Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-06-24
FEATURES OF TRADE.
Bananas in Excessive Supply Of
Late, and the Market Weak.
FRUIT IN OLDEN TIMES.
Some Effects of the Mckinley Tariff Bill
on Canada Cheese.
THE LABOR CONFLICTS AND BUSINESS
OFFICE OF PITTsBURG DISPATCH,

OFFICE OF PITTSBURG DISPATCH,
TUESDAY, June %.
In the two weeks previous to this week
not less than go car loads of bananas were
received in this city. Receipts last week
were fully So carloads. Markets weakened
on the too liberal receipts, and dealers
found it impossible to unload except at a
sacrifice. This week supply is short, and re-
ceipts will not be more than half the amount
of last week. There have been only about
dozen carloads received so far
and the total for the week will not reach 20
cars, against IS cars last week. As a result
OF lighter receipts prices are firmer.
said leading dealer: 1--WE got it in the neck
last week IN bananas, but supplies this week
are hight and markets are in good shape for
Fourth of July trade. The consumption of
bananas on Independence Day is greater
than at any time of the year. All signs
point 30 an extraordinary trade the coming
Fourth"
An interesting fact was developed by in
terviews with commission men as to banana
trade The merchant is still here and in
vigorous health who received the first con-
signment OF bananas in this city little more
thar, quarter of n century ago. In those
good o,d days bananas came by the barrel,
and were hard to sell, for the reason that
consumers were slow to catch on to the new
tropical fruit. Bananas are now received
by the carload and as many as 40 carloads
hive been received in a single week. This
editor. who does not call himself an old man,
WAS fully grown before bananas were
known quantity in Pittsburg markets.
Cheese and the Tariff.
BY reference to domestic market column
il will be seen that New York and Ohio
cheese are far apart in price, whereas, in or
binary seasons there is little difference be-
tween the two at this time. In former years,
Canada has come into close competition with
New York in cheese lines but this year the
Mckinley tariff, which pats duty of &c per
puuHd on imported cheese has effectually
closed shipments from that source. The ef-
feet Is that Canada cheese Is now nndlng
market in Liverpool. There is no Canada
cheese coming 20 our markets, for the good
sud sufficient reason that it Is excluded by
the Mckinley tariff
The same tariff has put q duty of &c per
dozen on eggs, and the result is higher
prices on hen fruit to the consumer. Last
:bout &C per dozen below this year, which is
explained by the duty OF &c per dozen on
eggs.
The lockout between contractors and car
penters was thought to be at end yester-
day, and journeymen who had long been
idle were going out to work this morning in
the East End with dinner buckets and tools
and with determination to make up for
lost time if possible. But later on it was
discovered that the strike was not over, and
jOUrneymen are still in a state of uncertainty.
Pittsburg occupies an anomalous position in
the land as regards the lock between con-
tractors and carpenters.
In other great centers there is great
activity in building lines, but here little has
been done for the past two months, on
account of the strike. The time lost already
cannot be made up this year. Already the
losses from the strike reach to the millions.
Fully a half OF the best building time of the
year is lost. More than s., 900 of idle
capital would have been distributed to
JUuIncymen before this time if there had
been no lock.