Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-02-17
A SATISFACTORY WEEK.
The Wholesale Grocery Trade Improves
Harness Leather In Better Demand
Hides, Hardware and Hogs
Also Reviewed.
OFFICE OF PITTSBURG DISPATCH,
SATURDAY EehruarY l5 1880.


OFFICE OF PIrTsBURG DISPATCH,
SATURDAY. February Is 1890
The greatest improvement in trade lines
the past week is shown in the Wholesale
grocery department. Last week there was
general complaint on the part of jobbers
over the dullness of trade. Now the signs
of a revival are seen everywhere. Said
representative of one of our leading wholesale
grocery establishments this morning: 1--WE
have had the best weeks trade this week that
we have had for three months past, SO far as
volume of business is concerned. Last Satur-
day the outlook was blue. Now it is all that
could be desired, and, from all appearances, an
active spring campaign is fully opened for our
trade"
Harness Leather.
The past week has also shown improvement
in demand TOR harness leather which for a
month or more past has been very slow. There
is no advance in prices, but demand has very
much improved since the beginning Of the
month, and stock'moves out as fast as it is
ready for market. A member of one of our
leading harness leather manufacturing firms
said to-day: "All through January our stock
was accommodating and our sales were not above
two-thirds the amount we sold the previous
January. Now the accumulated stock has all
disappeared and orders are on the books suth-
cient to take our output up TO April
Hides.
There is q fair demand for light weights at
the recent reduction. Heavy steer hides are
very slow and prices have declined Nc the past
week. Calf skins are in good demand at the
same rates as a week ago. Tallow has joined
in the downward movement. and is nc lower
per pound than last Saturday. Said leading
dealer in hides to-day: "The weakness of mar
kets at this time is as much due to the quality
Of offerings as anything else. Fully 30 per
cent OF the hides on the market at this time Of
the year are No. 2 stock. The grub which is
the hides great pest is now full grown, and it is
q very common thing to find the hide damaged
to the extent Of four or five holes in the most
in June and the fruit is seen at this time in per-
forated hides. He will be a public benefactOr
who will devise some plan to kill the germ out
of which grows the grub worm, which at this
time damages nine-tenths OF the hides on the
market"
The jobbing trade in this line is still quiet,
but fully as active as at this time last year.
The card rate for cut nails is shade lower
than it was a week ago. Wire nails are in fair
demand at old rates. Barbed wire is in active
demand with no change in prices Said one of
our heaviest jobberS of hardware: THE out
look for an active spring trade is brighter than
1t was a year ago at this time. Our volume Of
trade for the first half of February has been
larger than for the corresponding period OF
1889, and all signs point to good year ahead"
Shrinkage In Hogs.
The view of Liberty stockman given in Fri
days DISPATCH as to the great shrinkags OF
hogs this season. is controverted by one of our
leading pork packers, who claims that the hogs
offered this season are above the average in
quality and condition. Said the packer: with
a long knowledge of this trade 1 have never
known hogs coming to market in better condi-
ton than this winter. If there is more than
the average shrinkage have not discovered it.
Corn was never plentier. and the hogs show it.
Yon may put me down as In square opposition
to tie view of the sstockman who claims that
the shrinkage of hogs this season is greater
than the average. In my view it is less than
the average"