New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-03-27
PHILADELPHIA TRADE PROSPECTS.

ppsutT-su,rI AMOUNT OF BUSINESS DONE
SINCE THE PANIC-DECREAsED SALE OF TEXTILE
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF UNEMPLOYED WORKING
MEN EXHAUSTED.
tFROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE'I
PHILADELPHIA, March Ell have recently
spent two days visiting large manufacturing establish
ents In this city for the purpose OF obtaining nforma'
ton as to the condition OF business tho amount OF WORK
doing IN comparison with what was done before
the panic the wages paid for labor and the propaDie
number of people out OF employment A better neid
for such an inquiry could not be found, IL the
Object were, in this case. 1t was In part,
draw conclusions as to the present position ami pros
poets OF the several manufacturing interests OF the
country at large. Philadelphia Is not only much more
extensively engaged in manufacturing than any other
city in the Union but she makes far greater variety
OF articles While other places are heavy producers or
certain lines OF WORK, she the whole Held, and
makes almost everything that can be thought or from
shirt buttons - steamships Or course IL Is not
possible for correspondent 10 day to take In the
whole range OF industries so vast In extent and multi
form In kind but closely bound together III mutual
Inerdepeudence most branches of manufacturing
that all suffer from the depression in business One
will be as much benefited another by revival OF
business, ana all therefore equally sensitive to ihhu-
euccs which presage better times.
DIZZINESS OF THE IRON TRADE.
Before attempting to gcneralize. will give some OF
the information obtained from men engaged In few
leading lines of manufacturing The iron trade prob
ably the most depressed OF all important industries The
cause OF its troubles Is recognized By everybody as over
production. This over-prcduction caused by the
flush times precadins the panic and particularly by
the mania for railroad building, which ceased abruptly
with the collapse of the Northern Pacific enterprise
IIonmasters feel rathe more hopeful t1an they have
for many months past thinking that they have struck
bottom the fall in prices aud can expect to pick
up slowly. Here and there finds industry cassed
with the iron trade which IS moderately prosperous, but
It is always the that such establishments are en-
gagged in special lines OF work for which they have
high reputation They have held their by driving
out of the field weaker competitors. For example, the
firm OF Morris, TAsker & Co., whose specially is iron
tubes and pipes are running their works to nearly their
full capacity. They state however that their margin
Of profits is much smaller than formerly, aud
chat In cases they have been obliged
the market by selling at figures that scarcely
covered the cost of production Other industries en-
ploying iron as raw material complain OF continued
depression IN business and are keeping along, il run
ning ut ALL on small orders, with reduced gang Of
wOrkmcn, rather TO retain their customers than with
the hope OF favorable b.ancesheet at the years end
All concerns aged IN making railroad supplies suffer
severely and signs OF immediate improvement.
Ono OF the proprietors OF the Baldwin Locomotive
Works said that while there indications of all I'M
provement general business he did not look for
early return OF busy times In his line. The rail
roads oversocked with locomotives and had idle
hand to take the place OF those in when the
latter worn out Wages at the Baldwin
Works were from IS to 80 per cent lower than
two years ago, and only about half as many men
employed formerly. VIM. Sellers e. Co., minufac-
turers of machinery aud machine tools, said that their
business had fallen off 80 per cent since 1875 and that
although there slight Improvement OF late, they
expected no gain until there was general revival
OF the mercantile trade. return or prosperous times
would be first felt by the merchants, and when that
class began flourish again tho manufacturers might
be hopeful, but not before. Ole noticeable feature Of
the prevalent hard times the eXtromo caution of
buyers. Customers who used send orders to estab
lshments wtloataskng the price would now 81 around
and get estimates from several concerns before they
would order. TIE worknen employed by this firm are
getting from % to 2J per cent less wages than they
ceived two years ago and only ABOUT half OF tue old
The extensive saw works of Henry Disson & Sons
kept busy though not pushed to their full Ca
plcity and, rs remarkable exception 70 the general
rule, are paying Old rates OF wages Mr.. DissOn said
that the business had fallen off about 20 per cent ana
there had been repeated reductions IN prices especially
articles. always started by
Germs selling OIL goods 10 obtain money Several small
tendency OF the hard tunes was to throw tue trade INTO
hands OF few large concerns. His firm send
To England, and could compete there with the
best Elgllsn makers They were also opening mar
ket IL spain ana Russia.
LOW PRICE OF TEXTILE FABRICS
Manufacturers OF almost ali kinds OF textile fabrics
feel the hard tunes keenly. Excepting the iron trade
there probably extensive branch OF industry so
much depressed. People economzing by wearing
out old Clothes and when they buy they are
content with cheaper fabrics than they used TO select
Ola carpets are turned ant mended and thousands OF
people are ilviug upon bare io0rs VINO USED 10 think
some Kind OF carpet necessity. ms enforced self
denial ~ no dOub, wholesome for tine public but 1t Is
dsagreedbe 10 the spiuuers and weayors In the Ken
IntrfAn ni,frl IhAfn fArtaZ nf
woocns, cO;tOns and carpets found several establish
ments closed aud others working with reduced force
The reduction In wages has been only about 10
per cent. Strange 10 say, the employees Ia
several factories which make mixed cotton and wooden
goods struck lately for restoration OF 10 per
ductIon made early III the Winter With thousands OF
unemployed people around them IL Is astonishing that
these wUrkuen anG wOrkwOmon should venture 10
thc loss OF ther only means OF gaming their daily bread
skilled male hands among the strikers have been earn
Ing SIG per week, ana women s1-nOt magnificent wages
II Is true, but much better tudn nothing La Phlddrl
pha and Its vicinity there said 10 he 1000 900
win the production OF textile fabrics not including the
recent strikers. Many have been out OF work the
greater rt OF the past year. Here and there factory
Il found running ou full time aud with fun force Oot
such establishments are exceptional, and there are al
ways peculiar reasons for their good fortune.
Toe glass manufacturing business IN which no less
than 81 rms engaged IN tins city, Is represented
IN Ihlrly prosperous condition. visited one OF the
largest establishments that of Glileudcf d Sons,
OxfOrd-st., and found 800 men employed. Improved
for cheapenng tue cost OF manufacture had
OF the propretors said, almost driven foreign
cOmpetltiOn 30 that, excepting the hnest Bohemian
and venetian ware, the American makers controlled
the market. SO rapid was the process of making the
cheaper kinds VI wineglasses and tumDlers, that u
snllful iuan, with boy TO help him, would make 1000
day. Large gobets could bo prohtaby produced at 90
cents dozen Wages had been reduced about year ago
The noroccoleatner manufacturers report slightly
improving and very safe trade customers buying only
small lots for immediate consumption. Carriage makers
say their business Is restricted to repairing. They
hope for Spring trade that Will De fair In comparison
WITH the dun tunes OF the past Is months. HOusebulld
era have kept pretty we'll employed spite Of all pre-
dotODs the steady growth Of tho city having been only
lIlo checked by tue panic Furniture makers report
bad years busnoss especially costly styloA OF tho