The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-30
PIN BUSINESS GOOD.
How the Distribution of the EnOr-
nous supply Is Effected.
From Commercial America.


From Commercial America.
Nearly all the 1000 tons of pins annual
ly produced in this country are sold from
New York and over four-ifths of them
are manufactured in the New England
states. OF eleven factories only two, those
of the Judson Manufacturing Company
at Rochester, this state, and the National
Pin Company, at Detroit, are beyond the
confines of Yankeeland.
The maker is always from two or three
months in getting out his wares, and Of
ten before the pins sold during one season
find temporary sticking places, another
period of business has dawned at the fac
tory
About November the manufacturer be-
gins to sell his pins to the Jobber Tor
January delivery. In that month the JOB
Der begins his work of placing his con-
signments and by February and March
the retailer has received his stock. Then
in May, again. the manufacturer seeks the
middleman for July delivery; the latter
individual goes out after the retailer in
due time. and thus the distribution goes
on throughout the years
1t should not be inferred that there is no
business done in pins except at the times
stated. The demand for them is perma-
nent, but during the periods mentioned the
greater part of the buying and selling is
done. Probably nine-tenths of it is carried
on through the medium of commercial
travellers, as but few retailers, compar-
atively speaking, follow the former custom
of coming to this city TO make their pur-
chases.
Experts in the sale of pins unite on the
subject of prices and proits-the former
small and the latter almost non-existent
Yet they also agree on the fact that the
business is now fairly good and improv-
ing. and in much better condition than 1t
was two years ago. This is attributed
largely to the regained confidence among
business men, due TO the inauguration of
a Republican administration and the
adoption of a protective policy. This con-
fdence is naturally reflected in an in
crease of private expenditure, and, of
course, some of the money spent from
the home goes for pins.
Imports and exports of pins amount
to practically nothing, but tariff has little
TO do with this condition of affairs. Ac-
cording to II. H. Barnum, New York
representative of the Star Pin Company CT
Danbury Conn, the low prices form the
barrier to pins either getting into or cut
of the country. Manufacturers have not
enough margin upon wnlch 10 compete
with each other outside the home fields,
and the product of England and Germany
comes not to America for the same rea-
son that the product of America goes rot
to those countries. Under the Dingley tar
iff ordinary pins are assessed at 35 per c, NJ
tum ad valorem, whether made of brass
or iron.
Brass, of course makes the best pin, end
is the most popular. but there is con-
siderable amount of iron wire used, chiefly
for consumption in the East. Pins for the
West are generally brass, and for the rea-
son that the wise Western man knows that
iron trusts, and long haul in damp wea III
er is likely to give him his consignment
as black as hat, so far as color Is con-
cerned.