New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-24

ARE KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE UNITED
sTATrs-MAGNITUpE OF THE AN
NUAL SALES IN COTTON. WOOL
LEN AND SILK FABRICS
IMPoRrArioNs CON
rRoLLED Ely 10
CAL FIRMS.
New-York is the brain and sncw of the dry
goods trade of the country, the centre toward
which all of the threads OF the great industrial
net converge and the force by means OF wEich
the mills are kept in motion. Compers OF sta
tistics will tell you that the gross sum Of the
city's trade is nearly $50.OO0.OOO.OOO year.
statement which is apt to set the average man
thinking and which few will be able to really
appreciate. When 1t is remembered. however,
that the aggregate trade Of forty other
cities OF the country Is less than half that OF
New-York alone the layman may be able 10
gather some idea Of the vast proportions or
NETWORKS trade. New-York. In fact as The
distributor Of what is produced in America ana
of what is brough. here from other lands repre-
sents two integers. while each OF the other trace
centres. including Chicago Philadelphia bos-
ton Baltimore st. Louis Cincinnati, San Fran
cisco ard thirty-Iine other cities having popu-
lation of more than twenty thousand each, is
a fraction Of one integer In considering the ex-
tent of New-York's trade, however. it is worth
remembering that it Is inter-related with every
part of the country and with the exchanges and
manufactures of all the other sub-centres so
an estimate of New York's trade alone would
involve the taking Of part from the whole.
OF goods to be sent abroad or or those intendeu
for market in other parts OF TINS country,
-fourthS must &c distributed through INC
medium OF this city.
N illustration OF this iS at once apparent III
the drygoods trade. At least four-ffths OF the
prints silks. woollens linens and fancy fabrics
made OF imported into the United states are
sold in New York. Here is the primary market
for textiles Of all kinds. Comparatively little OF
the textile product Is sold By the manufacturer
to the buyer directly. The goods reach the
wholesale buyer and are transmitted to the
public only after passing first through the great
New-York houses, which control the products
OF many mills and handle In enormous quanti-
ties those staples which the Nation requires
FAR-REAcHiNG INFLUENCES.
These great New-York houses are the primary
sources Of supply. and goods that are not bought
here direct are usually obtained from persons
who have first enrolled themselves as customers
on the books of the large mercantile concerns
So after all ii Is practically case Oh buying
from New-York, no matter in what city the
bill is placed.
aid afforded by the many large commission
houses of this city is Indispensable to the con.
tinuance and prosperity of fully % per cent Oh
the mill productive forces CT the country. 80,
The number of manufacturing concerns with
surplus capital sufficient to enable them to bear
the cost of their products between the time
they leave the mills and the time they are PAID
for by the purchaser is comparatively small.
The great majority require some agency TO
carry them such an interval even during
the best of times In years OF depression they
are absolutely dependent upon it, and IL ls IN
New-York that such an agency is found.
The importance of such market, therefore.
II ia impossible TO overestimate and II to- this
is added the stockholding interests Of this city
the fact Is revealed that the merchants OF New
York are paramount in the disposition OF all
classes of merchandise. Then, too, the mer-
chants here always have an incentive TO realize
are frequently afforded opportunities such as 10
other city affords.
There are some textiles that sold almost
entirely by New-York houses to the exclusion
Of other cities or direct business by the miiis'
Probably not more than per cent Of the print
ed cotton fabrics used In this country reach the
consumer without having been put on the New
York mar;,et first In dress goods of the ging-
ham sort a similar state OF affairs exists.
. FIRMS DOING AN ENORMOUS BUSINESS.
: Single commission houses Of New-York make
annual sales amounting to $20,OOO,OO0. One
such house controls 80 per cent Of the weaving
of cotton goods in the State Of Maine and i'm
portant mills in Massachusetts,. To supply this
house 800 600 Of the 100000 spindles Of the
country kept In operation Another nrm
finances mills having 1900 looms and JOO.OOO
spindles, where all KINDS Of cotton goods are
made.
Much the same thing may be said OF the WOOL
len industry In that, however, the advances
are probably greater, for the making of wool Is
frequently undertaken by small concerns and
small capitalists. and there is much need OF an