REVIEW OF THE BOOT AND SHOE TRADE OF NEW-YORK,

FOR THE YEAR 1896.

NEW-YORK is growing in importance as a shoe mart. There are numerous factories in what is now the city, and in what will be when the vast territory across the East River is conjoined with it. The production is largely of shoes of superior material and workmanship. Prices did not vary essentially last year. They were, on the whole, low considering the quality. They have for a long time been so reasonable that vendors and consumers could have no possible cause to find fault with them. The kinds of leather of which they are made did not rise in price anywhere near as much proportionately as the qualities did of such as are used for shoes that are meant for service simply, and the cost of which is not enhanced by superfluous adornment.

There was a somewhat increased demand for shoes for export last year. We have never had enough of an outlet abroad to amount to anything; but it is expanding, and there is some promise that it will continue to grow. Our manufacturers are evincing a purpose to endeavor to enlarge it. Some of them have visited foreign lands and introduced their productions to advantage. They have acquainted themselves with the tastes and predilections of people abroad to good purpose. They are receiving more orders and from greater distances. Their exertions have been crowned with some measure of success. The exports, though still small, considerably exceed those of the preceding year, or of any former one.

The metropolis is an extensive emporium for the distribution of shoes of New-England production through the entire country. There are some fifty houses, many of them doing a large business in this line. They derive their supplies from the factories in the East, and deal them out suitably selected and graded to accommodate their customers, to whom it is a convenience to buy smaller quantities than they could readily obtain directly from the workshops. Their sales are chiefly of inexpensive shoes, such as are adapted for the uses of the multitudes, who care little for show, but a great deal for substance. The facilities of the metropolis for furnishing consumers with every variety of footwear, from the lowest to the costliest priced, are unsurpassed. The values range all the way from half a dollar a pair to thirty-two dollars, and there are buyers for the lower, the higher and the intermediate grades. There are opportunities, therefore, of getting large equivalents for small outlays, as well as for the display of prodigality by people who are overburdened with money or prone to extravagance.

EXPORTS OF BOOTS AND SHOES FROM THE UNITED STATES AND THE
COUNTRIES TO WHICH EXPORTED, DURING THE FISCAL
YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 1896.

REVIEW OF THE DRUG TRADE OF NEW-YORK,

FOR THE YEAR 1896.

THE past year has not been a prosperous one for the drug trade. Economies and curtailment rather than expansion have been the tendency.

The retail trade has suffered from slack demand as well as from competition, not only amongst themselves, but in large cities, from that of department stores. They have found difficulty in making collections from their customers, and the wholesale druggist has been compelled to be more stringent in giving credit. The effect has been, while but little money has been made, credit losses have been small.

Years in which our national elections are held are proverbially poor ones for business, and 1896 has been no exception to the rule.

One of our old wholesale drug houses, namely, TARRANT & Co., has given up the jobbing branch of its business. One manufacturing perfumery house has failed, but continues under re-organization with fresh capital.

The importations of chemicals, drugs and dyes do not vary very much from those of the year previous, but they exceed those of 1894. The figures given below show the division of dutiable and free goods for years ending December 31st:

The exports of chemicals, dyes and medicines compare as follows:

1894.
$7,772,532

Opium. The market opened at $2.00, and by the latter part of March it had declined to $1.90. On reports of unfavorable weather for spring sowing, an advance took place to $2.07. Early in May estimates were made that the new crop would not yield over 4,000 cases, but, notwithstanding this report, the price sagged, and by July 1st the market was down to $1.95. It soon became known that the crop estimate was further reduced to 3,300 cases, and the price rose rapidly to $2.40. Dull trade and absence of speculation caused re-action; the market declined to $2.12 in October; later it slowly rose to $2.25, the closing figure.

The importation of opium for the fiscal year ending June 30th shows but a slight increase over that of the previous fiscal year,

which was the smallest of the decade. The proposition to impose a duty of $1.00 per pound in the new tariff acted as a stimulus to importing, and toward the close of the calendar year the arrivals largely increased, bringing up the total to nearly 600,000 pounds, and large shipments reported on the way from Turkey and England. Although the last crop gave only about 3,600 cases, the favorable weather for sowing, which continued throughout the autumn and winter, prevented speculation, and the market price kept low, considering the light stocks held in the different markets.

Opium Prepared for Smoking.-The arrivals far exceeded those of any of the previous ten years. It would seem probable, from the figures presented in the tables, that the decline in the arrivals of the crude article had been made up in this way:

IMPORTS OF OPIUM DURING THE PAST TEN YEARS ENDING JUNE 30TH.

YEARS.

Imports.
Pounds.

Value

in Dollars.

1887, Imports for Consumption,.. 568,263 dutiable, $1,335,418

1,233,775
810,535
1,083,387

2.07

2 29

587,921

1,034,641

1 76

IMPORTS OF OPIUM, FOR SMOKING, DURING THE PAST TEN YEARS ENDING JUNE 30TH, AS FOLLOWS:

Sulphate of Quinine.-The importations up to December 31st were large, amounting to 3,166,530 ounces, and as the stock was much reduced at the close of the year over what it was at its beginning, the inference to be deduced is that the consumption has been very large. The manufacturers reduced their prices to keep pace with the decline in the cost of Cinchona bark. The market for 1 ounce vials opened at 32 cents, and declined by November to 25 cents per ounce. At the close the demand was active at this figure, notwithstanding the prospect for increased competition from a new French factory and the report that a factory in Java was ready to go to work.

G

For comparison we add table of importations of Sulphate of Quinine for ten years, ending June 30th:

Cinchona Bark.-The importation for 1896 has been 3,166,500 pounds, against 2,018,421 pounds in 1895. The shipments of bark from Java in 1896 were 5,044,500 kilos, against 4,431,350 kilos in 1895. In 1883 the shipments were only 334,270 kilos. The shipments from Ceylon have decreased as rapidly as those from Java have increased, being only 994,602 pounds in 1896, against 11,678,360 pounds in 1885.

The stock in London on December 31st was 18,753 packages, against 44,600 packages at the close of 1891; in Amsterdam it was then 5,279 packages, and at the close of 1896, 17,840 packages-the situation of the two markets being reversed.

The sales of manufacturing barks in Amsterdam for the year represent about 248,694 kilos Sulphate of Quinine, taking the average per centage at 5 per cent.; and the sales in London were 20,720 packages, estimated as representing 6,252 kilos Sulphate of Quinine.

Sarsaparilla, Mexican.-The arrivals show a great falling off, having been only 1,879 bales, against 3,119 bales for the previous year, and 4,055 bales in 1894. The heavy stocks carried over from 1896 caused the price to open at 6 cents; it further declined in March to 5 cents, at which figure the market continued dull until July, when the price advanced to 6 cents; but after this it declined until November, when 5 cents was accepted. At the close of the year, 5 cents was the asking price, with only a limited demand.

Sarsaparilla, Honduras.-This has been in an analogous position, the arrivals being light and the stock declining. The prices, however, were low, and ordinary quality sold in January at 28 cents, but in March it declined to 26 cents, at which figure it remained until the end of the year.