Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-23
CANNED GOODS RISE.
An Allegheny Fruit Preserver Pre-
sents Facts of Interest
GATHERED FBOM A TRIP ABROAD.
Fruit in the Old World Luxury for the
Few Only to Enjoy.
HIS PRODUCT is BOUND TO ADVANCE
OFFICE OF PITTsBURe DISPATCH, |
SATURDAY. September q. 1859.

DAIUhDA1, SepteUDer Il, looo.
An interview to-day with George L.
Cruikshank, the well-known fruit preserver
of Allegheny, who recently returned from
an extensive tour through Great Britain,
developed many facts of interest in CONNER
cial lines. He said:
"One of my leading purposes in taking
this trip was to look into the business
methods of England and Scotland, and
ascertain for myself how much further the
dollar would go there than here in purchasing
the necessaries of life. The retail price of
hams in London was l6c per pound and bacon
12c. For tenderloin steaks the cost was shil-
ling pound and boiling pieces 12c. Potatoes
were shillings a bushel and tomatoes 16c
pound.
There is nothing like the variety of vegeta-
bles on the London stalls there Is In Pittsburg.
About all could see in the former city, at the
very height OF the season, were carrots, turnfps,
string beans and onions. These were reason
ably cheap. Tomatoes, which were sold here
at 40 cents bushel, were luxury in which
only the rich could indulge in London and
Glasgow can buy in Pittsburg alarger loaf
of bread for cents than can be bought in any
city of Europe for the same price.
Fruit Market Differences.
''In looking up features of trade, naturally
gave particular attention to my own line,
namely fruits. On the London stalls the only
fruits saw which were abundant and reason
able in price were black and red currants.
These were served up in some shape at nearly
every meal. The strawberries were far ahead
OF ours in quality, being large and firm and Of
delicious taste, and sold from 16 to "a cents
quart Gooseberries also were Of quality
and flavor beyond any thing l had conceived
Of and brought 16 cents pound.
Pears were scarce and sold at 15c pound.
Apples, at penny piece, we're SO small and
poor that no dealer here would load his stall
with them. Peaches, like tomatoes, were lux
ury only for the rich; a good large one sold as
high as shilling and small ones at l0c apiece.
The grapes saw in London were very fine and
large; but the price, shillngs a pound, placed
them beyond any ordinary purse. The fruit
season across the water is as poor a one as
here. and the prices given are no doubt above
those of the average year.
I'm the city of Glasgow there are not less
than lOO establishments engaged in the manu-
1acture OF marmalade, into which the skins Of
bitter oranges enter largely. In one Of the ex.
pensive items of preserving fruits they have
great advantage over us here, and that is in
the cost of sugar. The ruling price for granu-
lated sugar in Glasgow July last was SIC q
pound.
Dried fruits, discovered, were much less
used in England and Scotland than here. The
people there do not seem to take as kindly to
this as to their miserable marmalade, which
was very unpleasant to my palate.
The sources of supply.
"Paisley and Dundee are noted sources OF
supply for canned goods, as Glasgow leads in
marmalade. This season large quantities of
canned fruits and vegetables have been ordered
from America for the Paisley and Dundee
canning factories on account of the great
scarcity of homegrown stuff"
In the interview with MIR. Cruikshank it was
developed that this has been the poorest sea-
son for many years to obtain fruit for canning
and preserving purposes, as last was the best
for many years. The price paid for fuit this
season in general has been 100 per cent greater
than last, and even at the increased rates. it
has been next to impossible to secure what is
needed. Said Mr. Cruikshank on this point:
Last season our establishment put up 1000
bushels of raspberries and nearly the same
quantity of plums, with cherries, strawberries,
ounces, etc., in larger quantity and better
shape than tor ten years previous. A great
deal of this fruit was put up whole in whisky
barrels. Some of last years supplies are still
left, but are now fast disappearing at nice
advance over the rates of last winter and
spring, when it was hard to give canned fruits
away. We have not been able this year to get
any raspberries or plums, and but very few
Strawberries.
"a year ago We bought sugar for 6 cents,
while now it is 81 to cents. With fruit
scarce and sugar high, it is plain that there is
good and sufficient reason for the late stiffen-
ing up in prices of preserves and canned goods.
AS an illustration of the change, July and Au-
gust, which are uniformly the off months for
our business, were as good as any months of
the year. The scarcity OF fruit has given an
extra midsummer boom to preserves The
OutIo0I, n0inte t0 still Oraafnr aativitv ord
higher prices all along the line of our in
dustry."