Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-13
MILNE OF DRYG00DS.
The Grip and a Backward Spring
Delayed Business, but
A MARKED REVIVAL HAS SET IN.
Dealers Look for Trade Volume in Excess
of Last Seasons.
EFFECTS OF THE MKINLEY TARIFF BILL
OFFICE OF PTTrsBURG DISPATCH,
Tr-rSnav Nov 10

OFFICE OF P1TTSBURG DISPATCH,
TUESDAY, May y. !
In an interview with Mr.. William Camp
bell, of the Fifth avenue firm of Campbell &
Dick the following facts were elected as to
the dry goods trade. In many important
lines trade WAS restricted and delayed in the
early spring, by reason of the prevailing
epidemic. The showings for March and the
greater part of April were not up to last
wear as regards volume of trade. In the
line of carpets and other house furnishing
goods, the grip held trade back a month be-
hind its usual time. Orders for goods were
in many cases put off on account of sickness
in the homes, rendering it impossible to
furnish the dwellings.
In the line ofdress. goods and bonnets the
season was kept back longer than usual for
the reasons that Easter came unusually
early this year and was followed by spell
of chilly weather.
ARevIval in Drygoods.
By reason of these adverse circumstances
there is a surplus of the heavyweight dress
goods, which were on hand when trade was
at its worst. In the past two weeks trace
has opened up lively, and lighter weight
fabrics have the call. Drygoods merchants
could hardly anticipate the two important
items namely, the grip and backward spring,
and because of their lack of prophetic
knowledge, Will be forced to carry over until
n more convenient seasons surplus of heavy
weight fabrics in the line of dress goods.
In tho past two weeks there has been such
decided Improvement IN the drygoods
trade, that there is now no longer any doubt
that volume Will be fully up to last year, and
in some cases where special efforts were
made an increase is reported. Since May
DRy there has been such a rush for goods as
to insure more than full average spring
trade, and there are no signs as yet of a
let-up to the rush.
Light dress good fabrics and household
6ecora tiOns are in such demand that there
are no fears of a surplus to be carried over.
The drygoods merchant whose faith in
PittsbuTg's consuming capacity is large Will
not be disappointed this season, though a
month ago his faith may have been terribly
shaken.
As to Prices Since the Tariff.
There is little change in prices of drygoods
as compared with last season, notwithstand-
ing the Mckinley bill. Imported goods have
not materially changed in cost. Foreign
manufacturers are determined to hold the
American trade, and representatives from
the German and French manufactures have
been diligently at work for the past
few months to hold our trade by re-
ducing prices so as to compete with
domestic goods. The decline in price of fine
woods has been to the advantage of the
foreign manufacturer, so that there is very
little difference in price of imported goods
as compared with last year. In some lines
OF dress goods there has been an advance of
The best body brussels carpet has advanced
1Oc per yard, and other grades not more than
Sc per yard. Many. OF the light tapestries
are The same in price as they. were before
the Mckinley tariff bill came into effect. In
the line of silks prices were never as low as
now, and with the exception of a. few high
class novelties, all the silks handled by our
dryg0ods' firms are manufactured in this
country
As to Styles Prevailing.
Gray.is the fashionable color in the line of
lady's dress goods this season. Lansdowne,
O. dainty fabric of silk warp, and wool filling
Is very popular Cashmeres, henrietta and
lightweight cloths are also in good demand.
The shades of gray run from almost white
to steel shades. Next to the gray are the tan
colOrs in popularity. The latter were most
in vogue last season, but at this date gray |
Golors- are on the gain.
In the line of carpets the present fashion |
runs to neutral shade effects. The style for |
5le last year or two has been in favor of |
highly covered carpets. But of late fashion |
has grown more modest, and quieter styles |
are in vogue this season. |