Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-31
TRADE RETROSPECT.
Facts of InterestO on Changes Between
Now and a Year Ago,
In THE LINES OF JOBBING TRADES.
The General Drift of Produce and Groceries
is Upward.
REVIEW OF TRADE FOR THE YEAR 1890
OFFICE OF THE P1TTsBURe DISPATCH,
TUESDAY, Dec. 80. (

OFFICE OF THE PITTsBURG DISPATCH
| TUESDAY, Dec. 30. :
In Produce Lines.
Produce trade seldom furnishes sharper
contrasts than it has done the past year. At
the close of 1889, apples were drug at Sc
| per barrel as outside price for fancy stock.
Now they are firm at Sc. A year ago po-
tatoes were slow at 40c per bushel. Now
they are active at 81 %, and quality this
season is much below last. After tine holi-
days year ago cold storage eggs were hard
to give away. Now they are steady at 21c to
22c per dozen. Fresh nearby eggs were sold in
the latter part of December, 1889, at Csc per
dozen in job lots. The same are now selling at
29C per dozen.
Price of cheese varies very little from rat es
OF year ago but is on an average about 1c
higher now than then. With the exception of
potatoes, vegetables are about the same in
price as at this time year ago. Top price of
creamery butter a year ago was 31c. Now it is
35c per ID. The price of poultry and game is
practically the same as at this time last year.
Tropical fruits are higher than a year ago.
1or the reason that domestic fruits have been
IN great measure 4 failure Florida oranges
are 81 per box higher than at this time year
ago at sources OF supply, and the advance here
corresponds to this increased cost.
Cereals Away Up.
The contrasts between now and year ago
are still sharper in cereal than in produce lines
On December 81, 1889, No. 2 red wheat was
quoted at So to SEC per bushel. Now quotations
are 81 % TO 81 o. The outside price of flour
then was 81 50; now it is S. 70. No. 2, e corn
sold year ago at 40 to 404c per bnshel. Now
price is 6212 To 63c. Price of No. 2, white oats
th1S time last year was 28 to 2S1ac. A year ago
No. l. white midGlings sold at SIS 90 to SIS So
Present prices are S24 80 to SIS 90. No.
timothy hay sold at sll 70 year ago, and
present price is $40 %. AT the beginning of the
year rye was quoted at 5215 to 53c. To-
day quotations are 7Ic to T7c per bushel
year ago than now. Among the features of
Graln Exchange transactions for the wear past
IS the M Increased sales on change. The Increase
Tor 1871 has been fully 100 per cent over 1882
The curbstone deals are diminishing, and regu-
lar sales on call are steadily on the increase
There is still room for improvement IN this
direction, as outside transactions are far in eI-
cess OF deals on change.
Groceries Higher.
In grocery lines the general drift of the year
has been toward higher prices, with sugar as
the exception. The decline in sugar for the
year has averaged 1c per pound A year ago
granulated sugars were jobbing at nc and in
April they dropped to &c per pound. Present
prices are lc lower than at the beginning of the
year. Coffee varies very little IN price from
rates of year ago.
PackageS have been selling most of the year
at the same rates. Within day or two there
has been drop of 1ac per pound, but green
coffee is still steady at old prices. All canned
fruits are higher than they were year ago.
As an evidence of the change. canned peaches
WHICH sold year ago at 81 60 per dozen are
now selling at 81 GO. and canned corn has ad
vanced from soc to 95c per dozen. Canned
tomatoes are about the same il price as at this
time last year. Prospects are for still higher
prices in canned fruit lines IN the near future.
The Hide Market.
At the opening of the year hides and calf
skins were as low rs they had been for a gener-
alton or more. Green salted steer hides were
down to &c and bluffs to less than SC per pound.
Calf skins sold at &c per pound in the early
part OF January. which was the lowest price
touched since before the war. With calf
skins little above 2oc apiece butchers we're
wishing that they could do with calves as with
hogs, scald them and let the hide 20. Toward
spring, however. there was an upward move
inent, and calf skins kept climbing up until in
the latter part of August they sold
at 90 per round since that time
| and prices here drifted back until they have
| reached 734c. the present rate Buff hides were
| dull year ago at 434c per b. Soon after the
turn of the year they went up and by the be-
ginning of September were selling at Sc per D.
and in good demand A reaction set in a few
weeks later and prices kept drifting steadily
back toward the old level. until now the price
Is SC per fb, which is only &c above prices of
year ago. Steer hides reached their highest
price September ], when they sold at &c. The
present price is Sc, which is about the same as
year ago.
Provisions.
The drift of markets in this line has heen
downward of late. Green hams and shoulders
are about nc lower than they were year ago,
and lard is about the same as at this time last
year. In view of prices in other lines there is
n hOo