The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-21
In AND ABOUT THE CITY
SHOES GOING UP IN PRICE.

The Leather Market Takes Cue from
the Grocsrs and starts On Boom.
Living will come high this fall unless all
indications fail. Upon the recent increase
in the price of groceries comes another
similar and even heavier increase In the
price of shoes and footwear of every de-
scription, and all articles made OF leather.
The shoe and leather market has been on
the rise for some time, and, what is worse,
1t Is still rising. Considering the lethsrgic
condition Of the leather market for the last
year or more, and the apparently heavy
supply Of stock Of all kinds, members Of
the trade, and business men generally, are
at some loss to account for the present in
crease, and numerousreasons are given.
The New York papers are discussing the
matter, and the idea has been advanced
that all the shoe leather in the United States
Is being bought up TO supply the German
army, there being scarcity Of leather in
Europe. One Il the trade journals declares
that an English and American syndicate
has entered the market and bought up
the whole supply, with the intention of con-
trolling prices. Other papers say that the
scarcity in European markets has caused
exported there to supply the
deficiency. All of these things. and
others also, have doubtless helped to cause
an increase in prices, but the truth proba-
bly, liz that a general revival OF business
aad the bright prospects Of the fall trade
have revived heretofore dull market
There Is no doubt that everything in the
| leather line has increased IN price of late,
| from the hide on the ANIMALS back to the
finely dressed gaiter on the foot of the
wearer. Hemlock sole leather, which is
considered the key to the market, has ad-
vanced 10 to IL per cent, aud is now worth
| from ttg YlOIlnd laaf
combination Of oak and hemlock, hos ad-
vanced cents pound in two weeks.
his is nothing, however, to the advance
| in hides, which has been rapid and irreg-
ular. Steer hides have advanced Is per
cent As compared with last year heavy
hides are from IL to Is, packers cows so,
| and buff hides 60 per cent higher. Calfskins
and kips have risen 80 per cent. in the same
time. Buff hides, which sold in the market
| last winter at AZ cents, now bring 81
cents. Buenos Ayres hides have jumped
from 49, cents to Is cents and dry kips
from cents to 10 cents. Even the Georgia
| country merchant is paying 81 cents a
pound for hides now, where he only paid 6
cents few months ago.
The rise in the value of leather has been
rapid, but not so rapid as that In hides.
The Now York Herald says: I'm conse-
| quence OF the increase in the price OF leather
| the Newark shoe manufacturers have mott
| fed the retailers that there will be an ad-
va ce in nearly every grade Of shoes of 10,
10, 20 and 80 per cent, according to the
grade of leather used. The retailers are
| greatly exercised over the advance. Trunk
makers. pocket-book manufacturers and
| saddlers and harness-makers will also feel
the result of the sudden and unlooked-for
| advance"
A MORNING NEWS reporter saw several
OF the leading shoe merchants of Savannah
axsA. \ 4 ~ IA
rise in the price of leather goods is felt
here, and, if 30, what effect it will have
upon the retail market. The unanimous
| reply was that there had been q rapid and
/ startling increase recently in the price OF
shoes and all articles Of footwe r.
Theodore Collat said the rise might be
caused by foreign buyers, as labor was
cheap and hides plentiful. There certainly
| had been decided increase in prices, which
would be chiefly felt in the lower grades.
Buff leather, green, glove green aud fine
and Isheepskin had gone up as much as 80
per cent. Sole leather, which had been
very .,ow, had increased wonderfully and
wa ri "a sing. The increased price, Mr.
| CoAids i a. would fall heaviest upon the
cons phys of the cheaper grades Of shoes,
as sc5 gr0alers had been ,S selling on a very
OF fine shoes would not feel
the increase perceptibly, as
it would be evened Off by a slight reduc-
| ton of profit and the use Of a lutte poorer
material. Large dealers, Mr.. Collat said,
who had made their purchasers before May
| will reap the benefit Of the rise.
| Byck Bros have just received a letter
from one of the largest shoe manufacturers
in the east saying that shoes have advanced
! 70 to 30 per cent. recently. Calf skins have
advanced 20 cents pound and are still ad-
vancinG. and also patent-leather. They
| have received number of letters
from northern firms recently advising them
OF advances in shoes, slippers, ETC. Byck
| Bros soy they bought large stocks refently,
bat regret now that they did not double
| their orders
| ID. p. Myerson said that he was advised
three weeks ago of an advance Of cents
on boys and 10 cents on mems shoes, and
since then there has been similar advance.
A shoe costing 81, which sold heretofore at
81 rs, now costs 81 Is, and must be sold
accordingly. The result is that iguo-
rant customers who bought this class
of shoe cannot be made to under
stand why the same shoe should sell
so much higher, and cheaper grade of
shoe would have to be provided at the old
price. MIR. Myerson said tho increase in
price was beyond all precedent
Jacob A. Einstein was seen at A. Elm
STEMS Sons and he agreed with
what has been previously stated.
| 1.-The secret" Mr.. Einstein said.
rs that hides and leather have been
too cheap. There has been a great slaugh-
ter of cattle in the west in the past few
years, and the market has been overstocked.
For the past season the importers of hides
have been exporters, as there was money in
| it." Mr.. Einstein said the South American
| output of hides this year was not what it
usually Is to the American market. The
European market has taken both hides and
| leather, aud there Is now a scarcity in the
market. Like all the large dealers, Elm
STEMS Sons are protected by heavy pur-
chases in the spring.
Savannah Shos men are now receiving
letters from the large eastern houses which
read something like this:
DEAR SIRs--We cannot fill your orders for the
grades named for less than 10 TO 12 cents ad-
vance. The market is rising daily, and we
would advise you to place your order at once.
Yours truly, etc
Even the findings" have increased In
price and threads, eyelets, coverings, Innings
and everything that goes to make up shoe
cost more now than a few months ago.
The prospect is very blue for the con-
sumner, who will continue to foot the bills as