Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-05-10
PRESS COM M ENTS.
Advance in Hides and Leather.
louisville Courier-Journal.)

In connection with the great beef cor
ner it is interesting to notice the remark
able advance that has been made in hides
and leather. Hides are worth 100 per cent
more now than they Were few months
ago, while all kinds of leather have in
creased in value, though not in porpor-
ton to the greater cost of the raw MARTIAL.
For instance, harness and oak sole leather
have been put up between 4 and ) cents q
pound, while tanners say it should be be-
tween and cents. Tanners would like
to charge more, but say the demand for
their goods has not improved to an ex-
tent which would justify any further in
crease at present.
The leather industry is large one in
Louisville, which is an oak tanning centre.
The demand for oak sole leather was very
good last year. although people were econo-
MIXING, for it requires SO much leather
to halfso an old shoe as would be used
in making a new one. But when harnesses
are mended little leather is employed,
and the harness and saddle leather tan
ners have had sorry time of it since the
panic. There has been an advance of
about five ccEts IA pound In their product,
and manufacturers of saddles and bar
ness have raised their prices 1917 per
cent
Leather men are disposed to take a
gloomy view of the situation. In the
hope of getting cheaper hides tanners have
been holding off from purchasing, but
their stocks have run down, and they will
have to go into the market not later than
June, or early July ut the latest, and pay
whatever Is asked. They have no hopes
that hides will be any cheaper, but want
The increase in leather to DO made com
mensurate with that in the raw material
before they fill their watts again. One of
them remarked tho other day that the
leather market showed "a marked variation
from the usual course of trade Gener-
ally raw material is advanced when the
demand for the manufactured product
has increased The price of the latter. In
this case however hides have been going
up steadily, and leather has had to be
advanced without any increase in the de-
mand.
IL is worth observing In this connection
that there has been marked decrease In
our exports Of hides and skins. During
the month of February these exports were
only 2,OSl,6S9 pounds, valued at Sl33 291,
against 5,0S7, SIG, valued at s262, S16 for
the corresponding month of 1894 And
for the last eight months our exports were
worth but sl.53l, Sl7, against 81, S21, 076
the year before Our imports, on the
other hand, also fell off during February,
the value being only 1868, SOS, against
81, 1925, 359 for the same month of 1894.
For the eight months, however, there
was decided increase, the value being
IS, 036, 1868, against IS. 735, 02l for 1894.
The hard times have greatly increased
the demand for cheap leather and cheap
manufactured goods. The cry for econo.
my has been so loud and long. in fact,
that it has nearly accomplished the defeat
OF its object. Inferior grades have be-
come so popular that they have> steadily
advanced in price while the best have de-
clined. In consequences Of this, there is
now only about one cent pound differ.
cnce between the best and the poorest
quality of oak so leather; formerly it
was two cents