Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-09-02
THE LEATHER JUMP.
What Wheeling Shoe Dealers Say of the
Rise.

The operative erect OF tne rise VIII
soon be felt by Wheeling traders. \
REGISTER reporter called upon mem
Der of the wholesale firm Of Boyd &
Co., who stated that the travelling rep
resentatives of the firm had started out
on the road before the change took
place, and as yet there had been no
material change in prices in conse-
quence of the rise, but expected that il
would come very soon now.
A member of the large whole
sale house OF Vance Il Co. was
seen, and he was firmly Of the opinion
that leather was now up to stay. "The
change in the price OF leather will be
felt most emphatically. There is moth
lug conjectural now about the stability
Of the market. The price of leather has
been falling for ten years. and 1t has
fallen so much that Il is lower
than it has been for over a third Of a
century, The member Of the firm in
question did not believe the rise was
due, as the PittSburg papers had stated
to the heavy expectation to the stand
ing armies OF Europe, but was rather
inclined to attribute the change to the
fact that large number Of the smaller
tanneries had found it Improbable to
operate, and the larger tannerieS re-
naming had been unable to supply the
demand. But certain it is the
manufacturers everywhere have given
notice that hereafter there will be an
advance on all cases of shoes sold, and
we must govern ourselves accordingly,
The result will be that we shall have to
charge the retailers Il correspondingly
higher price, and the individual pur-
chaser will have TO ante mp to the re-
taller"
The change in the price means a rise Of
from u to % cents on 4
pair OF shoes. and on sole
leather there IS jump Of p per cent.
Fortunately we had in quite 4 largo
stock when the rise was announced,
and these goods that remain over we
will sell at the former low prices, but
all fresh goods that we have TO rcplen-
sh we shall have to charge accordingly
for. The old line of goods that we had
in will probably last to the middle Of
October | do not believe leather will
ever get down again as low as it has
been for the past two years, but will be
steadily on the rise for the next six
months or year, when it will strike Il
sort of solid basis, and remain at the
top notch for some time" In answer
to the question as TO whether he be-
lieycd the rise would diminish the sales
Of the retailer, he said he believed there
would be no perceptible falling off in
this regard, as shoes, like groceries, are
looked at more in the light of necessa-
rieS and not Injuries, and people must
have them.
The firm Of Alexander Il Co. said
the rise was undoubtedly ON. and would
be felt by the people. He was of the
opinion that all who wanted shoes, and
especially where they have to supply
large families, would do well TO pur-
chase them within tire next thirty or
forty days. and by so doing they could
save IL or 20 cents on every pair against
the new schedule Of prices. He did not
believe retailers would continue TO sell
their goods at the old prices and at the
same time give the wholesaler more for
them. Rather than do this the retailer,
if he sold AZ the old prices, would be
more likely to order some sort of a cheap
imitation of his former goods i'm order
to get his usual profit. The firm attrib-
uted the rise to the effect that the stand
ing armies OF Europe had been using up
a large supply Of the grain goods. and
for the first time in the memory of the
firm the exports far exceeded the i'm
ports. wheeling is not Il high grade
shoe town. but yet | believe the peo-
pie here in the boot and shoe line
get more value for their money
than any place know Of. The
city does not have a very heavy sale in
the fancy line, and if there is any at
tempt to counterfeit the common grades
now sold. in order to get the old-time
profits. customers will suffer consider
ably by the change.
A. G. Wincher said the people had /
already begun to contemplate the |
,hange. While rs yet he had sold no
goods under the advance required, he
lad heard frequent inquiries about it. |
The result Of the change Will probably |
)e that you will either get fairly |
rood shoe at an increased cost, or an |
imitation of the same at the former low |
price. and it is a singular fact that
he customer who bays the latter; /
ghile he is apparently satisfied the |
radc gets the worst of the bargain. |
And the imitation, humbug shoe is just |
where the new change in prices will
cad many unscrnpulouS retailers, and
I would be well for all individual pur-
'haSers to keep sharp lookout on the
luality of the shoe they are buying.
for do you know that when the imita-
ion shoe is manufactured it means that
rom fifteen to twenty cents is taken
,ut of the stock somewhere, and this
fifteen or twenty cents of means more
han fifteen or twenty cents of the
wear Of the shoe. II means fully 40
)er cent. off the wear. and the individual
,uyer is not long in finding it out. ! be-
ievc all those who buy their foot gear
II the next thirty days will escape much
# the annoyance that may follow later"
James Divine said he understood
here was an upward tendency in the
Gather market, but was inclined to be-
ieye there was little bottom to II. He
lid not apprehend the high prices OF
which he heard 50 much talk. and
oubted very much If there would be a
Inference OF five cents or so on a pair.
IN the finer grade Of goods he did not
hink there would be any perceptible
hange. When quericd as to effect Of
he Mckinley bill on the leather mar
ct he said he did not believe that that
had any effect on the recent
ise. from the fact that ten-cent duty
ihich was embodied in the original
raft was subsequently eliminated at
he instance of large gathering
{ the trade. Neither did he believe
he passage OF the silver bill concerned
d any way the leather market Mr.. (
)ivine was rather inclined to take a
omewhat hopeful view Of the situation,
nd did not think the advance would
antinue for any length of time, because
he facilities for getting out leather in
his country were very efficient, and a.
Don as the top notch in the price was
cached there would be enough leather
rms juming into the business to bring
down again. The reaction would
ave to come just as it did in the nail
usincss here in Wheeling.
Iowa Incendiaries at Work.
Iowa CITY, a., September Fire last !
light almost totally destroyed the town Of
,xford, west Of this city. Nearly all the ,
usiness part and many private residences
ere burned. The postonice, the bank and