New-York tribune., 1874-04-25
PENNSYLVANIA IRON TRADE.

HOPEFUL SIGNS-TIIE ISSUES INVOLVED IN THE
LABOR TRoUBLEs-Two GREAT ORGANIZATIONS
AT wAR-THE SONS OF VULCAN DECLINE AN
mON-CIAD OATH.
lPROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT or THE TRIBUSRI
READING, Penn, April 2l.-TO know the
various that have brought about the present
depressed condition producing trade of Penn
syvana IL is only to look over the Held ana
the condition of business for the past ak months
On the first OF last year iron ore was In fair supply coa
comparatively low, and nearly all the furnaces In
East Pennsylvania were E-lull blast. During the early
months and on Sumner the trade brisk, iron
in demand at very fair rates. and everything had
prosperous outlook for the year. The early Autumn
however. presented different picture ana the trauo
slackened. There a gradual falling OIL In the
demand prices dropped, and with the financial icrash
the business became torpid, and remained until the
close OF the year. After careful review 1t Is far TO
say that general thing there very little money
realized In 1873, and that those operators who were
exclusively engaged in the production OF the better
classes Of iron the more fortunate ones AS tue
trade closed December last, IL dragged on until the
close of February in such condition that many furnace
prOpretors conslderedt just profitable to allow their
establishments stand ide into blast To the
people section of who are directly
interested this ia fact. During March and the
present month there Is a percephbe Improvement
In the trade, though it still has little life.
The main cause of depressed condition OF the bust
ness is the limited demand for manufactured ir0n New
railroad improvements at a comparative stand still;
railroads in operation tho great consumers OF iron are
doing only limited carrying traffic the coal market Is
dull and fat and operations in improvements are not
by any means extended they have been. The de-
mand U.s. therefore, far below what 1t was for CORE
spending period last year. St the local prices are
little better than they two months ago, ana trade
in general aspect that is somewhat encour-
aging Tue present supply Of East Pennsylvania Is
about hs-pOssiby lessOf the entire capacity
be had in abundant supply loaded on cars
81 to 81 80 ton, labor plenty and, should the de-
mand increase to four times what IT is now, the manu-
facturers could supply it. Public confidence what Is
needed TO bring this demand about. Many iron
mon are infltiOnsts. They want more currency
The say that if Congress will give them this there Is
probability that business will again find It's way over
the railroads. and the iron interest," together with all
Others will again assume its accustomed activity OF
two years ago. The Lehigh Valley last year produced
about 600 TONS This the full capacity OF It's
furnaces. Tue Schuy.kil region during the same time
produced 10000 tons Of which Berks County yielded
about 80 OOO The furnaces from Harrisburg down along
the susquehanna made year about 10000 tons, ana
above Harrisburg about 10000 tons II trade improves
as is expected the present years production Will be
about the same Last year the trade was dun during
It's last months This it is the same with the
first three months.
THE vEXED QUESTION BETWEEN CAPITAL AND
LABOR.
As to the labor troubles the iron country, Presl-
dent Of bank said to-day. in conversation with me;
at is well known fact that ninetenths Of the troubles
existing in all mills where there is no recognized
aud established scale of TO be paid to pudders
and boilers arise directly from the antagonism exist
ing between Manufacturers Unions on the one
side, and the United Sons OF Vulcan OF the u. s.'
composed of pudders and boilers the other Ihetw
powerful organizations In the country one represent
ing capital and the other labor have thorough organiza
faat "a olnng IN ba "A
there is q determined underground war going on be-
tween them here East Pennsylvania the occasional
reakouts being strikes troubles in the iron works
as reported day after day in the mills OF TINS section OF
Pennsylvania" From an extended acquaintance with
the entire subject the matter to my mind has resolved
itself into severe struggle for the utter destruction
annihaton of the labor organization west OF the
Aneghanies least These deductions are Drawn ITO"
actual knowledge OF affairs among the maiufactuers,
from daily mingling with the iron workers, Tom an
interview with the President OF the National Forge OF
the United Sons of Vulcan. and from careful ooserya-
ton Of general events developing in the iron country
during the past six months II is hardly possible to
poiut to single iron mill this territory where there
are not or not recently been local disturbances
These to limited extent arise from local causes that
are readily remedied In the mills where established
scales of prices are not recognized the most trouble
exists There the strongest efforts ARE being made 10
wipe out the labor organization altogether
BEFORE proceeding further something must be said Of
the nature of the opposing forces The membership OF
the Iron Manufacturers Union comprises capitalists
representing the leading iron establishments OF the
country They meet discuss the state OF trade, make
reports of the condition OF the supply and demand and
have a general consultation the prospects OF the
business Their organization is yet young; their one
general body usually meets in Philadelphia
THE SONS OF VULCAN.
The other body the labor organization is known as
the Sons of Vulcan" Their membership is made up OF
puddlers and boilers, men who WORK the crude iron III
The furnaces and bring it out refined bar iron Each
subordinate organization Of wOrkngmen OF this kind Is
known as Forge" and is generally named after the
mill where the men employed. The sub-fOrges are
united and governed by the supreme head, which IS
known as the National Forge. The society had its origin
in Pittsburgh when the first forge was organized
II il called the City Forge and at the close OF Its
last report had 81 members Sept g. 1862 the order
had 40 far spread that National Forge was organized
and its first regular session held in Pittsburgh
Since them in this State alone, i6 subordinate forges
at the close OF last reports-haye been or
eanized "a In Ohio, in West Virginia. 2
in Kentucky, s in Indiana, In illinois, 10 IN
New-York, in NewJersey, in Missouri, and each
In Wisconsin. Michigan, and Maryland embracing a
membership OF thousands. The Sons OF Vulcan divide
the entire territory United States into eight dis
trcts These districts have deputies just the same as
Nasonic or odd Fellows Jurisdictions. The chief officer
of the National Forge David Harris OF Pttsburgh In
this vicinity are sub-forges at Brdsboro, Potstown'
Reading Harrisburg. Allentown, Pottsyie, Bethlehem,
and wherever iron works to any extent flourish. The
sub FORCES are In full membership and working order;
have regular rtuals-signs grips, and passwords-and
owe their allegiance and support 10 one grand pody.
The President of the Grand Forge receives annual
salary of 81 5OO and 1t his sole duty to look after the
interests OF the Order was recently in conversation
with President Harris, when he complained that
fully nnetenths the people had an erroneous idea
of the objects of the Order OF the Sons OF Vulcan and
claimed that iron manufacturers themselves were