Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-24
CROPS In THE WEST.
Facts of Interest Gathered From a
Pittsburg Merchant
JUST RETURNED FROM ILLINOIS.
Builders Hardware at Bottom Prices and
Manufacturers
lust RETURNED FROM ILLINOIS.
HOPING FOR FREE TRADE IN COPPER
OFFICE OF PITTsBURG DISPATCH,
TUESDAY, September %, 1890.

TUESDAY. September %, 1890 I
"A Pittsburg -four jobber who spent the
past ten days in Northern Illinois in an ir-
terview yesterday said: CAN crops through
the section L visited are below average,
with the exception OF hay, which is one of
the largest crops on record. The wet
weather of spring and early summer, which
proved so advantageous to the grass crop,
proved disastrous to other crops. The rains
were not well enough distributed through
the season for the grain and potato crop.
The ground was too wet when the hot
weather came, and was literally baked, so
that corn, which is the great standby IN North
eru Illinois, will not be more than 60 per cent
of last year in the yield.
However as an offset to this the farmers
carried over a large amount of last years crop
of corn because of low prices year ago corn
was selling at % cents a bushel, and slow at
that; now it is active at As cents and the FORE
handed farmers of Illinois who were able to
carry over their product until now are reaping
their harvest.
High Price for Corn.
"a friend of mine whom visited last week
sold, when was there, 5000 bushels of last
years corn at 45 cents bushel, price double
almost what he could have obtained last fall.
As to potatoes and tomatoes, in Northern Illi-
nois the crop this season is almost total fail
ure. The farmer who can get enough potatoes
for next years seed is the exception
In the above interview it was developed that
wheat and -four markets have weakened in the
Northwest the past week. Our wholesale
prices have furnished so small margin to the
dealer for a few weeks past that the present &C.
cline at sources of supply has made no change
IN jobbing rates.
With decline of 10 cents per barrel in lay
down price the margin of profit to the Pitts
burg jobber is still very narrow.
Blu Iders' Hardware.
Dealers in general hardware report great ac-
tivity and hardening of prices, with diff.
Guilty in securing from manufacturers all goods
demanded by the trade. In the line of builders
hardware there is not the same activity.
representative of our one manufacturing es-
tabishment in this line had this to saw Of his
interest yesterday: Trade is only fair The
strike of carpenters in the West during the
early summer very much lessened the demand
for our products. but since the settlement of
the strike there has been some Improvement
The time is here when the demand for our
goods is at its best"
The railroad blockades of late have preyented
our getting all the coke needed TO run full time.
but still we are able to turn out sufficient to
meet all orders and have some ahead. This ac-
cumulation, however, will no doubt soon dis.
appear, as the next month or two, according to
former experience, will make very heavy de-
mands on our products. Prices of everything
in builders hardware lines is as low as ever
Bronze materials have advanced, but prices of
finished products remain as before, SO that our
margins, which were very close last season. are
still closer now. am in favor of free trade in
copper, The Mckinley tariff bill furnishes
some relief by reduction of from 4 cents to
cents per pound on copper, but iT would be
sull better for US If the copper which comes
from chilli in large quantities would come in
free in accordance with the reciprocity views
OF one of our foremost statesmen.
Our volume of business this year has been
about the same as last but owing to facts l
have given you profits have been much less.
The outlook for fall trade is good. Retailers
are generally carrying light stocks and it can
not be long until there will be free buying"