Evening journal., 1907-01-01
DEALERS TELL Why
LIVING COST MORE.
Causes Of Advance in Price
Traced to Their
Source
REMARKABLEBUSINES YEAR


PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 1-Manufactu-
ers Of clothing shoes and other weariaR
apparel are complaining that all. the aia-
terials which are used in tho making nf
these necessaries OF life have advanced
greatly IN price during the last year. Tue
cost to dealers Of various provisloni
dried and sailed meats. certain cann,Ai
vegetables and fruits. tea and corfet
has likewise increased Some details ga
these conditions and the causes we
learned from manufacturers and dealerF
A clothing manufacturer said that tha
materials used in his business might bs
classed in four divisions, namely az
woolens, CD trimmings OF wool and cot
ton and OF all cotton, CD sewing and lin.
ing silks, ca linen canvases. In all OF
these the price has gradually advanced
Is per cent. in the last three years.
The advance in woolens has caused
many clothing houses to resort TO substl-
tuition. Instead Ct ail-wool goods they
now use stuns that are mixtures Of wool
and w0rsteds. OF wool and cotton. These
present as fine "a face 70 the buyer. but
the cotton substitution is bound to de-
velop unsatisfactory wear. When cotton
Is dyed almost any color, fading vii
eventually result.
There is no present prospect OF any re-
duction in the prices of materials used IN
the clothing industry. In an the mate
rials but woolens the manufacturers have
more demands than ever before. and are
booked with orders that will take the
larger part OF next year no M. Wool. too
is most active and woolens are taken all
most as rapidly as the samples are shown.
The present conditions are caused by
the natural demand throughout the
country, and as regards wool by a.
drought In Australia causing the death OF
many thousands Of sheep. Then. too. nm
der the Dingiey tarir there was no en-
oouragement given TO sheep raising IN
this country. and the sheep were largely
slaughtered II takes three years for a
sheep to grow sufficient wool 10 make Il
profitable Sometime IN not remote fu-
ture the problem viii rise as to grazing
lands for this very necessary animal in
the clothing industry.
II ordinary conditions prevailed among
the working clasFes the Increased cost IN
the manufacture Of cicthng might re-
suit very disadvantageously 20 them. But
just now workingmen are universally en-
proyed-in fact. there is more demand for
men than can possibly b. supplied and
they are so well provided with funds that
more Of the higher grade clothing has
been sold this winter than for several
years.
Shoe Findings Higher.
A shoe manufacturer said that every
thing which went 10 make a pair of shoes
had Increased in cost The materials for
the soles-sole leather. insole. counters
have been run up in price from % to A
per cent. I'm the last eighteen months
For the uppers of shoes the cost Of i'm.
ported patent leather advanced Is PEI
cent two months ago. Calf slxins-used
largely in tan shoes-haye advanced 81
/ price 20 to 30 rer cent,
Generally speaking. these advances IN
the cost OF material have been made ny
degrees. The cost Of heavy drilled Innings
has advanced in some cases u and "A
per cent; finer qualities IS and 20 per
cent.
The many new uses for leather and the
consequent increased demand have caused
leather to be advanced in price. A + W
years ago the shoe trade was about the
only market for certain weights ard
Qualities OF leather Now that Is al
changed. Calf skins with a suede finish
are being largely used in furniture, whore
I tapestry was formerly employed Auto
mobiles have leather covers and seats
Manufacturers Of cheap patent io e.
can get more for Il by selling Ct 70 auto.
mobile and carriage builders than 70 sto.
l manufacturers.
Leather IS even used By fashionahl.
r talors in making mems fancy vests. II.
nothing but shoe leather. The shoe manu-.
/ lecturers used 20 pay twenty-five cents :
foot for it, Now It costs thirty and thirty
, two cents.
I silk used for stitching uppers Of shoes
: has advanced in price not lsss than 2
, por cent. It formerly cost $ a pound. a.
present It costs Sc: and after January, 4
Is said. the price will be 81. The cost Of
threads for sewing shoe soles has slst
been advanced.
Sheep skins used for Innings in low
cut "Oxford ties" have gone up in prics
80 Ia per cent Calf-slSin Innings have al.
vanced % to 30 per cent
AS result Of all this the whole
sale price OF shoes has advanced % pei
cent IN the last year. In one sense the
effect Of these advances will not be no
ticeable in the retail price. for there VII
always be shoes sold at cut prices. Thai
Is TO say. the person who wants a pair OF
shoes for s.. $3.50 OF s. will still be able &c
buy them at that price, but they will Ds
Of lower grade than heretofore.
But things are constantly being substi-
tutad. A few years ago the most exDen-
. sive patent leather only was used for that
) kind Of shoes. This Patent leather was
{ made abroad. To-day CHROME patent leath-
/ er and patent colt skins, made IN this
) country. are substituted in medium grades
; of shoes. 1t is much cheaper and makes a
very good substitute. Domestic patent
feathers are coming to the front very fast
: II is an industry as yet in its infancy in
the United States.
! In the Provision Market.
Thomas Martindaie explaining the rise
in prices Of various provisions. said:
There we're big crops this year OF TO.
5 maeoes, peaches strawberries and plums
r but they were uotted by the rains, and
, only small crops were gathered. Meats
E salted and smoked. are higher in price be
, cause Of the more rigid inspection since