Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-13
THE BIG F0UR'S WORK
In Advancing the Prices Of Green
Hides and Calf Skins.
THE MILLION MUST PAY THE BILLS.
Allegheny Tanners Dependent on Chicago
for Their Supplies.
TIE WHEAT AND FLOUR SITUATION
OFFICE OF PITTsBURG DISPATCH.
TnEcnn~ 1GO0


TUESDAY. August Il 1880. J
A generation ago Pittsburg and Allie
gheny tanners received large quantities of
dry hides from st. Louis by the river route,
and paid their bills in finished leather. A
trip to St. Louis and up the Missouri river
once or twice in the year was one Of the
episodes ofthe leather trade in those good
old days. Our steamboats, along in the for
ties and ffties, were freighted often with dry
hides from the Indian territory, now known
rs Kansas and Nebraska, and on the return
trip carried the finished product. Supplies
from the Missouri river together with hides
and calf skins collected from city and country
butchers, were sufficientto meet all demands
from our home tanners. About century ago
the st. Louis hide trade waned, and in a short
time ceased. On the wane of Western hides, it
was found that slaughtering houses in this
vicinity were unable TO meet demands of the
gaining tanning interests OF Allegheny, ana
other sources of supply had to be looked to.
Prior to the war St. Louis was the great trade
center OF the West. Since the war Chicago has
been the center. And of late years the Big
-Four, namely, Armour, Swift, Morris and
Hammond by reason of their enormous cattle
and dressed meat trade, have reached such
power that they practically control the hide
trade of the West and are able to dictate
prices. Fully one-half of the hides worked up
by our Allegheny tanners come from the Big
-Four. The butchers of Pittsburg and sur
rounding towns would cut sorry figure in sup
plying wants of our home tanners at this date.
The People Must Pay.
1t has seemed good to the Big Four OF late to
advance prices, and, with the aid of specula-
tors, they have succeeded in raising hides and
calfskins from &c to &c per pound in the past
few weeks. In the end the millions who wear
will hor-a 70 for I'm ruh q
monopolists will gather in the ducats. There is
no real reason for the late advance in hides and
calfskins. But the advance has been ordered
by the powers that be, and the masses will pay
the bills.
In proof of the fact that the recent rise in
hides calf skins and harness leather is due
largely to speculative influences and the Big
-Four, stands the fact that red sole leather has
not Joined in the upward movement The lat
ter is manufactured principally in New York
State and Northern Pennsylvania, and south
America is the chief source of supply for hides.
The Big -Four have not yet been able to take in
the earth. and Eastern tanners have not felt
their iron grip as have the tanners from Pitts
burg westward. Red sole leather is very heav-
lily exported, and thanks TO the freedom of tan
ners in this line, from Western monopoles and
speculative influences, prices have undergone
little change. One of our leading hide dealers
said to-day: 81 believe that the recent advance
in hides and calf skins has already spent its
force. and that prices are now at the top. A
year ago prices we're too low, but the late ad-
vance has been too radical to hold. Cattle are
dull and lower of late and there is no good rea-
son for such sharp advance in hides and calf
skins as we have had the past few weeks. l
look to see a reaction in the next few weeks,
and only hope it will not be so great as to send
prices back to the level of few months ago"
Wheat and Flour.
The North Western Miller is responsible for
the following notes as to the wheat and -four
situation: DRY weather in the corn region and
short crop of oats has been the cause to great
extent of the recent rise in wheat. Elevator
men expect to handle more wheat this year
than last. Grades, however, are unquestion-
ably lower. Advices from London correspond
ents show a favorable change in weather
which will save the wheat crop of England
from disasters threatened a short time ago.
II weather continues favorable there will be an
average wheat crop in England, though har-
vest will be 10 to IA days later than usual The
American flour trade is reported very slow in
London. In France there has been irreparable
damage from storms. A month ago the esti-
mate of the wheat crop in France was 800, 600 600
bushels. Late estimates are $50 000, 600 bushels.
The home consumption calls for 100000
bushels, so that it will require at least 70OO000O
bushels of imported wheat to meet the wants
of France this year. II will be seen by refer
ence to domestic market columns that wheat
here has touched the dollar mark this week.
Jobbers also look for an advance in -four be-
fore the week is out