Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-24
FEATURES OF TRADE.
The Shoe Upper Industry Was Never
in Better Condition.
ONE OF OUR LEADING FACTORIES
Has Been Months Behind Orders All
Through the Past Year.
THE OUTLOOK IN HARDWARE LINES
OFFICE OF PITTsBURG DISPATCH
TUESDAY. Dec. %. {
Shoe Uppers.

OFFICE OF PITTsBURG DISPATCH,
TUESDAY. Dec. 23
Shoe Uppers.
1t is not generally known that Pittsburg
has the largest shoe upper mandatory in
the L nited States. In the building from
which The DISPATCH is daily sent forth
to furnish the worlds news to a quarter
million of readers, there are over 100 per-
sons, mostly girls and women, employed in
the manufacture of shoe uppers, buff slip
pers and wool boots. An interview with the
foreman of this establishment Yesterday de-
veloped some facts of interest which are here
jotted down. About 75 girls fnd employ
ment in the manufacture of shoe uppers,
and the employment is steady and has been
for a year or two past.
A year ago the trade IN buff slippers only
called for half years work, while at this
year round. The present output of
buff SLIPPERS is go to 500 pairs
daily. and with this output it is difficult
TO fill orders The weekly output of shoe up
pers is about l. 0G0 pairs. and still the factory is
fully three months behind orders and has been
nearly all the past year. There are orders on
the books for delivery next summer P1ttsburg
shoe uppers are sent to Boston, the head center
al the leather trade in America. to ~ Pacific
slope aud Canada and to all intervening points
The French caltshin sti. has the lead in the
shoe upper induI-c-, - American stock is
steadily gaining as .si =, of the latter Is i'm
proving. The met,1as o. shoemaking have
been almost TevOlIIt' } rlZed in Ihe past decade.
In the good old times the shoemaker made
everything. Now the uppers are generally pre-
pared by the large manufacturer. and the shoe
makers trade Is manly 10 MT and fasten 90 the
sole Through evolution and Improvement in
machinery large part of the old-time shoe
makers occupation is gone.
Hardware Trade.
The season is here when this, and in fact all
jobblng trades are at their quieteSt. The near
approach of annual payday, together with the
late strIncency of the money market causes re-
tail dealers to long only for immediate wants.
There is at tins time the customary ante-holi-
day lull in lines of general hardware.
Trade, however shows UP as well as last year,
Notwithstanding financial strlngency. and al
ready orders are placed for spring goods, show
ing the faith of retail dealers that we are now
Gown TO hardpan, and that a6y future changes
must be toward higher level. Orders for
harvesting machinery anu wire goods are being
placed in the faith OF better prices the coming
season. In many lines of hardware the margin
to the manufacturer has been closer the past
season than for many years In iact, 1t Is
matter of doubt as to whether there has been
any profit at all in many lines. Volume of
trade has shown uD large in the year past, but
profits have been light. A leading jobber said
yesterday: Our sales this year were % per
cent larger than last year, but it it is doubtful
If we made as much money. The only saliva
rion OF trade these davs is in pushing things.
The smaller the margin the greater the
necessity of driving trade and handling
large stocks. No longer can the business man
wait for trade TO come TO him. He must go for
rrade. or he will very soon be left IN the rear.
The wear now nearing Its end has not been
good one for the manufacturer of iron and
steel finished products, and many will no doubt
he Glad to come out even when balance sheets
are struck. And whether not the dealer
comes out ahead in the years operations will
largely depend on the amount of goods
handled"