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Show BUSINESS AND TRADE. The ovent of greatest importance and interest in business circles during tho past week has been the discussion of freight rates, tho letter of Mr. C, A. Quiglcy, president of the Commercial Club Traffic Bureau, and tho general summing up from time to time of the injustices and discriminations against Salt Lake imposed by tho schedules of railway freights. The movement to obtain ob-tain relief from oppressive charges aud from discriminations against Salt Lako as compared with other cities is taking tak-ing a decidedly energetic form, and it is to be hoped that effectual relief may bo obtained. Tho suggestion that the Interstate Commerco Commission should bo invited to scud ono of its members out here to look over tho field and ascertain at first hand tho actual condition of affairs and tho application applica-tion of railway schedules to Salt Lake City, is one that Bhonld bo pushed with tho groatcst possible urgeuc There can bo no doubt but that the commission commis-sion would order substantial relief for Salt Lake City on a proper presentation presenta-tion of tho facts as to the application of railway freight schedules to Salt Lake compared with the like charges to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and eripeciall3 to Spokane. It seems to us that the comparison with the lattOT citj' is tho right one to insist upon all through, becauso Spokane and Salt Lako aro situated practically aliko so far as dhtanco from both coasts is concerned, and both depending altogether upon railway transportation. And if the railroads can afford to haul froights to Spokano as they do afford to do it, at far less rates than to Salt Lake, then other railroads can afford to haul like freights, classification by classification, classifi-cation, to Salt Lako City on tho same terms that such goods aro hauled to Spokane. Whep it comes to tho point, as is set forth by a prominent man of Salt Lake City, that within eight years four wholesale grocer houses have been forced out of business iu this city by reason of discriminating rates against tho goods that thc3 undertook to handle, then certainly it is time for tho most earnest and persistent efforts ef-forts for relief to bo made. The heavy storm of nearly a fortnight ago did not bring wintry weather, as it was supposed it would do. The snow has settled down until now it is not deep enough to materially hinder any operations, and the warm, pleasant weathor that has continued throughout has caused the resumption of tho building build-ing activity just as if nothing had happened. hap-pened. It is found just as comforlablo and in most wa"s as convenient to get on now with building operations of all kinds as it was prior to the storm, and those operations havo been resumed ac-cordiugb. ac-cordiugb. Tho first threo daj's of the presont month showed a magnificent record of building permits, amounting to $127,000, as compared with a total of $112,000 for tho entire month of December last year. This is certainly a tremendous showing, and that it will ba many times multiplied during tho remainder of the month is ontirely probable, prob-able, because thore is no . present indication in-dication of tho cessation of the mild weathor which so strongly fosters the veiy great building activit3 which has continued throughout the year. Tho real estate situation is brought into special notice just now by reason of tho condemnation suits brought b3' tho Federal Government to obtain bud to the west of the present Federal building build-ing on Main and Market streets, for thp purpose of adding another Federal structure The astonishing riso in tho value of realty in that neighborhood was brought out in tho testimony, and tho reason for this was imputed to the construction of tho Newhouso skyscrapers, sky-scrapers, and in general to the building build-ing fostered by the Newhouso plans, with the concentration of activity on South Main street. Real estate in this cit3' is always in good demand, and tho prices aro such as to encoori3fM) vostmont. That investment is aKj good returns, because tho sitna3B&: Salt Lako is such that it is bctJP?"" bo ono of tho great cities of tH'v. tcrior United States. With a Bw'fltif' , countr3' of fivo hundred miles in direction of which this is the n'i center, with no possibility of any; city in all that area, thoro can fv doubt of tho glorious futuro oi ? ij Lake. ' if Tho general trade of tho city' ZMf cidedly octivo and strong. Th mI struction of so many new bui pil .' during the year, all of those beii fyfr cupicd and moro called for, afforil pie proof of the great growth t ifL. population here. This naturallj ffx creases trade, and causes a wide i of all products to bo on salei i( bank clearances of tho week, as pared with thoso of the correspt IwV week last 3'car, shojtv an increi ' 112.4 por cent. That is, the clea havo moro than doubled. Thj ?Qt course, ia largely caused by tho i jsf V sion of last 3ear, but it must h mitled that a good deal of tl crease should . properly bo char ':J.fl to tho increased volume of buBu f.: Tho mining industry is getting its feet in fine style again, ifg'gj duclion is now assuming greatS r portionstban ever. The cominj will undoubtedly bo made a rocori u in Utah raining. The mines hai jl mense quantities of ore blocked oi j tho" prospective addition of th Con's smelter around the point ;i 8 ? mountain in Tooolo county onlive jjg'gj situation vory much, and it asstoi ; treatment of all ores offered. jj Z-Jth It has beeu a splendid year aj turally, and for the stock raiBersJ jijpW vor3' heavy snow that fell in tb" 'l-(J tor part of November gives assa f . of amplo water supply for all pnl fity next year. For ii is tho earlv.' Lfirm that counts, and this was suoh aj snowfall that all doubt is romovi l'1 tho water supply next year. I 01 In tho country at large the Ills'-' worthy featuro has been tho i)iiaft. tional expansion of the bank ill ances; those rising from $2,47-i,0f, in the corresponding week last J9j&. $3,519,986,000 in tho week jnst: Tho increase of 56.2 per cent in York City is a controlling feati r"!" this sensational advance. Of j.- j it must not be lost sight of thj mpj bank clearances of this period la -were undnly depressed. Still, th .great increase undoubtedly includj V.' sidcrablo of actual growth as cora ' with tho normal clearances tha 3- ? to bo expected at this time of thi -' in the country at large. SADIE Tho weather conditions havo i lated rotaii trade throughout tho' ' try, and holiday trade shows sijj expansion. Comparisons all aloi j.. lino with last year aro much in 'fy of current business. Thoro is n' itw. denco of check in the expansion , e put of manufactures, and tho boji give -just expectations of large -trial operations and .trade fc-E la year. Tho general industrial ai L. is we)l maintained, and commerda',:- ' incnts aro gradually improving. Tho plethora of money conflt Vi with tho accompanying difflQuJ-finding difflQuJ-finding satisfactory investment Tho owners of this money do np3','- disposed to invest it in siocks, pitj - being deterred therefrom by tamr.-of tamr.-of drastic Congressional lcgislatio'ijfc ... whatever ma3 bo the reason individual case, it is certainljifcpjf, that tho 6tock market is wcalftpjig depressed, and that any uPwaTJ'j ment is speedilj- chocked by larfc-T7 ferings which break the marJietC 'BP? 1 from this feature, the country 'MLL dbubtqdly on tho up-grade, andjB covering its momentum in bnauft trade, and commerco in a 'onder gree. p"8' |