Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-20
THE TREND OF TRADE
Unusual Activity in Sewer Pipe, Ce-
ment and Fire Brick.
VOLUME NEVER BEFORE so LARGE.
Slate for Roofing and Mantels is in Extra
ordinary Demand.
MARGINS OF PROFIT VERf MARROW
VOLUME NEVER BEFORE so LARGE.
MARGINS OF PROFIT VERY MARROW
OFFICE OF PITTsBURe DISPATCH
TUESDAY. Novernber 10 1890 +

OFFICE OF PrTTsBURe DISPATCH
TUESDAY, November IS. 1889.
Interviews with representatives of the
sewer pipe, cement and frebrick trade de-
velped the fact that there is unusual activity
all along the line. The uniform testimony
is that the trade is much beyond that of last
season in volume of goods handled, and in
fact was never better than right now. The
new traction roads constructed the past year
have made extraordinary demands upon the
cement trade. A member of leading firm
reports sales of LIS 600 barrels of cement the
present year, and nearly the same amount last,
which is an increase of more than one-third
over the average sales of the five years pre-
vious.
The demand for sewer pipe does not show any
great increase; but dealers report an improve
ment over last year.
Fire Brick in Big Demand.
There has been an extraordinary demand for
fire brick, both for paving and mill purposes,
all this season. In some grades it has been
next TO impossible to I'LL orders The two new
furnaces in process of construction at the Ed
gar Thomson works call for millions of fire
brick, and it taxes one of our leading firms to
meet demands there.
At one establishment it was learned this
morning that heavy orders were recently re-
ceived from Roanoke, Virginia, and Philadel-
phia, and that the orders now in would keep
the manufactures represented by them busy
all the coming winter.
There has been developed here in recent
years large trade with Philadelphia for paw
ing fire brick.
Tho Matter is Explained.
Said a member of one of the leading firms:
"Our industry was never in better shape, and
the outlook was never brighter than it is to-day.
To be sure. competition is sharper and margins
are much closer than in other years; but we
make up for this in the amount of goods
handled. Prices vary very little from what
they were year ago. If there is any difference,
they are a shade lower"
1t was elected in the interviews with repre-
sentatives of the friedrich industry that there
has been developed in the past four years
great trade for paving fre-brick. The great
deduction in prices and the superior qualities
of this material for paving purposes have very
much stimulated trade at the expense of the
old-fashioned red brick.
States and MauteIs.
member of the leading business house of
the city engaged in the manufacture and sale
of slate for roofing and mantels thus puts
the situation and outlook of this industry:
I'VE have in no former season handled the
same amount of goods but profits are greatly
below those of former seasons. We thought
prices of the high grades Of roofing slate were
down to hard pan year ago, but there was a
reduction of about 10 per cent last spring
owing to the unwise policy of dealers, and no
recovery since, though demand has been ex-
traordinary. Low grades have taken an up
ward turn, but the cut-throat policy among
competitors has prevented a similar advance in
the higher grades.
with snch an active demand as we have
been having this fall, and the low prices that
have prevailed by all ordinary rules of trade,
there should be higher prices. We find it next
TO impossible to meet orders, and, though we
have two quarries turning out materials, have
been obliged of late to 90 outside of our own
products to satisfy customers This has
Very Rarely Occurred
in our business history. Notwithstanding the
great pressure for our products, it has been
found impossible to advance prices. The sea-
son for mantels is now fully on, as houses are
being finished up and demand was never
greater. It is nip and tuck between slate and
wooden mantes for fine residences.
THE fine artistic designs in slate mantels
have given them quite impetus the past
year or two. We sell both, and 1nd that the
slate mantel is fully holding its own in com
petition with that made of wood.
las to amount of goods handled this season
both in roofing and fire front materials we
have done better than last year or any former
year, and the outlook for a lively winters
trade was never as bright as now"