The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-28
An Important Meeting To-Day.

Au 4APVAWhb UOOhub AoSDuys
The final conference between the Pitts.
burgh Iron Manufacturers and Puddlers
takes place to-day. Should no settlement
bO arrived at between them the mills
will close, and o great number Of people
will be thrown out Of employment for
weeks TO come, perhaps all winter. Such
result Is greatly dreaded Of Pittsburgh
and hence there will be general and
very decided interest in the issue Of the
conference today. The manufacturers
propose reduction Of one dollar per ton
Tor pudding at the present card price Of
Scents Ior iron, and further reduction
OF fifty cents In case the card declines
10 two and a half cents. This reduction
the Puddlers have not as yet been willing
TO accept AS We have already explain
ed, they claim that as long as the card
remains at 8 cents they should continue TO
receive SO 90 per ton for boiling, while
the manufacturers claim that at 8 cents
there wGs to. be new deal, or, in other
words, that the scale ol agreement ran
out at that figure.
Tho question Of settlement has
practical interest for the people of Wheel.
Ing as well as the people OF Pittsburgh.
The Nail mills here adopted this Pitts.
burgh scale for bar iron some years ago,
and are still governed by 1t, II we are not
mistaken. Hence we presume that what.
ever happens up there to-day will be rec.
ognlzed here. Not that a lockout here
will necessarily follow ono at Pittsburgh,
because, as we understand It, It will be
entirely optional with the mills here to
continue the scale as 1t stands, whether
Pittsburgh does or not, but simply that
Pittsburgh and Wheeling have both been
recognizing the same scale for years past
and hence naturally feel a common lntcr.
eat in It's readjustment.
The Pittsburgh Manufacturer does not
believe from all 1t can see and learn that
the mills up there will continue in opera.
ton unless the proposed reduction Is &C
copied: The crisis in affairs 10 day ia
therefore very important. 1t prom.
ises tosfect and permeato general trade in
Il way that will be felt. It will throw not
only iron workers but coal miners out oil
employment. 1t will also affect the price
Of iron. And, by. the way, We notice by
a Pittsburgh telegram this morning that
iron is still weaker and has declined 10
$94 for gray forge. This would seem to
Indicate q want Of confidence In ON agree.
ment TO day. 1t may, however, simply
mean that the accumulated stocks Of pig
metal are so large as to force sales at q
further concession. The Manufacturer
says that stocks were never so heavy
as at present, and that they will doubtless
be increased by this rise In the river.
Some 10000 tons are waiting shipment
from 81. Louis alone. About 2,400 tons
Of iron arc manufactured every week at
Pittsburgh and about 1900 tons are sold
there from abroad. 1t is estimated the
Mills, when averaging full single turn
each, consume about 1890 tons. Itthis
consumption should be cut of, the large
stock now on hand and sccumlatiug,
would probably be sufficient to isforce
prices down still further, notwith standing
the TACT that iron csn not be made for
less than $24.0O at Pittsburg. L! will be
seen therefore that sthe furnace men as
well ss the manufacturers, puddlers,
miners, and everybody else. have q
pecuniAry interest in the result Of to.day's
conference.