Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-12-27
THE BOOM IN IRON.
REPORTS FROM LEADING CITIES v
.sl THE COUNTRY.
Why an Advance ia Prices Is Pfobable-
How Il Would Affect wages-feafiy
contraets-Ihe Iron Age Mar
kst Reports.
GENERAL REVIEW OF THE TRADE.


PrrrssrRoH. Pa, December e6.-The ~
of this morning says in regard 70 the iroo
market that the present activity IN the ITO.
trade Is undoubtedly healthy ana lcyF1-
mate activity. but whether it VIII result III ~
an increase in prices is kqueston. rno
ali Quarters come reports OF brisk dcHano
and short supply. Slight advances nave
been made nj some points shove prices
which obtained throughout ths summer.
but Pittsburgh manufacturers are iotn 70
make corresponding advance. Aanufsc
,urers and dealers In other cities seem lear
full that an advance in prices VII gtvc roo1
for foreign importations, but the i1ttsourgu
manufacturers realize this TACT most hr'n'y
Of all. ,
NJ the Iron 40. show considerable activity.
We make the following abstract reports
from the cities named, TO that journal >.
Nr,r Yyk-'The tone Of tho Isarket, u
seems needless to say. is strong, and, ~
though &c Is the price Of bars to-day, the
probability of an early advance W ocn
freely spoken Of in the trade"
Phiiadeiphia--"B Business Is unusuahy %
tive, and there is steady How 9i osucis,
which keeps the mills emPioyea 10 % s,sn. %S,
ufa.turers held Monday nc the ofiioo o.
lanes Rowland & Co. the base price Tor
bars was advanced 10 2,sc, and II Is proos
bic that stores will TX their rates ut sc, az
though Ne are not aware thsk any chsns.
has been officially announced. A ,gooa
many very desirable orders ware deciinco
last week, simply because the mills wcrc
full. but il " not improbable that thcy
were offered in anticipation OF . Sise.'
p;tty,rgL-"Thcre has been no change IN
| M,nnfantnraPa continue I'd
rcport that there is no abatemert In the
demand. and ,hat they arc obliged ~ de.
| cline many orders. both for present ana
future delivery. There Is probably NOT q
| mill I'm Pittsburgh that will be able 10 Close
the wear with clean order book; some q
| them have more business booked thrn thcy
| will be able 10 get through with Tor sonso
| time. In addition To an active trasr IN
general merchant iron the dcmand iot
strual and bridge IRON Is heavy, ahi ior
| Nm. latter large contracts could be made for
| future delivery, IL sellers could DO found
| Prices, although unchanged ON full cafd
| rates, are very firm, In sympathy WIN
| the enhanced cost OF raw iron.'
| - 70 Yearly Csntrsets-
| Although this is the season in whi0
| yearly contracts are usually made Pit@
inryT manufacturers have been unusuali y
cbnry OF contracts thus far, This Is not DO.
cause they expect to increase the Price, pus
because experience has taught them VAIN.
able lessons When yearly contracts srv
made mt A stated price, and the msrkes
nIicc increases beyond that figure buyers
insist mon a full delivery OF eycry
round contracted for. They make no
complaints about the quality OF IRON,
nor indeed about anything except failur.
| of mill men Ia deliver. They Will acccp.
any kind OF iron. When tho marke' p,nc.
falls below the prices contracted ior NJ W, ~
BEGINNING Of The year then the buyers NJ
.ays ricf They object TO every mino'
| imncrf.ctinn In D,s.- s'"e"sy 1,.os' os
cmscs The result Is the manufacture
ioses in either case. Much Of the iron U
thrown back upon his hands II his contrnc
nricc happens To be above the ruling mar
kct rates. With n strong tendency 70 in
crease in market rates II Is not to he Won
dered at that our home manufacturers s'
slow TO enter into yearly contracts
An Advance Probable.
While the Pittsburgh manufacture
generally believe that any heavy incress
In price will bring disaster, II Is sti'i poss'
| blc they will order some increase ~ IN
) mort meeting. They are gencrnlIy opposo
, | In such action but the increase IN 0.ne y
. citie, leaves no other alternative, WAL
| The whole output Of the Philadelphia niii
does not equal the product OF any one :
half dozen Pittsburgh mills, the iaf
. remains that Philadelphinns should DO pe
0 ter judges of foseign eo'npea,''n pa ,ns ,sts,
: NAV 90 on the assumption TN
Q The Quaker City dealers know what u
!. | creasc can bc safely made. The price
a l cnte has already advanced. Owing 70 "
scarcitv of cars, many manufacturers ba'
Leen forced 10 pay considerably above "
Tuling rates, and while others have pahk,
., ibcir furnaces, the output has been sfnAl
q | This is another reason why an inciea,o
/ MANUFACTURED iron is expected. But snou
" an increase be made, IL I'LL not be iarl
- Prices will not Jump from 70 oenu
,nund Ia q cents for merchant bar ~
~ 49,, nredcteJ, The highest point vi
- co,,,;nly not be above 81 cents per poun
u n nav 6e fxed below these figures, and
y. l deed may not be increased NJ al.
A. % wages.
Strange M, Il may sound 70 the ousi
20 world. L In true that the prices now ps
90 for rolling mill skilled labor are ohiy
m pcr cent. higher than the lowest prices "
n. during the panic, and are the sane: ne aitn n
" few exceptions, as we're pain H r.,. =.
-, lion of affairs grows out OF the. siidi
!. s,,Ie an arrangement that demanded, Va
80 | I'm was nj l'15. inst the same wn6es
-; xben IL was selling at $50. AZ the "
tv workers had the benefit of this hf1sn
= ment during the years when iron % 500
low 2.DO the msnufaetnrers cialui
I'm. mem should be satisfied nDw.
-, %n course under this scale any ,ncr,
on IN The selling price Of
-, w;ll carry with Il an increase IN wiises .
e,' et to skilled labor. The manutsei,irer. ;,
mi. nit that, but they do NOT % rsns us III. s'
,I. market Is stiff now. Shoule, the
ier rates rat be put up % 81 cents, tn. infr' T
in boiling would be % cent. PEI, ton; IN !,
~ heating cents, and In bar rolling q
on There will also be an increase of wages
MS for shearing. strsigbtening, Stc: Tho
Increase TO the present COST OF msSii
TWO ton OF iron would be ab1at $50 in,ro
!, fgnres. This would make handsons
,en r. gregate in wages earned. - there are
rev ably two thousand totS OF iron Pud
~, in Pittsburgh. x..o
az The furnace ovners in the Ash9
ID and shensngo valleys have ads.nssa e.,