New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-02-22

polished entirely by hand; last Of ALL with beaded
roller The granting Is effected that gives its peculiar
gIossiness and pliancy.
SOURCES AND QUALITY OF THE HIDES.
OF the domestic hides, which form minor part OF
the simply our own city furnishes tho larger portion
from $50 600 TO 100000. Chicago Milwaukee, aud ST.
Lonis arc also large saughterDg and receiving depos
Texas has of late supplied good many which aasni-
late cloeely in quality 70 those Of the Pacific Coast
The domestic hides are pliable and less close
ersned than the foreign and hence suitable for
harding and less for sole-loather purposes.
From South America is obtained the great supply OF
foreign hides. Those which come from the Orinoco
end La Plata Rivers are Of better quality than from
almost any other section Buenos Ayres, Monteyideo,
and Bolivia formerly Angostura are immense hioe-
shipping depos But from every port, on both the Az
lantic and Pacific Coasts of South America great guam
titles are received as also from The "e'erh sho'es
Of Mexico and California though, since the god dis
eoyees other interests have checked this trac IN the
latter region Tie old California hicetrade WIZ DC u
once recalled By all who remember Richard H. Dahas
dl;obtfnl hook "Two Years Before the Mast" Large
quantities Of hides are ssO received from Eastern ahd
WesternA Africa Madagascar and Zanzibar, among which
are occasionally found some skins that would puzzle
uaturalist 10 decide whether they were originally ON
tLe back Of the bullock, gnu, or elephant Calcutta
and other Asic ports send also their share Of hides
and cargo was lately received from Alexandra,
Fyn Those were dry -salted article, OF rather hght
xeigb large portion of the African hides are lght,
and better adapted for uppereaher, and consequently
10 10 Boston and Salem rather than New-fork.
Az interesting facts, showing how much better than
ciyiyed peope. sayages understand what may justly
be called the primeyal business OF MANKIND, we wiz
stae that the very best hides IN the world ara tnose
nrepared BY the cannbal MnOs tribe OF Indians on hs
Amazon River; the best for uppereather come oeau''
fully trimmed scraped and cured from the negroes OIL
the Rio Munez. in Western Africa; the best domestic
hides are those from the Red River region OF the south
west. known as Indian handle hides"
Dining the ten years from isi7 TO 81, the value OF
hides nearly trebed in this Market nor was the supply
canal TO the demand. In the crisis OF o. they len Ia
nrice onehalf; since then recovery OF - per cent
has occurred but the trade is still considered depressed
New York, Boston, Salem, Baltimore, and Philadel-
mia are the only ports that receive hides In the year
mat closed. the total imports into the United states
were 35C3,5f of which 2,3iO, 3GS were received by
New York; total in 1885, 302S 72ii in 1857, 26561oi'
Go LONG AGO as the census of 1885, the estimated num-
her of domestic hides mostly the cattle, was 'oOo,
OC0 of which it was calculated that % per cent were
yearly consumed
LEATHER BROKERAGE.
Within the last twenty years the System Of employ
inc brokers' has obtained among the merchants OF the
Swamp. These parties go TO the docks, Select pnr-
chase and inspect the hides for the dealer FOR ts
thew have a commission Great dextenIy Is needed
and acquired by them in judging Of the quahty ana
value OF the various cargoes. Formerly the cfoAer
,xas comparatively humble individual, and used TO 90
all the wharf work himself. Now there are ten or
twelve firms in the business, who employ clerks, ana
are simply responsible for the proper performance OF
their duties
The leather that il returned from the factories is in
spected by man appointed by the trade. Formerly
this was enforced by law, and sfterward continued
from choice. The Inspector stamps the weight upon
each lot and it is Sold whether sooner or LATER at the
weight thus registered.
THE "IRREPRESsIBLE CONFLICT"
The customers Of the Swamp merchant are, as has
been said principally Eastern manufacturers OF boots
and ehoes They here and select for themselves
from the stores piled his warehouse large por-
ton of the boots and shoes made by them are sold to
the South this branch OF industry, like the manufac-
ure Of psI tiers hoes not having been attempted to
any extent by our Southern bretaern. Consequently
the leather dealers fear that the "irrepressible
Aet will indirectly exercise deleterious influence
their trsde and are inclined like all handlers Of the
almighty dollar" 10 attend Union meetings." aud
reconcile their con-cences to anti-agtaton Of ques
tons affecting human rights. We cannot yet dis
cover however that any injury has been really felt by
the prosperous Leather Guild in consequence of the
great movement of the day.
STABILITY OF THE TRADE.
Many things unite TO make the Hide and Leather bu
siness more stable and conservative than almost any
other branch of trade There not in most other
es that concentration of custom at certain periods Of
the year. known Us the Spring and Fall business AL
through the Summer and Winter there is a steady de-
mand for leather. The business hours OF the Swamp
range generally from a. III. till P. N. AT O'Clock
the locality ia silent enough But the g1and secret of
the success and strength Of the Swamp trade lies in the
fact that such large capital is required for its conye
nient prosecution. From nine months to year are Of
ten consumed between the purchasing Of the hides and
the ultimate realization the leather There are only
about thirty large firms in the business three fourhs
Of these being in the soleesler line and the remain
ing fourth divided between the different branches mon
toned above. These houses do business ranging from
$25OOOO to st. eco per annum apiece, and witha
borrow ess money than most other classes of our
merchants although they have to lock up their capital
so long, The best evidence Of the strength and pros
pery of the leather merchants is in the simple fact
that during the panic of 1857 when the best houses top
pied down elsewhere, there not single failure IN
the swamp Long may so firm and honorable an in-
tereet continue prominent among noblest CONNER.
cial Guilds.
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FIRES.