for tho bt thece yeurs bavo beoi a ollows, fn tha dublig 10773 hutuattee glving due wetoht ogg, Tho lovestad cupiiat s about al.lsmldml’x';. | 2, v N80! sal lactory, oz yielded falr - s gemo f,‘,'}z;“ Dfhs talun's bl Miess weFa (iskpudinty prolita for the Hiaes, and E‘:’!"! miif the busk: - 25, il 1 5782 PAINT TRADE ness In g healthy state. e sales of raflrog 4 901169 | 304 been qull and depressed throughout the | Bubplies arc reporied to have fncreased. and the _oeeeens BB B2 oason, with prices ruline lower than for many :"‘;;:l"‘.‘l““:",s!,gf' ‘lfi‘l’:;‘xflg‘n:fg‘: ';’l'::‘;r';fi‘;,‘:; Tolwls. LBITHIZ 1000 1,000,038 | Nor's U R ToF it lead f 1855 wes | b iron was £37 per net ton, $3.50 per 100 1a, whila the averase for 1578 wos A alstinguished featuro this past year, and a T.UMBER. £4.00. Prices no doubt would liave touched s | NEW one. lins been the protuction of fron in the TR RECEIPTS AND SHITMENTS still lower polnt bat for the cxlatence of a com- | Wost, Tha South Chicago aud the Milwaukes - of famber and shinglcs at Chlcago ia the two past | bination smong tho manufacturers 'through | Mills have each run about ning nonths,and suld years wera as follows: which prices were In a tneasure controlled, The | thelr product at hamo. The increasc in trade RECELPTS. yesr opened at 88.60, :rcluu which figure the a;:‘:l‘l’l"’:f‘":i’,’ml’f‘!:fl:;'n’ggfi: 'l::'lf' [lf‘o’.:"gr:""'f 4 1878, 1877. | wnarket did not vary uutil July, when it aropped i i " g g Lumber, m 1t 1,171,304 3,000,45¢ | off to $8.00. In Heptomber the prica fell to malg, a8 - Cheltly, RS, o Clienhirt Bhingles, Maeess SO 610400 | 87,50, wher t remaliad to tho ond of the sea- UL b as °;|‘|;n§"_,g;’[{, L e > &0n. e T 0is,108 580,723 ofa = will be furalshed o the Weat by tha West. * Shingles, m.... o e 121,500 170,411 Tath vai ‘The Ohlo mills sent moro material licre than The reccipis by inke were LOTBATm fect | Shoncont Cotbun s becn in oermmiromegly | Usual, and Plttaburg lot trade, belng blocked lumber and 020,111 m shingtes. = The Lutnber- | and has averaged lower than sver before fn tiie | 9% by Blsadvantageous freights. ® nan's Exchange gives tho following statement | hystors“u® tnts trade. " Tha frodabeon has' becs ':::Thu;fiwnluz.-uwn ‘promises to be promper- B showing ths receipts from tho dilferent porta: | uttiesatcof ahout40.000 bris oer dave wiich s gy | 008 Tovamuch fron bas heen tho bane of the 1% n nerease over any former yeur, whilathe quantity exported sliows & falling off from the tlgures for 1877, Tho surplus bielug thrown upen the home markete kept prices very low the season through, The year opened at 19ie for Iliinols legal test (1600), From that date thero was a ateady, gruanal decline until July, when the market stoud at 18¢, with 110 deg, test selllng at 113e. 'Fhose wers the loweat prices ot the year. Binve thu beglnniog ot Novenmiber the market has crept up a little. closing figures Lelng 18c for 150 nle‘:‘ test and 124¢e for 110 deg, test, Tho unnual production of carton vil 13 ubaut 13,000, 000 brls, and the vaite of the annual export {s more than §00,000,000. 1t is cstimated that not leas than $100,000,000 are Invested In the business {n one way or anotlior, and that the to- tal valuo of the oXporis since the discovery of petroleum in 1850 fa fully $300,000,000, “Che eales here for 1878 wers 115,000 brls, against 100,000 DLrls for 1677, ‘The eales of ony flrm herc veached 71,000 bris, Tho market for linsced ofl has rufed steadler than for several seasons previous, but at such Jow prices that crushers have had an un- pirolitable year of it. Durnlg tnust of the sea- sun there was «Jittio or no demand for the cake, and It was more orless o *‘drug " even at tho extreme Jow range of $20,00025.00 per ton. Prices opened at 55@8le, but soon advanced to G2g6Tc, aud at the cluse of March there was & further advance of Tc. Iu May tho watket de- clived to 6003, and I Auzust to BIGELHSC, which was the lowest point reaclied. During i £ Lumber, Lumber, Shin- trade for several years past, but several il & are now dormunt, the surplus stock has been re- % dueed, aud unless prices should materlally od vance, the production is not lkely to bo sgalu: excessive, The tota) seles of bardware of ull klndsare sbout $22,000,000, Sangatnck sand shore Grand Haveu, Muskegon White Lake, Pentwater, Biack Cre Luuington, .. Lincoin and BUILDING MATERIALS. . THE AGURECATE OF BALE3 ‘( in this department was about $1,000,000, the ¥, business belug light m the early part of the year, and quite large Io the sutumn, The brick manufacturers pronounce the year 1878 g itter ono than 1877, Buainess was dull In the first par of the season, but good Yn. tho lust. A large stock of jold bricks was carrled over, and Y debressed the early market. The produetion in 1878 was smallcr than In several of the previous years, The manufacturcrs by common consent closed thelr yards Sept.7 for the purpose of preventing over-production, and the fall trade was unexpectedly pood, and the dealers euter 2 the winter with tho stock reduced to about 12,000,000. ‘Those dealers who had a stack of brick on hand made maney on the fall ndvance, and expect that the comiog spring_sales will vleld a foir profit. Common brick sold early at $4.0094.50, ndvanced to $1.25@5,00 in Septem- Dber, aud closed at §0.0020.25, THE SALES OF LINE Alono Peshtig GOcontu, Pensankee,, Buamico . Grcen Way, Deper Sturgeeon, lted Ruve ‘Twu Rivers und shor Lake Superfor Canads.... TN LUMBEN DUSINRSS of Clifeago increased in volume the past year, and prives averaged about 10 ver ceut hiicher thau in 1877, but the season waa leas profitable, ‘I'he upening was susplcious, During the pleas- unt wiuter anid early spriug months the yurds d cxcellent business, especlally with the better prices than fu the three proced- fnu years, anid the new season was entered into 3 o fce i - | Augzust oud September it udvanced to BT@ide, | 8T egtlmtefl at 500,000 brls, at an average pr! e e B broe e vomuory | and furrher sion fn the sesson to GliGie. iy | Of S per el maklu sio smount. #1650, tnllduess of Isat winter kept the pinerics nearly | lust advance was the result of the formation of Trade was "ll? ul ““’lm “‘ Tf' ',:_B "d e fren of snow, und the streams wersat so Jowa | 8 ml:nmllmumhln‘l:nx u:.- u‘rm.hm.—hum -«‘mn‘,f" £:L|inny|'.'°;f§i c::-mrréé i pr‘:g“ -:m‘-'-;'.uc'en" r r ¢ embracing ul e princ 2 ers n ho gy v B oy ot anors ooyt | Unlted Beates, Bruclps o The business in ordiniary cerents was ahout cqual §o voluma to that ol 1877, aud prices have urpentin has been vory plenty most of the | F2lcd steadier and lttle bigher than in that s thine no ciimera; and how to get the logs o 4 h et time, any very chicap the vear through, opening 10 the mlla has been the problens that lumber- < (! - " 1a at $1.2531.50 per ‘e Y in January st #7c aud decilnlng o S1e i August. | Year. Cotinon cements sol . e e e Satons TR (US| e Wishoat price Of ISTT wan Goe. aud tha jow | Darrel, The sales of Portdunl cement wers Jarge. The Awerican Portland has steadily In- ased fn favor, and secma destined o super- sede thy fmported article. It has heen thor. oughly tested by the Lnglish standard, ond iruved ftasedl to bo equal to the foreizn cemests l; has sold nt $2.50 per barrel of 400 pounds. both far behind, and the Lake Micbigan section would liave been preatly shiort, but fur the euer- getle summer logeing ih Western Michigan, In- cited by the prospect of s lumber famine, Rali- roads were built into tho wowds, dums constructed, sud every koown device utll- fzed in order to ‘get the lums o the mille, These efforts were sucvessful. A full stock of logs was securcd on this lake, though as increased cost, witich offsct the asdvantsges promised n{ hicher prices, and the seuson proved to be & dlaphointment to tha trade. ‘Fhie perlod of lake navigation was ths lougest on record, and the local recelpts were about 10 per cent Jarger than {o 1577, TIHB CHICAGO DEALRRS have had a cupital trade. ‘The shortage else- where eavo thein 1ull sweep, Kavored by low freights, mud swmall stocks in the Missssippl itiver dlatrict, thoy Lave mostly supplicd tho West nearly to the Rocky Mo ams, invaded Minnesota and Dakota; uid ganed in Oblo and the Eust. 'The spriug trade lulled s little alter the full resumption of navigation, but as sonn as the shortage on the Mississippi and Lake est 35¢, The production iss been largzely in- creased by the opening up of unew territory in Misstsatppl and Alabama. Lard-ofl sold lower than ever belore snd was m losing card, the tendeny of Lthe market from (rst to laat having becn downward. No. 1 opeued at Gde, and closed at 50c. ‘The decline fn whale, neatsfoot, sud other ofls has beeu alinost cqually severe. THE GLASS THADR did not escape thy dulluess and depression that bas charucterized the market for pats and oils, Prices throughout are unsettled, and tho business during most of the year was fn a lun- guihitng condition. lu the “sumuner of 1677 u combinatlon of mauufacturers aud importers was formed, and a fixed scale of prices was agreed upon, but early (n 1878 the comoination went to picces, and sinee tnen prices hayve de- ctined fully 10 per vent, and are now lower thun at any previous perlod iu tho history of the trade, in the oafuts, oils, ond wluss business & capltrl of about $1,800,000 ts employed, sud the sales for 1375 reached §4,500,000, PIG IRON, WINES AND LIQUORS. THR WHOLESALE JOUDING THADR during the year just closod was active, and 8 firmer feeling prevaded the market throughouty . espacially was this the case durlug tle sumtner 3 und fall moutbs, when anadyaoceof fullyX ! per cent was established and sustained. Ths ¥ was owing In a great messure to the smallness of stocks, which are lcas than at soytime durivd the past three years, el Jolibaes report an Incressing demand from the West sud Southwest, snd, while the taxon Bourbon grades Is not relatively higber, as com yared with one sear ngo, Kentucky whiskici— the mauufscture of which bhas decressed, cstabiished beyond a doubt,—the % at lemst § per cont—bave fmproved I3« Nraritionst, dune_ st Denie & facblo atfair,— A BEVIEI GRITLR Fia 0N price, and dealers experienced no difl business received fresh impetus, and_kept brisk | market develops few important points of Aiffer- | culty io realiziog st tha appreciatiod under favorable crop reports, until heavy re- ceipts from Western Michizan {n the autun— the product of the summer logs—broke the Jocal market, and convinced evervody that they had uuderestimated the size vl tue log supply, In Auguat the yard dealers were well stocked on & declining twrket, They wero doiug an oxtenyive busiuess at furlous comopctition, but prices were rendered more uniform in Septem- r by the withdrawal of the drummers by vommon conscnt. ‘The low price of farm prod- ucts damoged somewbat the late Western trade, aud themerchants in this and contizuous Statcs bought comparatively ittle lumber till enco as compared with the year 1877, The shrinkage In values bas been suinething less, but the extremo sluggishness of trade bas re- mained uudisturoed, und {u po esscntial par- ticular has the year been more satisfactory than the two or threa that {umediately preceded It, Although the receipts at this poiut have but slightly exceeded the quamiity reportea for 1877, until rccently dealers found it extremely dilleytt to dispoee of the stock at prices which left. mIK marein for proit. Of iate, however, there Lave not beeo wantiog signs of re- Domestic goods were fn better fuquiry froct the * fur-0if'* trado, and the imarket la steads at Ozures ruling st the date of vur last annusl review, In yiewof the fact thatthe roalt throughout the country during the lust tdf o months were fn wood condition, collectivnd wera easy, sud jobbers were qenerally dis 1o leugtuen tha time of credit ou all sales. g TOTAL WHOLESALE SALES , THE GRAND AGOGHEQATE, : The total whalesale sales reported above o clude catimates in several cases where It 93¢ “ Just befure the closs of the scason, Whea tbey | turning prosperity, .Dunicg the past few | not possiole to arrive at the exact fgures; bub were satistied to revlenlsh at the lowest pricea | weeks orders bave been coming in with they are belleved to be wear the truth, Tbes of i ity consumption was about | increasing freedows. and prices bave sensibly | g0 0 vearly as follows, ia currency: the suune 8 Us: stillened. There are untnistakable cvidences of et 350, 000,000 TUB YARD MABKST a sevival Ju rallrosd snd car buiding, snd | Saleeo! {:.‘,7 370 500,00 hns recelved wiost of the vountry patronage, | dealers feel envouraed to think that the turn. | Stles© The distayt Western trade Lisa required dry | i polut io the pig-iron markel hag at last been | —being an uc Jumber, which hias beeu prupurtionately mgher | rescued, and they Jouk forword o the season of | Ona gold basis the swounts sret thau green the whole seasos, and less affected | 1570 with more of bopefulness theo _they have | Bales of 1578 (201d)useeresesness 277, 000.000 by the fluctuations in cargoes, 1u Janusry dry | previously been sble to *‘wmuster™ wiuce the | bales ol 16877 (gold).. o senn 203, 100,00 common lumber sold out of the yards at $11.00 @11.50, sud fenciug at $13.00. ards ard lmension atufl sdvanced to $1LHKQIL50 i the next mouth, sud began to weaken in the suring, under enlurefng receipts, v $11.063 1200 in May. Then green joists sod seautling sold at $10.00. These prices, with frequent re- bates, ranged till Beptember, when green coin- financial crustiof 1873, ~Prices of thebest brands have averaged $1.00 per tou chespor thau for 1877, No. 1 Lake Buperior toucbing $21.50, though the year closed ou w firm market st §22.50. 4n 1be low yrades of Esatern sud Boutbern fron prices have not recovered, re- rusiujug weak st the lowest figures of the sea- n. ‘The receipts wers about 150,000 tous, and lucrease, $12,500,000, or about 43{ per cents The Jucrease is due principally to a growth $2,000,000 (lu currency) in our dry-gouds trade and sn jocresse of $1,000,000 §n tobacco sud oysters. The falling off was cledy lu thy selt jug valus of dried fruits, cos), sud paluis 3l I 05K 10,00 aud closed ¢l A 9], olls. 5 Ehtomttin " pey Sesed st Si0Sogtnon | SYerase vrice sioat L0 "The abore fgures are the tota) seliog vl o T e Sk o o b T HARDWARE of gouds rom st handa wad o vl B o2 was &R m It, agaloet & m it in A = o #econ ¢ which wo Yiore dry stufl was handled ab the salo-docks IN GENEKAL LANDWARS wregate. ihan i former years, but shippers did not real- ize the prolits frow it they hoped to. ‘Tue hicuer qualities were in imoderate suoply. Prece-stutl opeued st 85,00, ranged frregulurly from $3.00@ B.033¢ fo the wpring and sutwwer, wnd o the fail fell Olf to $7.00G7. 1234, mad closed at $7.50Q 735, Tho uVerage brice was §7.95, azains the volume of business was somewhst larger thag o tbo precedlog ycar, The spring sud sumwer trade was fair, sud tbe fall business started out well, but sulfered sowme from the low price of cercals and the partlal failure of the crops lu pasts v? lows snd Mivnesota. The TOW CAPITAL EMFLOYED “ h:' lhtmfl&lfit (nl the wlwlua}e l:asl::l:m i about 65 n currescy greater tbao 8 V0 This would give 3 tatal ot 8.’:‘1,."”.\\%:‘_ 5 214 per cene of the business done. e U'm_ ever, tncludes, os above stated, the cny.ulvu pluved iu manulacturing in several braucheh