The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-06-05
The FIXTURE orthe IRON Trade

The Future Of the Iron Er"uo
! American Manufacturer.
f IA recent writer on the iron indus
tries, q gentleman we'll informed in re-
gard to the present condition Of the iron
business, and we'll versed in blast furnacf
practice, writes az follows:
"The American furnaces Of to-day
may properly be divided into three
classes: 'L
lst. Those of an antique construction
and small capacity, that having outlived
their usefulness and opportunity, lind
their occupation gone and are now
worth simply the price Of scrap.
I'd Those of fairly modern construct.
Ion but favorable location, which, under
forced sales, are In the hsuds of New
parties at nominal figures, together with
those of older style, but exceptionally
well located.
Sd. Those combining the advantages
of modern improvements, large capacity
and good location.
"The establishments of the first class
we need not consider, They have had
their day, and must disappear under the
memorable march of events. Those
OF the second class may precariously
exist for while longer. but their fate is
determined. Those of the third class are
practically controlling the trsde, and
will continue to do so, only threatened
by works OF similar excellence that ideal
men will hereafter build.
"rhe day for high prices for pig iron
has gone by, and very properly so. Bit
ter as this may prove 10 the few, the
many will be benefited, With the enor-
nous natural resources OF the United
States, the truest prosperity will come,
not with large profit or limited pro-
duction, but with lair profit on the
larg est possible production.
1--WE do not want an unwilling CON-
petition with foreign producers, out we
do want keen competition among our
selves, and it can scarcely be too sharp,
temporarily, for the general good in the
long rnn, for it pricks bubbles, weeds out
the incompetent and feeble, compel econ
omy, watchfulness and discretion, and
ends as the end should be, with the "sur-
vival of the fittest."
80 be sure this is plain talking, but
plain talking is what the hour and the
day demand. Spacious appeals for COM
binations to support ignorance and reck-
lessu ess by limiting production to reach
higher prices are so many quack medi-
cines, possibly profitable to the maker,
but destructive to the public. If one
man by natural wit, better knowledge,
closer management and more abundant
capital can make and sell standard ar
tlcle at lower price than another want
ing in one or IN all these advantages, he
deserves to succeed, even should his sue
cess.prove another. downfall.
"Now this is precisely what is going on
at the present time IN the lroH trade.
There is something at work far deeper
and more complex than mere overpro.
ductoR 1T is the deadly struggle be-
tween the old and the new-between
modern and obsolete ideas, it is the es-
adjustment of great vital industry on
a new basis; it is the reimbursement and
relocation of the iron business of the
United States"
We publish the above more partlcu-
larly to call attention to the last sem
tence. The idea there expressed Is one
we have long ielt, but the wording OF 1t
has perhaps not before appeared in so
striking form.
The words are very significant to
many. They presage disaster to many
of our establishments that have long
been struggling against the inevitable,
but they also pressge a brilliant future
to the men who are in the front OF the
advancing wave of new ideas, and to the
business of the country in general.
In connection with the REIMBURSEMENT
and re location of the iron industry OF
the country. the article we publish Ia
another column, on the Hooking Valley
iron district, is very opportune. If the
promises made by that district are fulfill
ed in the near future, and iron can be
made so chesply as claimed, with similar
developments in other localities, the TACT
c~nnot be denied that prices are not ever
likely to rise above legitimate profit to
the manufacturer.
This means prosperity to the country
at large, but this change OF base Tor the
blast furnace industry means no return
of prosperity to many establishments,
only so far as the capitalist and laborer
seek the new locations, and in the light
OF science, by the use of the latest i'm,
proyements in furnace construction and
the economical use of ores and fuel,
learning to save as well rs to make,
they adjust themselves to the new order
nf things