The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-06-02
English Views of Our Iron and
Coal Mines.

At recent meeting OF the Iron and
Steel Institute Of England, held at Vest
minister, paper was read by Mr.. ]. L.
Bell, who has visited the coal and iron
mines Of the United States, in response to
an invitation Of the committe Of the Insti-
tute, extended at the meeting Of the Iron
and Steel Institute held at Liege in 1873,
This paper contained some very interest
ing and suggestive statements and com
parisORs relative to the system OF con-
Quoting mining and manufacturing opera
tions in England and the United States,
'abor question, and the existing
c es OF and tendencies to change in the
!, ions Of the two countries, which are
OF ...uch value as indicating the future of
these Investments which have come to be
Of such vast Importance in each. Touch
ing the labor question, he said it was I'M
possible in the United States iron making
centers to lay down any general law
Of the demand for and consequent price
OF labor. It would be remembered,
he said, that between 1871 and 1874
iron Of all kinds rose to an unusually
high price in England. 1t therefore
became a matter OF great interest to the
British ironmasters to learn whether the
unprecedented growth OF the American
iron works was due to the stimulus OF
excited markets in England, and whether
the increase would be actively employed
when iron fell in value to the price
which experience had accustomed the
world to pay for this commodity lie
referred to the subject Of transportation,
osborving that in the manufacture OF an
article like iron, requiring so large
weight OF raw materials, the distances
which separate the latter, the means oil
bringing them together, rs well US the
conveyance Of the product to market,
constituted important subjects OF investi-
CATION. The vast area OF the United
States placed at the diposal Of It's inhab-
itants enormous mineral wealth, but the
different geological districts, correspond
ing in immensely with the country itself,
rendered it necessary to carry the produce
Of the mines distances quite unknown to
England.
The Liverpool Post, in speaking Of the
shipment Of American pig iron to Eng
land, explains that-
"The iron in question was lot Of Ala
bama and Georgia pig, for which the
makers hoped to get Is per ton, but
when sold IN Liverpool did not realize
more than e. net. Sill Ct left profit,
though very small one"
The same authority adds:
ave have authority for saying that
the Cornwall Iron Company, Of Cedar
Bluff, Cherokee county, Alabama, are
preparing 10 Bhl 10 the same uesIlhuIIOll
100 tons Of their charcoal (pig) iron, and
they have secured freight from Savannah
to Liverpool at los per ton. The com.
parativc nearness in point Of cost Of this
country to the pig making furnaces Of
the Southern States is to be observed in
the fact that the first consignment was
conveyed to Liverpool at only one dollar
ton more than II would have cost to
take the same iron from the furnaces to
Cincinnati"
In conclusion he said:
cater all, however, the current which
which will compel the remOdeling Of iron
work needed no foreign country 10 set il
in motion in the United States. The en-.
larged furnaces erected in its different
localities and the admirable improve.
ments effected by lIolley and Fritz in
rolling mills and l}cssemcr plant will
have their effect on those to whom cir.
Cnmstanccs render advance n matter Of
difficulty. II may be that the policy
which brushes the weak and cxalts the
strong Is not desired by the former, but
it is M inevitable one in the history OF
industry"