The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-02-09
#'heeling Re9ister.
The National American Iron and
Steel Association.

The convention Of iron and steel
manufacturers held in Philadelphia on
Wednesday and Thursday Of last week
is said to have been the largest and
most important meeting of the trade
ever held in this country. 1t was
largely attended from all quarters oi
the country, and the manufacturers
present represented over $500. 1000, 900
of invested capital. There have been
in existence for a number OF yeaIs asso-
Cations of manufacturers in several
branches OF the iron trade, such a. th E
Bar Iron Association. the Pig Iron As
sociation, aud others, and one OF the OBJ
jects of the recent meeting was the cons
solidation ofthese several societies and
the organization Of what will be hereaf-
ter styled the National American Iron
and Steel Association" SAMUEL j.
REEVES, OF Pbiladelphis, WAS made
President, and JAMES NJ. SwASK, Sec
retsry.
Various suggestions were made in
relation to the financial policy of the
government; 10 relation to the tariff on
iron and resolutions were also adopted
in favor OF the extension OF govern
mental aid to transcoutinental lines OF
railroad and other facilities for trans
portation between the Atlantic sea-
board and the Western and Southern
States.
Several very important papers in re.
lation to the irol trade were presented
and discussed. The following resolu-
ton in relation TO the assortment OF
ores was presented by agentlemau rep
resentiug several important factories in
the Northwest:
WHEREAS, 1t is OF the highest im-
portance that the quality of iron ores
be well known. in order thst the quail.
ty and cost OF iron made therefrom can
be correctly determined; and
WHEREAs, The want OF any accurate
,y.tem in this matter, and the large
demand for ores in the past few years
have led to o want of care in asserting
and to q lowering Of the standard OF
purity detrimental to all interested; |;
therefore
Resolred, That we urge a more care
full assortment OF kinds. and q more
critical classification OF qualities and
percentage OF iron in the ores, as OF
great importance TO producer and con-
sumner.
The question OF Trades Unions also
came up for consideration, but no action
WAS had upon the subject. From q
very interesting statistical report on the
condition Of tn. pig iron trade We MAX {
the following extract at this time and
will eudesvor to find room tomorrow
for the publication Of some OF the
figures showing the production OF iron
in this country and in England during
the past year. The report says:
Undoubtedly strong efforts are max
ing in Washington. looking to reduc-
ton or the toIal abolition OF the duty on
pig and bar iron and to resist this and
even demand as q revenue measure the
restoration OF the 10 per cent. tax de-
Quoted BY Congress in 1872, should be
the end and aim OF every iron assocls-
ton, especially while labor In the
mills and furnaces OF Great Britain and
the continent are not much more than
half the sum paid for similar work In
this country.
As was predicted by Mr.. Bsker and
others, 1872 proved to be . remarkable
wear for the iron business, and iron, as
il were, became king.
Taking No / pig iron for illustration,
We find i; quoted in February, 1871, at
$50, while in August OF the same year
it had advanced 10 $50; and ten months
later, in June, 1872, $50; and in August
$57 was the selling price; and other
numbers Of pig iron as well IS rolled
iron Except rails) ran upward in pro-
portionste figures.
The year 1872 saw the elimination Of
a period OF increased consumption In
iron, which has been constantly aug
mentipg for years without any cores
ponding increase OF the producing cs
pscity OF the world. Hence, for the
first time in many years, the demand IN
all parts OF the world lar exceeded the
production. and the heavy advance 10
prices, and also the actual scarcity oi
pig-irop, gave an unhealthy stimulus 10
ibe business, and 1878, as might have
been expected, saw changes that were
startling to those who had been Ions
in the business. Ore and coal lands
were surveyed and opened, furnaces
and rolling-mills erected in every part
Of the United States where ore and cap
ital could be procured, especially in the
West, aud the same remarks apply tc
Great Britain and the continent OF Eu'
rope.
The natural result followed Of .
heavy increase OF product With great
" reduced consumption, because OF the
high prices in iron and while Januar,
1873 opened with No. ! pig iron at $4t
Der ton, December OF the same year saw
i. offering at $50. What the nsturs
causes OF this decline did not effect
the severe monetary panic beginnin;
in September last did. by reducing th'
work upon railroads and the other con
suming industries OF the country
And as 1872 opened with q producing
capacity Of pik iron in the Unitec
States Of some 1000 900 tons. 1874 see
that capacity increased to nearly 5000
900 tons; and, while We were former.
dependent upon foreign countries 10,
from forty to Fifty per cent. OF pig an
wrought iron consumed here, we no,