New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-18
PHILADELPHIA LEATHER TRADE.

PHILADELPHIA LEATHER TRADE.
UNIVERSAL cURTAuMENT OF PRoDUcfioN-No COM
pLETE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF a RENEWAL
OF BUSINESS IN JANUARY-So GOVERNMENT IN
TKRFERENCE WANTED.
lFRoM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 12.-Ihe leather inte-
rests OF Philadelphia considered thrdin Importance
the manufacture OF cotton and wooden fabrics being
fl st. and that OF iron second There are those who claim
for the leather business In its different departments the
second place though as is no shoe and leather
exchange IL is difficult obtain accurate information
concerning the business as whole Ihe boot ana shoe
business here has very greatly increased within
the past three years. and now the annual production
Is estimated at from tl2,OOo.om to N5ooo0oo, and
empoy ing a capital of from t3.OoOoOo to t0ooOoo The
business has received serious check within the past
few weeks and the demand by retailers and Obbers has
almost ceased There are seventy manufacturers
I'm the CITY all OF whom except ten or twelve do busi
ness on n small scale. OF the important houses, none
have ceased work altogether and the general opinion
that not more than onequarter OF the hands-men and
nomenclature been deprived OF work. Reduction IN
working time Ia universal and the production is yari
ousy estimated at from onequarter to onetbrd Of that
which is usual at this season Of the year. The Fall
trade proper is in July and August OF each year. then
I'm October and November comes what Is called
the second Fall demand dealers renew their stock
BY the time this ended the manufacturers begin work
IN their spring stock The early Fall trade this year
was unusually good, bat the demand for OCTOBER ana
November has been very light and the trade generally
are ourtang their business as much as possible wages
have been reduced little not at all but manufacturers
40 not feel disposed to work stock which to await
future demand until they form some more definite
opinion than now which are to prevail dur
ing the coming Preparations are MAKING ny Gil
the leading houses to begin full work on or about the
first of January, In anticipation of good Spring trade
but IL this is done II is probable that new scale OF
wages win be agreed upon, the permanenee OF which
will depend upon the prices which the goods command
after the opens The manufacturers are at work
very much In the dark, and must move cautiously.
saller, levin Co., on Archst., above Third, have
Southern and Western trade with Pacific coast trade
as speciality They usually employ about $50 hands,
and have reduced their force to from i5 to 2o a
part OF whom work half and a part two-thirds time.
They had very good trade up to October, the demand
being reaterlthan they e9W9 supply Since tho LIST Of
October the demand has almost entirely ceased. Col
lcctons have been difficult. but easier and the
prospects good Spring trade in their opinion
good. Mr. levin thought that probably one-half the
hands in the city had been discharged. and the rest
working only half time, reducing the production
to about oneourh of what 1t would be In healthy bust
ness times sousser Dangler Co.. on Arch-st. above
Fourth, make a speciality Of fine shoes for women.
line in the country. They did a business OF
100000 last year, and in good times they employ from
TO $50 and women all OF whom work In the shop,
where they have all the latest improvements in ma
chnery Under the old methods OF working they would
require than COO hands Up 10 the period OF the
financial depression they had more orders than they
coul ILL., and did not get through working on old orders
until near the middle of October The second lot OF Fall
orders, which should have come IN during tober aud
November was materially affected. falling OF fully one
only five days in the week. There has been
very slight reduction in rates T., Of wages ., The
quarter of what 1t before the crisis came Mr..
Danger said that he hoped the trade generally would
continue in the way they are now working without any
factory absolutely closing He no indication that
any large ihOuse was likely to close Collections were
affected temporarily but for the last two or three
weeks the collections FROM the agricultural districts
have compared favoraby with the same period last sea
from the manufacturing districts. They have paid their
but III e ase hsS 10 6ay
are very improyident and spend their money
those who are thrown out OF employment. From 1000
5000 have probably been discharged from the boot
aud shoe shops throughout the city this number is
likely to increase and Their want Of employment viii
be only temporary II financial matters are settled all
10 run full forces and full time. They have begin
early this IN order to get sufficient amount OF stock
ever for tho question OF prices to become settled,
the present wages cannot be paid If there Is TO be
general decline in the price OF goods 1t is confidently
believed that there TO he general reduction in
prices though there are no indications on which to base
the belief. This firm building much larger factory
than the occupied by them on Thirteenthsl.
and are preparing for an increased business.
Zegler Brothers. on fourthst above Market do bust
chiefly with the South They employ 26O hands, aud
have discharged only three, who were inferior work
men. They are. however, working only abOut half
time. having made the reduction IN order 10 keep their
force at work as long as possible They have not cut
down wages. They have orders which, with what they
expect to receive from day to day. will keep them busy
till the Of January When they begin their work
the Spring trade they will have to reduce the Of
wages In the present OF uncertainty to next
years prices they will not work on stock unless wages
reduced They do not ordinarily accumulate stock,
and for three years past have only able to keep
up with their orders. They have had no reason TO com
plain OF collections, and believe hare has been little
trouble In that respect with the South with the West
They getting about half as much money on old &C
counts ought to be coming in. They have not had to
buy money 10 pay wages but In few instances had to
make some effort to raise it..
Southern trade. Mr. Miles thought that the production
Of the city had not been reduced than wohirds
He did not look for large trade In the Spring. and
thought that the market had been overstocked for q
long tme There had been too great an expansion OF
time onethird and should not begin working stock
for the Spring trade until he could have some assurance
people would not be able TO consume many goods or
st s sa that be IS doing Se
amount OF business usual at this OF the
year but he has no new orders and feels no
difficulty 10 making collections, but they easier
than they were a short time ago. The stock in the
been favorable TO retailing, and there has been
general tendency to economy among the people. Mr.
Phillips said the boot and trade of the country
TO about annually every aud
shoe one month longer than now, it would be
saving the aud loss 10 the trade OF from
tl6,O000O0 to 81 0O0,00O This illustrates what Is
taking place. Ladies who think they must have
walking Shoes evening shoes, and slippers, now find
they get along with the walking shoes for all ocoa
and all classes Of boots shoes longer
easier times. This has caused many goods to
retained In the hands OF the retailers and ndica
lions are not favorable to an early resumption Of whole
sale business.
BY several large jobbing houses 1t stated that up
to the middle Of September the trade better than
usual but that IL has since fallen Off that the
average for the year Will be good The business is In
healthy condition there Is little surplus stock in the
hands OF manufacturers jObbers, and the country
dealers have bought only to meet immediate demands
that the promise OF good trade In the Spring
No manufacturer reported having stopped except