Jasper County Democrat, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 January 1902 — INDIANAPOLIS LEADS IN THE JOBBING TRADE [ARTICLE]

INDIANAPOLIS LEADS IN THE JOBBING TRADE

Wholesale Business of 1901 Will Exceed $65,000,000-Vast Field Covered By Jobbers of Capital City*

Last year It was feared by some of our wholesale merchants, and the matter was freely discussed, that the Introduction of interurban railways into Indianapolis would have a tendency to reduce the jobbing trade, the theory being that so many country people would come to this city to buy their supplies that the country dealers would want fewer goods. But this fear was groundless, for, whereas. In 1900, the total Jobbing trade was a little in excess of *55,000.000 It is already certain that the figures for the year Just closed will be above *65,000,000. And why? Because Indianapolis Is the center of a fertile, extensive and cultivated territory of imperial area, with which the great transportation system of which It la the center of communication keeps it in the closest touch; because it possesses advantages not surpassed by any city In the country for carrying on extensive distribution of merchandise; because the home demand in all principal lines of merchandise Is a large and active one, and Indianapolis enjoys a position of special prominence as a supply point for the entire state; because the trade of this city has extended Into portions of Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and in numerous lines as far south as Tennessee, while In a number of specialties It extends to all parts of the country.

Direct Importers. Such Indianapolis houses as deal In goods of foreign origin are to a large extent direct Importers, the proportions of these Importations being such that there were collected In Indianapolis for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901. duties on imports aggregating *169.032.38. The city now has over two hundred houses engaged In the exclusive wholesale and Jobbing trade, the business In all staple lines Increasing continuously and the Importance of Indianapolis as a Jobbing oenter showing a steady and gratifying growth. In some lines the travelers for Indianapolis houses regularly cover the surrounding states, and In several Instances penetrate the sections claimed by other commercial centers, quite a number of the more important or specialized industries of the city having secured a trade that is national in scope. The making of Indianapolis a reserve city with the consequent increase of banking business and expansion of bank assets has enormously Increased the banking facilities avallablo to reputable merchants and enabled the latter to greatly extend th* field of their operations. —«/ The Grocery Trade. In the grocery business Indianapolis -*as become a very large faetor because the city Is not only the supply point for its own large population, but also sells groceries to all parts of the state as well as to the merchants of adjoining states. All of the various features of a perfect Jobbing grocery center are represented here—the large importing and manufacturing houses in the line of food products and other goods sold by grocers maintaining permanent headquarters In this city through the medium of a number of firms of merchandise brokers. Besides the general trade In groceries, there are special features In the trade In which the prominence of Indianapolis Is particularly marked, one of these being the handling and distribution of canned goods packed and put up through an extensive tributary region and largely marketed through Indianapolis wholesal* houses. The aggregate business of the wholesale grocery houses of this city In 1900 was *10,000,000, and for 1901 It will exceed *l2. • 000,000. In all respects the trade has been entirely prosperous, and It has been a record year.

Dry Goods Interest. Next In Importance to the grocery business is the dry goods trade, with sales during the past year of over $6,000,000 as against $6,000,000 In 1900. The trade covers a territory including practically all of Indiana and large sections of Illinois. Ohio and other nearby states. A large consuming demand in the dry goods trade, in all staple lines, brought a substantial reduction in stocks of goods at the opening of the present season, which Induced active buying and resulted in making the year the highest In the record; it haa also rendered it certain that the dry goods Interest will continue to flourish famously for some time at least. A gratifying feature of the business of the year 1901 has been that collections have been extremely good, and a large number of the merchants In the territory supplied by Indianapolis have discounted their own bills. Hardware, Iron and Bteel. There is no branch of business lp which Indianapolis Is more prominently a center than that connected with the handling of Iron, steel, nails and hardware, the city being the home in this department of trade of several houses controlling & business of national scope. The sales during the year just closed have been larger than ever before, and while there have been some cuts In prices, which re-

duced profits considerably the disadvantage thus occasioned has been compensated for by the larger sales of the year, so that In these lines, as In others the year 1901 will be posted as a record year in local jobbing. Leather and Products. Especially noteworthy has been the Improvement on some of the lines of trade that are, connected with the handling of leather £hd its manufactures. The trade in leather and harness from Indianapolis covers a good territory and has Increased In volume year. The business during 1900 ifis over *1,250,000, and the present " year closes with a showing of considerably over *2,000,000. The boot and shoe Interest Is one of ths jobbing lines In which Indianapolis houses have more than held their own against strong outside competition. The wholesale trade In this line was inaugurated before the war and has continued to grow In volume of business and territory covered. New firms have been added from time to time to the list of those engaged In the business, and the competition has been somewhat close, but the volume of trade has been Increased by the enterprise of local Jobbers, whose travelers have established & trade throughout Indiana and the surrounding states, and also farther afield In western territory, competing successfully with the houses of other cities and giving to Indianapolis a strong position aa one of the most aggressive and prosperous boot and shoe jobbing centers of the West • with a trade approximating *3,000,000 annually. Jobbing Drug Trade. Probably there Is no line of business In which the central location and superior railroad facilities have contributed more to the precedence of Indianapolis than the wholesale drug trade. The city Is one of the best drug markets In the country, and its prominence In this line has become more accentuated during the past tew years. Sales have steadily increased In volume every year, and In 1901 closely approximated *5.000,000, being the largest year ever known In the trade here. The Paper Trade. Business In every branch of the paper trade In Indianapolis during the year just closing has been very active, and the local jobbers may well congratulate themselves on the strong position they have gained. They not only supply the home and nearby demand, but they also operate over a wide outside territory, extending through the southwest to Texas. Tha related lines of stationery, blank books, etc., is one of Importance in Indianapolis which is a supply point for these goods for an extensive and populous region. There are special features in these trades in which territory Is covered far more extensive than lines, notably in the department and offlee supplies of various kIWRMillinery Business. Fully abreast of the other business Interests of Indianapolis the millinery trade has made rapid progress, due to favorable location and to tbe pushing and aggressive methods of the local Jobbers, who, to some extent, are manufacturers also. This city has reached out In this line until It supplies not only the ordinary trade territory of Indianapolis, but also an extensive region west and south. The spring and fall openings attract a large number of out-of-town milliners, who come here to get acquainted with the changes In Btyles and also to order suppltes. The year Just closed will go on record as one of the best In the history of the trade Arlth tales of *2,000,000. Ths dealers are looking forward to a considerable Increase over these gratifying figures for next year. r China and Crockery. In the queensware trade Indianapolis hss long held an important place, the jobbers of the city being direct importers from the leading manufacturing countries and carrying stocks which In the completeness of their assortment bear favorable comparison with any in the country. As a consequence the business In this line has been extended over many states and has grown rapidly. Candy Manufacturers. The confectionery trade Is one of the most Important branches of wholesale business carried on In this city. The quality of, the products of our local confectlonerlSs is favorably known over an extensive/ region, and the sales of the local manufacturers which now amount to JIjOpO.OOO and over annually constitute arvvJLortant element in the aggregate tra&£®f the city.