The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-05-16
Less Than Half a Supply of youths
Delight" on Hand at
Present.
Labor Strikes in China and Wrecks
On the Sea Are the
Cause.
The Prices Arc Going Up and the Heart
of Young America is Sinking
in Inverse Ratio.

ardor of Young America in the celebration
of the next Fourth of July is likely to be
not only somewhat dampened, but he will
find himself obliged to conine his ebulli-
tions to patriotism to the explosion of tor
pedoes and cannon crackers, unless he hap
pens to be lad of unlimited means, as
there will be this year very small supply
of small crackers in the market at his dis
posal, and these will be sold at price
much higher than during the past few
gears, says the Boston Herald. The cause
of this condition of things is said to be due
10 an extended strike of employees in the
6re-cracker manufactures in China, which
prevailed some time ago. The importers
in this country were taken unawares,
and as result, there will not be
half enough of the goods on hand
to supply the demand, and, as China IS
the only country in the world in which
the small crackers are made, there is
no other source of supply. This year all
that can possibly reach this country in time
for the Fourth of July celebration will not
exceed 5000 boxes, being less than half
the usual supply, Necessarily prices WI
per box at wholesale. the retail price being
$1.o5. From now until about June 10 the
prices asked are $1.25 at wholesale and
81 so at retail. After that date the goods
are likely to reach at retail 81 or there
abouts.
The usual supply at this season of the
the ship Wandering Jew arrived from China
with a cargo of l35, 600 boxes, and one yes
sci, the Great Amiral, was expected to
reach this country with large cargo about
the first of next month, but owing to unac-
countable delays she will not reach here I'M
having only 1aft HOMO
Kong March 16. In addition to these, two
vessels, each bearing large cargoes
Of crackers. were wrecked. one going
down in November of last year and the
other last February. One of the re asons
why the small cracker cannot be man ufac-
Dor, it being possible to bring them from
Hong Kong, half way around the world, to
New York. pay duty of 100 per cent, and
sell them here at from Soc to 81 per box,
while to manufacture them here the cost
would be S. per box, In China even the
the goods. Orders for. the following
years supply are generally placed on or
about the ist of June, at which time the
Chinese year begins, and there is not usu-
ally any difficulty in having the goods
shipped during December or March. II
had cornered the market, but this was
found to have been incorrect. About fif.
teen years ago, owing to shortage Oh
goods, prices went up to 1925 per box.
Several wholesale deelers in small fire
crackers we're interviewed recently, ane
tell. Mr.. Wells, of the firm of Masten 1
Wells, said "The usual supply of tn
small cracker in the Boston market is abou
10000 boxes, and l do not believe that tn
number this year will reach one-half that
Fortunately for us, before the first OF tht
aud raooivo1 from, Nau
York scant supply. The condition OF
affairs was not then known. AS it is, we
shall not have one-half enough to suppl,
the usual demand. Torpedoes, common
crackers and other fireworks we shall have
as large quantities as usual, as, fortunately
for us, we do not have to depend on China
for those things, being able to manufacture
them ourselves. Now, here is the position
of the Boston dealers: With a supply OF
only about %, 900 boxes, less tnan half the
usual supply, we have not only got to fur.
nish residents of Boston with our goods
which port all the small crackers arrive
supplies Boston and the southern states
and even Mexico and South America. From
this you can easily see that there will no
be enough to go around. In this city ther'
are about ten concerns dealing wholesale IL
the goods. One importer in this city, prio
to January l, ordered a great many thous
ands of boxes, but the Chinese merchant
we're unable to fill the order in time 70
them to reach this country by July ~
When asked whether or not the "anti
Chinese" bill has had anything to do witt
the soant supply, Mr.. Wells said: mo,
think not, although should not be SUI
prised if it were not the cause in futur
years as a retaliatory measure. There
not any doubt but that the entire marke
will be wiped out this year, as far as tn
small crackers are concerned. II thel
should happen to be any, goods left, afte
the Fourth of July, which now seems un
likely, what are left after that celebratio
will certainly be used up in filling out tt
country orders. In Canada large lots wi
be used in celebrating the queens da
which occurs May "a. Large orders ha,
been received from Mexico, which conntl
has many holidays, and, in celebratil
them, use many boxes of the small crac
ers. Then there is the celebration
Christmas in the southern states, duril
which the fire crackers are extensively use
And where the goods for shipment to Sou
American ports are to come from no o
knows"