The Portland daily press., 1882-05-11
DOWN TOWN.
Money Matters : Cooperage : The Beef
Market.

Market.
The Boston money market yesterday show
ed a little greater loan demand, but no change
in rates. Cali loans range from 3-4 to per
cent. The savings banks are loaning money
on real estate at IL per cent. Inc STOCK
market opened weak but closed stronger.
The market for sugar and molasses cooper
age is quiet and prices have lately undergone
no change. The stocks on hand at this port
are light, but fully equal to the demand, as
the Cuba season is drawing to close, and
there is not usually much activity during
the summer months. The exports of sugar
hogshead shocks from Portland to Cuba for
the year ending May l, 1882, as given by
Messrs Nutter, Kimball & Co., were 1885, 100
and of hoops 4OS, 1872. In addition to these an
estimated number of $4,000 shocks were taken
by the Windward Islands and Porto Rico. For
several years previous to 1881 cooperage ex-
ports from Portland to Cuba languished on ac-
count of large accumulations, low prices, &C.,
but last autumn stocks at the islands fell off
and prices advanced. The demand again be-
came brisk and manufacturers hurried
off stocks rapidly to meet the require
ments of business. The exports from Portland
for the month of March last reached 72,325
against 4S, ITS for the same month in 1881 The
outlook for future business is now quite en-
couraging, and dealers are sanguine that prices
will be maintained. The cooperage business
has experienced some changes within few
years. Formerly oak slaves were brought to
market as they were split out of the log, and
manufactured in numerous shops on our
wharyes, which gave them an aspect OF re-
markable activity The sound of an army OF
coopers at work was as inspiring as the rattle
of drums; but with the increase Of trausporta-
ton facilities the workmen sought the raw
material in the interior and now the finished
slaves come into the city by car loads and are
slat4sfo.1oi ifioodly lIio vessel. Thvro are
very few city-made shocks. Again, sugar is
generally imported now in hogsheads instead
of boxes as formerly, and the latter have al
most disappeared from the wharves. Some
times the exports of sugar box shocks from
Portland reached as high as / ,000, 900 per year;
during the past year they amounted to only
81 III. Philadelphia and Baltimore have en-
tered into competition with northern ports in
manufacturing and shipping cooperage, and it
is estimated that the latter port has exported
the past year, 100000 shocks. Five years ago
the business was unknown there. But the
northern cooperage holds its supremacy on ac-
count of its superior quality and better manu-
facture.
The manufacture of fish and syrup barrels
has almost become distinct branch of cooper
age; it requires different material and finds
different market from sugar and molasses
coopersge and the work is done chiefly in city
shops by machinery. The fiat staves sawed
at the mill, are brought in by the railroads. A
compound machine planes them in the neces-
sary Consequences form.c them the pro-
per length, and gives them the bilge in a
single moment, Other machines plane the
heads. cut them in circular form and finishes the
edge ready for its place in the barrel. The
work is done very expeditiously. Messrs. E.
s. Hamlen & Co, who are very prominent here
in the manufacture of syrup barrels tell us that
the business for the first four months of 1882 was
double what it was for the corresponding
period in 1881 The expectation of sugar and
molasses barrels to the West Indies and the
French Islands from Portland has been very,
large the past season. that demand is falling
off now and is changed to the factories Of
Boston and New York which are beginning to
send their syrup to market. They are supply
ing the works at Glen Cove, L. L., with 5000
syrup barrels per month; East Boston factories
require from 1900 to 1900 per month, and mis-
cellaneous small contracts and the require
nents Of the general trade will make the |
a cunt equal to a yearly total of at least 1885,
BOO syrup barrels supplied by the enterprise |
and industry of Portland. /
In regard to the probable supply of beef the |
coming season, the Droyer's Journal, Chicago, |
has summed up its detailed reports from the |
great. cattle raising districts of the Southwest
and Northwest, and after averaging the loss /
and gain OF the different States and Territories j
concludes that there will be 10 per cent, more T
,eeves marketed than in 1881; and that the /
cattle are generally fatter than in 1881. With /
the exception of two or three of the more /
northern territories heard from, the condition |
Of the range is much better than year ago. In I
Wyoming and Nebraska the winter /
was dry, but later in the season snow and rain |
and the grass has started in fine |
style. The shipping season in those territories
will not be any earlier than the average, but
in the Southwest tho season is at least six
weeks earlier than last year.. As regards the
trade in New England wel-informed dealers
estimate thai, it has fallen off from one-third
to one-half of what's was last fall when beef 4
was plenty. To relieve the scarcity of beef
the dealers have sent their agents through Il
Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, and 4
these districts have been thoroughly secured
and all the available cattle sent forward In |
Chicago the prices compared with the last |
week Of April, 1880, the rise in wholesale
prices has been from 39 to 80 per cent. Within |
the past few weeks the average advance has |
been cents pound. r" ''f s@ss |
Canadian lumber dealers and shippers axe |
looking forward toan active trade in lumber |
during the coming season, both on export and |
home account. The Montreal Gazette says it |
is now estimated that the cut of logs and square
timber on the Upper Ottawa viii be more than |
double that of last SO ason. Advices have been
received from Ottawa that the barges have be- |
gun to load with lumber and DEALS Deal |
charters from Montreal to River Plate have ad- |
vanced from $14 to SIS and $15.5 so per NJ. |
within two weeks. 1
The Temporary Home for Women and
Children. |
The annual meeting of this corporation was
held at the Common Council Room last even
ing Mrs. Bion Bradbury, the President, pre-