Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-04-10
TIE PROBLEM OF THE NAIL

ISOLATION az flttsOurSnt geStehua9' We"
of considerable importance in its results,
inasmueh as il opens up the question OF
reduction Of wages as the only praeti-
cable solution of the problem as to
how this Association shall be able to
survive the fierce competition oi the
East.
There was full representation at the
meeting of the manufacturers OF Pitts
burvh, Wheeling, Shenango and Ma
honing Valleys, and other points EN-
braced by the Association. The repre-
ssntatiyes from Wheeling were Messrs.
]. y. VANCE, S. II. WOODWARD, ALEX.
LAUGHLIN, A. McCoURrNEY, p. Gill
CHRIST and A. LORISG.
The matters discussed by the AssOcia-
ton bore chiefly upon the difference be-
tween wages paid operatives in the
East and West as the great obstacle IN
the way of successful competition with
the former. As long as the price oil
nails in the East is no LcSs than the rates
for Wheeling nails, the latter are always
preferred over the former. But by re-
ducing the rates in the East TO a point
M which Wheeling manufacturers can
not live in consequence OF the higher
rate Of wages prevailing here, there IL,
Of course, always a disposition in the
market 10 take advantage OF the low
rates.
II was shown that the difference be-
tween the East and the West amounted
10 about 8 per ton on labor alone.
In one isolated case $50 per
ton was paid for boiling, but
the average is from $500 to $3.50 per
ton. While here in Wheeling S3.25 per
ton is paid, and at other points West
$500 per ton. Heating, rolling and nail
cutting are all much lower in the East
than here. Added 10 this is the import
ant fact that ii costs no more Tor trans
uortation from East OF the mountains,
10 Chicago, for example, than 1t does
from the Ohio river. so that the whole
question in the competition between the
East and West is one OF wages.
The feeling at Pittsburgh over the sit
uation is that almost OF despair. The
statement is made that twenty-five per
cent OF the rolling mills there are idle
by reason Of the bankruptcy OF the firms
formerly operating them. The Post OF
yesterday says:
There are i'm Pittsburgh and the rest
az Allegheny county 81 iron rolling
mills. Of these there are idle the Nesu-
viuS. Fl. Pitt, Superior, Eagle, Ormsby,
birmingham, keystone and Pittsburgh
Bolt. The keystone sin operation Just
N this time under lease by the National
Tube Works, hut it is only a temporary
matter. Here, then, are eight mills IDLE,
and every one by reason OF the bank
TupIcv al the firms formerly owning
them. In the 81 mills there are Ib9
SINGLE pudding furnaces. In the eight
named above us, or % per cent, OF the
entire number. Running To their tull
ont two tons of iron per day, or, rating
the iron at 50 per ton, each furnace
would bring hither $40 per day. by the
likeness OF these Us furnaces daily
circulation OF 81, $50 is lost to the city.
III we remember that this money would
De paid by iron workers % the grocer,
tu the butcher and 10 the dealer I'm
every business, who in turn pays much
of II out To his employees, the actual loss
tn the public can be imagined. But
there is another aspect tO the case.
These lille furnaces should now be CIV
ing employment tO $50 puddlers, 10 "a
many helpers, to 50 heaters, 30 rollers,
and between 800 and 400 labOrers, all Of
whom would be- employed directly in
the mills. Thus over 200 iron workers
are also kept out Of employment, while
men engaged in other avOcatlOns, those
who mime the coal, who make pig metal,
and in short. whose labor IN any way
contributes tn the preliminary work or
materials needed by iron mills, are also
kept In idlencSS These statements give
but cursory glance nj the results How
ing from the idlrness of the eight mills
named
Inns II "a ENEUNu~ ~llpMlllk anu bAlt
that leads every Pittshurghcr 10 ask
what is the cause. Pittsburgh in lOca-
ton and facilities Tor the purchase or
manufacturing of the raw materials and
Tor marketing It's products Is as good a
location ~ there i IN the country. Its
fuel, one oi the most important items m
manufacture, has been aS cheap, n good
AMI as abundant ~ that Of any other To-
Calitv. The raw material - very nearly
~ cheap. The machinery IN its mills Is
a. guod "a that at any point, and vastly
superior tn that IN many places. 10 has
every facility, aud Vet une-third of It's
mills have been bankrupt the past five
years. Why is it2
Now, 10 II asserted that one reason IL
that Pittsburgh Is compelled Ia pay from
oue-third more to twice ~ much for its
skilled labor than Is paid East. Is this
assertion true Is this the real reason
oi the bankruptcy OF the eight mills
mentioned: is this the reason that the
remaining twu-thirdS arr not running on
an average % more than thrrt-iourths
oi their ClparjtyS ID the assertion IL
true, there must be- some m, ans ii prov
ing 10; ii il be- false then it, lalSity can
BE- proven. What are the lacts2
WITH these facts in view and after a
fun discussion Of the situation the assn
citation adopted the following preamble
and resolution, as cmbo lying the sense
OF the representa- YES present:
"As manufacture r. Of nails in the
territory west Of the Allegheny Noun
tains. We find, upon a comparison Of
Wages, that We are compelled Ia pay
from $50 per cent, to 20 per cent. more
for the various classes of skilled labor
than is paid BY our competitors east. As
result of these higher priCcS Tor labor,
We are being driven out at markets in
which We have hitherto sold our product.
Our ira ie l. being curtaile,l. our mills
are being stopped or run on short time,
and the PRICES we are forced % accept
for our product results In an absolute
loss. We believe II l. TO the interest OF
all parties, both manufacturers and
operatives, that this condition of Affairs
should exist no longer; therefore.
R,Solrsi, That i'm view of these facts
We ask the skilled operatives in our
a.