Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-04-20
FEATURES OF TRADE.
The Evolution in the Mercantile
and Manufacturing Lines.
OLD TINE METHODS OBSOLETE.
New Inventions Compel shrewd Tradesmen
to Be Ever on the Alert
MUSIC AND THE CALFSKIN TRAFFIC
OFFICE OF The DISPATCH,

f1ITSBURG, TUESDAY, April ~.
Darwinianism has had no stronger con-
frmations than have been furnished of late
years by the developments in trade lines
The tradesman who would adhere to the
methods of decade ago would very soon
find himself without constituency. The
methods of business by which success was
won in the olden time would be disastrous
to-day.
In the good old days merchants waited for
business to come to them. Now the mer-
chant must 60 for trade and the drummer is
abroad in the land. The merchantman
who at this day waits for trade
to come to him is no longer a
quantity in the commercial world.
Trade must be pushed or the tradesman will
be left. In the past year this fact has been
demonstrated as never before. Margins of
profit have never been SO close in this land
as they have been for year or two past.
Close Margins the Rule Now.
So close has been the margin that in many
lines there has been loss to the manufac
turer. The manufacturer of hardware who
can reap any profit at present prices must
have rare advantages in location and prices
OF raw material It is within the memory
of people not very old, when nails were sold
at 81 90 per keg. At this date they are dull
at 81 20 per keg. Steel rails were sold at
BraddocK ten years ago at SIS 90 per ton:
Present price is sSl 90 to sSl So And
so it is in ali departments of trade. The new
inventions in machinery compel manu-
iseturers to keep constant ant watch in in order
era. One of our leading manufacturers who
produces a special line of goods, which have
had great run for some years past, had
L, So 90 ir, ryfn n,.xio
have no more difficult question to
solve in my business than this of
meeting new inventions. Multitudes of men
all over the land are working their brains to
discover new methods by which our pro-
ducts may be put on the market at lower
prices than we are able to furnish the goods.
alert to produce the goods at rates with
which we can compete with new comcrs.
The methods which were successful a few
years ago would not now bring us any profit:
The merchant or manufacturer who would
keep abreast of the times must keep his eyes
open and be ready to fall in with the new
inventions"
Music In Calfsl.ins.
A correspondent of the Chicago Hide and
Leather has this to say of q special trade in
calfskin lines:
Joseph Rogers, Jr., of Highview, Sullivan
county, n. Y, who is said to be the largest
manufacturer of drum and banjo heads in
with the following interesting particulars:
81 use calfskins only in producing my
heads-a two-pound skin up to u pounds
inclusive, selecting light spready skins that
are well taken Off and kept clean. Skins
for my trade must be absolutely perfect.
They should be free from score cuts part
ways through, for, where such are present,
when the head is drawn tight on the instru-
ment it breaks in the weak spot or will pull
apart in damp weather. The Rogers family
has secrets in manufacturing that have
never gone out to outsiders; the mode of
curing. ETC., is entirely different from that
of other makers from the time the skin
is first put into the watts until it is finished.
My heads, of which 1 manufacture three
brands, bring more than any of the other
Rogers these goods go to everv State in
the Union, and also to many foreign coun-
tries-Canada, England, Scotland, Australia
and South America taking large lots.
admit no one to my works, unless well |
known to me. My capacity is 800 dozen per |
month. although 1 seldom turn out more |
than 200 dozen in that time. OF course we |
have dull seasons. just as in any other busi-
ness, but I-general1y manage to keep busy. |
Now, i am always on the lookout for nice, |
clean. well taken off calfskins, running from |
two to eight pounds. green salted, although |
also use much heavier, preferring, how 1
ever, seven to eight pound stock"