Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-10-23
NOTESOF INDUSTRIES.
The Boot and Shoe Business is in a
Prosperous Condition.
RUBBER GOODS TENDING UPWARD.
Crest Activity at the Edgar Thomson
Steel Works, and
THE LARGEST OUTPUT ON RECORD
RUBBER GOODS TENDING UPWARD.
TIE LARGEST OUTPUT ON RECORD
OFFICE OF PITTsBURG DISPATCH.
TUESDAY, October Y, 1889.

TUESDAY, October 2 1889.
W. E. Schmertz recently returned from a
trip to Boston, and, as a matter OF course
gave special attention to the shoe industry
of that we'll known locality. SAID MI
Schmertz to The DISPATCH market editor
to-day:
1.-The New England shoe factories are al
running to their utmost capacity, and are
unable to fill orders in some lines of staple
goods. L never saw the time the demand
was more active, and the result is that there
is an upward tendency in the boot and shoe
line. Raw rubber is very scarce. and has
recently advanced from 10 to II per cent.
In the next few weeks there will, undoubt.
edly, be an advance of at least s per cent on
all rubber goods. 1 found among all the
New England manufacturers a very hope.
full feeling, and strong faith that the coun-
try was entering upon
An Era Of Great Prosperity.
"As to the Pittsburg jobbing shoe trade,
October has so far been a quiet month, and
the volume of business is slightly below last
October. The weather has been too mild for
any boom In our trade There has been no
good rubber weather in this section this season.
The retail trade is still welfsuppied with stock,
much more so than usual for this time of the
year. There has been a great change of late
years in this respect among retailers, that they
aim now to carry light stocks; and pursue the
hand-to-mouth policy.
"A few years ago they erelaccustomed to lay
in stock for the season at one time. Now they
order as they need, through the drummeror by
mail, and the jobber is obliged to carry the bur
den. When the retailer wants his stock he
wants it quick, and the jobber must be ready,
in order to hold his trade, As soon as the
weather breaks we will, no doubt according TO
all former experiences, have lively time, and
make up for slowness OF. October.
Not a Barefoot Prosperity.
"The country is growing and prosperous. and
the people must have covering for their feet,
and hence we have no fears as to the final out
come OF our industry. We would prefer to
have our trade better distributed, and do more
in October and less in November, but are un-
able to have everything Just as we would wish,
and so try to adj just ourselves to the situation.
The tone of trade is good the outlook was
never brighter, and the tendency is toward
higher prices"
At ,the Edgar Thomson Steel Works. Brad
dock, 1900 tons of finished steel rails were
turned out in As hours within few days. The
average output is 600 tons daily. The recent
advance on steel rails of g a ton affords to the
company profit of 81 20 on each ton, the bal
ance going to tonnage labor. The price OF steel
rails in England is in the neighborhood of SIS
per ton, and the experts here express the opin-
ion that, with the advantage of natural gas
and improved machinery, the rail can be pro-
dueed at less cost in Braddock than in En-
gland.
Effect of IL, Anyhow.
Be this as it may, the Edgar Thomson works,
with orders ahead that will keep them busy
until after the first of the year, and producing
LOCO to 100 tons of steel rails daily is certainly
reaping rich harvest Two new furnaces are
now being pushed forward as fast as possible,
and one will be completed in January. When
completed there is little doubt that the Edgar
Thomson" will reach daily capacity of 800 to
l.4O0 tons of steel rails. With the upward
drift of prices still richer harvests await the
proprietors in the near future.
The effect of this prosperity is seen in the
upward movement of real estate in our -four
ishing young suburb of Braddock. One only
needs to visit the young city on our eastern
borders to discover everywhere the signs of
business, activity and substantial progress.
The number of men employed at the steel
works is above 800. and tee wages being dis
tribuued to this large number could not other
wise than stimulate all the smaller industries.
The result of Braddock's growth westward
and Pittsburg's eastward, will be, ere many
years, that Turtle Creek Will be our eastern
CITY lire,