Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-04-29
THE IRON TRADE.
Manufacturers still Complain Of
the Stagnation - More Mills
ClOsed-Strikes OF Laborers.

1 hueputsh Noihuleftiai Nakette.
in the opinion Of many Of our lead
INK iron manufacturers trade in their
line has not been 80 dull Tor years rs it
u at present. The bar mills Of nearly
| every concern in tha city are either
closed or running on half time, aud Il
10 said by those who should know
whereof they speak, that II the stagna-
ton continues for hall fortnight most
| ol our large iron works will come to u
standstill. To the list OF mills which
have shut down for want OF orders, an
Other-the keystone-was added yester-
day. The mill owners, as We predicted
aweek ago,are Just now involved in trou.
bic with their labOreTs. The drop in the
card rate neeessitated reduction in
wages, not only ia the case OF the men
who work under scale, but Of those
who are not controlled by scale, i. e.,
labOrers, shearmen and others. When
II was proposed TO reduce the wages of
the latter a series OF strikes was inaugu-
rated, and with this trouble on their
hands, in addition TO the prevailing dull
ness in the market. the iron men ieel
that they cannot afford 10 keep their
mills in operation.
The reduction in the card rate to 3 2,l0
cents has not been attended with the
result that was expected. Ii is clear
that nobody will buy any considerable
quantity Of iron at the present price. A
manufacturer said yesterday that lao
would be- glad to sell 10000 tons 3 cents.
The furnace men are also in pickle.
IL is customary with them tO make con-
tracts ut the beginning Of each year for
ore at u certain price. This year the
price Is Sl2 per ton, and % be able 10
pay this hgure, they must sell pig iron
at $50 per ton. Ii is we'll known that
they cannot now obtain more than so
per ton for pig iron, and hence the trOu
BILE. A few days ago committee OF
furnace men from Wheeling visited
Cleveland with view 10 obtaining some
concessions on the part of the ore deal
ers, with whom they have contracts.
They claim that they cannot, in the
present state of the iron market, pay
more than from - To $40 per ton Tor
ore. Yesterday committee ot iron
men left this city for Cleveland on
similar mission. The result Of this
movement will be awaited with cOnsld-
erable anxiety by our iron men gen
orally.
Among the strikes oi the iaborcrs ut
the several mills there IL nothing new To
be- said, except as to that at Painters,
on the South Side. The men held
meeting We, terday On | decided to re-
main idle until they get thclr demand
They claim that their wages are lower
than any other mill IN tho city. They
will hold another meeting this evening
\ correspondent at Steubenvllle gives
a gluoHy picture ol tho iron trade IN
that section. de says: ''The sudden
lat-up o. the iron boom Is already
being seriously felt in this city.
The Jefferson Iron Works have
shut down for IN announced six
weeks, but il may lengthen into an in
definite period. This throws between
800 aud 600 men out OF employment.
StcubenVillc furnace has stopped, with
SO, 900 worth Of iron in stock. Market
street coal shaft u last increasing its re-
serve supply of coal, aud the miners
will probably be put ON hall tune short
Is. Ayerick's coal shaft has shut down,
aud stony Hollow shalt is only working
three-quarters time. About nine hun
drcd men are out Of work. aud the pros.
poets are good Tor an increase oi the
number.