New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-26
TO SELL $4,000
BALES OF CARPET
War Expected to Prove
Boon to Industry in
America.

Proof that the war in Europe has
been boon to the carpet and rug in
dustry in the United States is expected
TO be forthcoming to-day ct the auction
by the Alexander Smith & Sons Carpet
Company, which marks the opening Of
the spring buying season. This sale, a
classic in the trade, will bring out
more buyers than ever before in the
history Of the industry in New York.
More than $4,000 bales, representing
100000 will change hands, it IS
anticipated, within the Ave days set for
this sale.
Other big firms, such as W. l. J.
Sloane and Stephen Sanford & Sons,
are ready for buyers, although Novem-
Der / has been the traditional open
ing day
Although a number Of factors have
Influenced the carpet and rug situation
the tariff revision. the war and the
recent business depression-the out
look is regarded rs decidedly encoursg-
ing. The lowering of the tariff let
down the bars for an even greater vol
ume of imports, and this, with a gen
eral slackness of demand, caused
pessimism among dealers and manufact-
urers on this side of the water. Not
many months ago England, France and
Scotland were beginning TO food the
local markets-until along came the
war.
More potent than a tariff wall, the
European conflict cut of carpet and rug
imports in a fash. England, France
and Scotland are sending no more
carpets or rugs.
More than once the remark has been
made by the unthinking that at doesn't
look as if we'd got any more Brussels
carpet, now that they are fighting 80
hard in Belgium" But the Brussels H.
Belgium has little to do with the carpet
Of that name, so enormous has become
the manufacture OF this medium grade
floor covering. II was competition from
the mills Of England and Scotland that
the American carpet men had most 10
fear.
The costly imports Of rugs from
Turkey have ceased as a factor. There
arc practically no goods coming in from
the Ottoman Empire, because that
country il all but at war. Besides. i'm
porting houses I'm America always have
insisted upon English guarantees TO
Turkish promises, and this year the
English are not guaranteeing deliveries
OF financial arrangements Of ;he Turk.
The Smith sale, which begins At 10
O'Clock this morning, has attracted buy
crs from ell parts of the country. In
formation as 70 these sales IN years
gone by has been withheld until ten
or fifteen days before the actual date.
Although the Smith mills at Yonkers
have been running only three days a
week for the lAst three months, as this
IS their first sale in eighteen months
there has been & great accumulation OF
stock. At any rate, the war makes a
new era in the industry, and when
once the supply Of dyes is assured the
American manufacturer will have
gained point.
There will be a decided falling off in
buyers from the South, owing TO the de-
pression in the cotton market. Some
of the few buyers here from below the
Mason and Dixon line say the buy
lsle" movement is hurting trade in the
South. as the farmers are boarding
their cotton in the hope Of getting 10
cents or more a pound for their crop.
BUYERS from the Middle West are here
I'm greater numbers thsn ever before.
There crops have been good, and the
csrpc, stocks IN thst reRion are low.