14
THE COURIER
for superior dramatic and artistic worth.- 'It is sensational only
where Bensation perfectly legitimate in conjunction with his
satanic majesty. '
Primrose & West's minstrels will be the attraction at the Lansing
theatre tonight. The program is. made up of new aqd interesting
novelties, and the music and jokes are of the latest pattern. The
performance, from the first part to the finish, is entertaining to a de
gree. Mr. George H. Primrose has given his time during the entire
summer to the designing of the first part, which, by the way, has
never been thought of, and he has invested more money in Bcenery
and costumes than in any other two seasons. The company is made
up of artists in their various parts, and a first-class performance of
minstrelsy will be given.
"Si Plunkard,' a Yankee comedy illustrating farm life, will be
6een at the Lansing theater next Saturday evening, March 24. J. C.
Lewis, better known as "Farmer Lewis," plays the title role. He is
known in this part from one end of the country to the other. Other
members of the company are Sam C. Young who appears as Felix
Smart, a comic German; Mr. Price, who gives a strong characteriza
tion of a Jewish money lender; W. C. West, who in the part of Rob
ert Denny exploits villainy with much success. This actor renders
Joe Emmett's famous cuckoo song with fine effect. Miss Rice and
Miss Lewis take the leading female roles.
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1 WaK&
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Frank M. Blish, manager of R. G.
Dun & Co., summarizes the business
situation as follows for The Courier :
Wholesale business and collections
steadily improve and fine weather is
helping out the retail trade very mater
ially. Perhaps the most marked improve
ment of the week is in the wholesale harness
Jobbers in this line are very much encour
aged over their orders since March 1st and indications multiply that
farmers are taking advantage of the early spring and are busily at
their work again. There are many signs of returning confidence
noticed, and as merchandise stocks are generally very low, the out
look for spring business continues to brighten. Failures for the
week throughoutthe state have leen few in number and generally
of small importance. Theae is no change whatever in the local
money situation.
Following is a summary of the business situation prepared for The
Courier at the Omaha office of Snow, Church & Co:
Business for the last three weeks has shown a steady and very
satisfactory increase, both as to number and amounts of sales in the
retail and wholesale lines; this is especially true in dry goods and
boots and shoes. Dry goods men report a larger business for March
than usual. This is owing, however, to the fact that January and
February business was extremely poor and fell far below the busi
ness of corresponding months in years past. The large increase in
March, therefore, will only bring up the business to a fair figure.
The free ticket offer of the Omaha Commercial club has done
much to stimulate trade in all lines. Reports from other jobbing
centers state that business iB on the increase, and it seems that the
same condition of affairs prevails there as here. The weather has
been very propitious, and the prospects for a good crop are brighten
ing daily. Country roads are in better condition, and this is doing
much to stimulate trade with country merchants. While a certain
contingent is holding corn, by far the larger number are beginning to
sell, and it is well that they are doing so. Corn at 23c, which is the
price paid at the mill in parts of the state, would certainly seem to
leave a profit, when it is known that tenant farmers are now con
tracting to raise and sell corn for 13c a bushel in cases where the
ground is let to them free of rent.
Money is more plentiful, and the clearings at Omaha for last week
were larger than for the corresponding week of last month. Eastern
money is offered to jobbers in good standing at a low rate of interest
on fair sized loans, and the main trouble seems to be that jobbers
are little inclined to borrow, owing to the fact that they do not
anticipate a large spring trade, and prefer to carry their lines them
selves wherever possible.
Retail trade, which has been very dull, is showing very gratifying
sings of revival; this is attributable directly to the warm weather
and the early approach of spring. A week or ten days more of warm
weather will carry us well into the season, and with an early spring
assured, business may be expected to continue improving.
Hardware and grocery men are coming into line with the rest in
reporting a fair increase in trade, and a feeling of satisfaction seems
to prevail here as in other branches of trade.
In reviewing the situation from a conservative standpoint, it is
safe to say that business promises to continue on the increase if
there is no material change in existing conditions. A few bad days
at this time can hardly retard trade to any appreciable extent.
That the last three weeks have shown a slow but very decided
improvement in the general situation no longer admits of doubt, and
there is every reason to expect a continuation of this state of affairs.
In speaking of good business at this time I do not for one moment
propose to compare the business this spring with that of any cor
responding month during last year; it is merely the intention to
record a gradual improvementsince the late panic, and any improve
ment in the situation after the severe strain of the last six months
of 1893, is certainly gratifying in the exreme. Better business, there
fore at this time, doesn't mean better business than last year at a
corresponding time; but better business than we have had since June
and July of last year.
The business of last spring was extraordinarily good, better by far
than it had been for years before; the business of last fall was the
poorest that it has been in the history of the nation. If the busi
ness of this spring, therefore, shows sufficient recovery from the
effects of the disastrous failures of last fall to record even a slight
increase, it seems to me that business men who are disposed to look
at matters fairly, should feel reasonably well satisfied.
Albert Ajjdriano.
Duncan, Hollinger & Co., furnish the following market summary
to The Courier:
Wheat has sold off 2c during the week under the influence of the
government estimate of wheat remaining in farmers hands, which
was placed at 114,000,000, a larger quantity than had been generally
expected. The fine weather, indifferent foreign markets and the
resumption of large shipments from Russia, added to the weakness.
The growing crop is all in good condition with the exception of west
ern Kansas, where there has been no general rain-fall since last fall.
The snow-fall there was not heavy and blew into drifts over large
area and rain will be wanted soon to make a crop. It takes a wet
season to make a large crop in Kansas and there is not now any
prospect of a 70,000,000-bushel crop this year. The clearances or
wheat and Hour from the seaboard have been pretty good; but there
has been little new business done. The milling demand has con
tinued, but the relatively high price of cash wheat at some of the
northwest markets has kept up the receipts from the country so that
the visible supply is not decreasing at a very rapid rate. We require
now to strike a new export demand or crop damage to put life in the
market. Ultimately we look for higher prices, but we must first
materially reduce our stocks.
Corn has generally ruled strong but without having gained very
much in price. The government estimates were regarded as bullish
and the general expectation is that there will be no movement until
spring work is over, and that it will not be heavy again until a new
crop is assured.
Oats We regard oats as relatively high; the small stock in Chicago
may make it rather dangerous, but if we had to do either we should
rather sell than buy.
Provisions We have been repeating weekly-that provisions would
have to decline. Wo have now had a large fall and a reaction is
taking place, but conditions remain the same, and we think that on
any fair bulge they will again be a sale.
The plumbing and steam and hot water heating stock which
recently passed from James H. O'Xelll to the First National bank,
4