Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-04-30
ABOUT STEEL RAILS.

The Philadelphia Record discusses
the steel rail monopoly in this way;
"The purchase Of twelve hundred thou
sand tons OF steel rails in England by
Mr.. William II. Vanderbilt has occa-
stoned no little comment In trade cir
Giles, and the reasons tor the purchase
are now before the public. Mr.. Van
derbilt tried to make satisfactory ar
rangements as TO prices and guaran-
tees with home manufacturers before
opening negotiations with foreigners,
but failed. His experience had prov
cd that the English steel rails laid on
the Central railroad were Of much
more lasting quality than the Ameri-
can rails. He found that he could pur.
chase rails in England, guaranteed for
ten years, delivered in this country at
about s55 per ton, the duty upon them
amounting to s2S per ton. He could
buy American rails for s43 per ton,
which some OF the manufacturers were
willing to guarantee for five years and
others would not guarantee at all.
Taking into account tho inferior wear
ing quality of the American rails. Mr..
Vanderbilt found that at their first
cost of s43 per ton he would make
saving by using English rails at first
cost of s55, equal to fourteen per cent
per annum. Under these circumstances
Mr.. Vanderbilt would have been fool
not to buy all his rails in England.
This controversy has turned up several
interesting items Of information Of
value to the curious public, who are
beginning to look with more thrn
doubt upon the advantages of our pro-
tective system. The New York Eren-
inq Post is informed that zone expla-
nation of the high price Of American
rails was TO be found in the fact, not
generally known to the public, that
the eleven steel rail mills in the Uni
ted States pooled SO per ton on their
product, and that whenever one Of
these mills stopped running the others
paid TO it SO per ton on It's productive
capacity. The Vulcan Mills at st,
Louis, with capacity of 10000 tons,
were standing idle, but the stock.
holders received sl5O,OO0 per year
from the other mills, and were in no
hurry to start the works again. This
So per ton, Of course, came from the
pockets of the consumers" There is
no natural facility for making steel
rails in England that we have not in
the United States our mechanical de-
vices are as perfect, our labor is as
cheap. The cost of living is cheaper.
We are protected by the cost of land
and water transportation and by a
duty of s2s per ton The result OF
Government interference is that our
railroad enterprises are crippled and
, the business of the country defeated.
We are furnished with inferior rails,
and the prices are supported by com
} binstion which makes il almost as prof
! table for a rail mill TO lie still as to
, keep itin operation. Who are the gain
ers and who the losers by this system
! Of extortion? The profits of it are
t confined to a few men; the loss is dis
| tributed to the whole country. The
/ tariff on steel rails brings no revenue
, because, until Mr.. Vanderbilt opened
. the eyes Of bis countrymen, they were
: not aware that they could pay tax
Of s2S per ton on Englishmadc stee
, rails and yet find the purchase advan
Q tageous."