Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-08
COMMERCIAL. NOTES.
Flour Markets Furnish Very Few
Encouraging Features.
PROVISIONS ON THE EVE OF A RISE.
Harness Manufacturers Report Spring
Trade Extra Good.
IMPROVED TONE 10 PRODUCE TRADE
ON THE EVE OF AL RISE.
IMPROVED TONE TO PRODUCE TRADE

TUESDAY, May y AooS.
The current number of the Minneapolis
Miller finds few crumbs of comfort from the
wheat and -four situation. Among many
nournful reflections in the editorial columns
are the following; sour millers are, as
rule level-headed class of men, but this
season has upset their calculations. Stats
tics have been misleading, figures have lied,
the unexpected has occurred. 1t has been
year of mistakes for millers and their Gus
TONERS. Consumers bought when they
should have refused, and could not be per-
suaded to buy when it was to their interest.
There is more interest in speculative bread
stUfs than In either actual wheat or -four.
The -four market has no encouraging feat
ures Buyers lack confidence. There is no
lack of wheat for all purposes"
The same journals London correspondent
reports: ''Wheat and -four market is dull.
Seasonable weather has improved the outlook
Tor the coming crop. The season IS too Tar ad-
vanced for any pinch in supplies, French news
are not encouraging to holders
The entire tone Of the Miller is be2rish as TO
the -four situation. Our home jobbers report
that the hand-tomouth policy is generally pur-
sued by their customers. With steady down
ward drift for months past, it has been a risky
business to carry large stocks. A leading JOB
time when my customers were carrying such
light stocks of -four. Some are borrowing from
their neighbors until such time as they think
bottom is reached"
Provisions Firmcr.
Markets are a shade frlner at Chicago to-day,
but the firmness has not arrived here as yet. A
representative Of one of our leading packing
houses said: "our trade is not up to what it
was this time last year. But there it plenty of
time yet to recover lost ground. Our best
months are July, August and September for
smoked meat We cannot make predictions as
TO trade. / have known pork packers here to
be $50 600 to $40 600 ahead in August. and at the
end of the season, November !, come out no
better than the previous year. On the
other hand, l have known them to be
behind in August and wind up the season with
an advance Of $50, ,0O0 to $4,000 We have seen
the time when we had a clear profit of 4c a
pound on hams by the rise of markets. Now
we would be mighty glad to close out. our en-
tire stock of provisions at profit of 1c Der
pound. We could not, by long ways do this
1t present prices Of hog products. But we live
in hopes that prices will soon advance. Al
ready there are signs Of an upward movement,
and we abide in the faith and hope that our
labor will not be in vain. You may say for me-
however, that we who are in the packing busi-
ness will be content to reap 6 per cent on our
investment this season."
Harness All Right.
In the midst of the generally solemn talk over
the commercial situation it is good to find an
optimist who has nothing but good to say of
his trade One of our leading manufacturers
Of harness and dealer in all kinds of horse
equipments said to-day: "Our trade for the
first four months of this year was better than
we ever had for the same period In January
our business was 5000 better than the previous
January. Our spring trade opened up briskly
q few weeks ahead of its usual time, owing to
the fine weather in the latter part of March and
early part of April. We have been sending
goods of late as far South as Florida and as far
" West as Kansas. Turf goods are in frstrate
demand The drop in leather does not amount
to more than lc per pound on the high grades.
You may say TO the readers of THE DISPATCH
that so far as one dealers harness trade is
concerned, there has been an increase of 30 per
cent for the past four months over the cor
responding months of last year"
Country Produce.
The marked feature of our home markets
this week is the advance in eggs. The mother
hen has been so long at work that she has con-
cluded at last to rest on her eggs and provide
future producers. Creamery butter is destined
to take lower level before the week is out.
Potatoes are moving out more freely than they
have done for months past. Said a Liberty
street produce commission merchant, who is
not inclined to be an optimist: - feel that we
have turned the corner and that a season of
activity is at hand We had an unusually good
Monday and to-day we have no reason to COM
plain. There is great rush for potatoes and
choice apples, which have been slow all the
winter ana spring."
1t remains now for all hands to look at the
bright side and better day will soon dawn on
trade,