Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-09-07
the necessity and use of these institu.

the necessity and use OF these lnstltu-
tions.
Take the Lehigh Valley. About
100000 tons of pig iron are manu-
factured there every year. One fur
mace in the city of Allentown makes
more pig iron than the whole State of
Massachusetts. yet in that State there
are more mechanics than in the State
of Pennsylvania, where one-half of all
the pig iron manufactured in the coun-
try is produced. Why is it that Mass
achusetts has more mechanics than
Pennsylvania !? Because the boys are
educated in that line The system OF
public education is what tells the tale.
Pennsylvania produces say 2,l00,
900 tons of pig iron annually. Sup
pose it takes fourteen men full day
to make one toni think this is cor
rect-2, 10000 tons would require or
employ $4,000 people. In this esti-
mate l have taken into consideration
the digging of ore, mining of coal,
quarrying of stone, hauling, transpor
tation, etc. This immense production
of pig iron does rot give employment
to as large number of hands as are
required TO convert the iron into finer
articles. 1t is estimated that ton of
pig iron is worth $4,000 if manufactur-
ed into cutlery. 1t is hard to estimate
the average value of articles manu-
factured from iron, and iron and steel,
but on rough guess l should suppose
it would be from 5000 to $400 per ton
say 5000, which being multiplied
by 100000, the number of tons of
iron manufactured in this State, would
amount to $420,O0O,000 Suppose you
estimate pig iron at $22 per ton, and
100000 make $46, 100000, which,
being deducted from 1920, 900, 900,
leaves balance of 1913, 800, 900. This
difference is the value between the
raw and the refined material this
large increased value is produced by
labor-skilled labor To make 2,l00,-
900 tons of pig iron will require 9S,-
600 people, reckoning that each man
will work 800 days in the year. /
suppose there are employed in the
production of iron about this number,
to wit: $4,000. This estimate may
be little too high, but l think it is
sufficiently correct to base an opinion
upon. Now, take the difference be-
tween the value Of the raw material
and the refined material, which is
1913, 500, 900. This difference between
the two sums represents nearly
all labor. Instead Of requiring $4,000
hands it would require almost a mil
lion of hands.
The history of industrial schools in
the old country establishes the fact
that they have been successful and
beneficial to the communities in which
they are located. And why should
the same kind of schools not be sue
cess in this country?
The truth of the matter is that they
ought to have been established long
ago Prompt action should be taken
in the matter. The Commonwealth
must commence the work, and prove
by the fruits of such schools their ben
efcial effects, and you will find in p
short time that rich individuals will
endow industrial schools. This State,
if proper steps are taken in the educa-
tion of the young men and boys in
matters pertaining to convert our valua-
BILE iron into fine articles, will, in the
course of short number of years, be-
come the greatest iron industrial dis
trict in the world.