The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-15
INDUSTRIAL AFFAIRS.
THE ourLookoF THE IRON TRADE.
What the PItt,bursh Manufacturers hA,. to SAY.
Futurs'PrOspsetI EaeOuragInE-A controrery
at ShArpsburs, Pa.-Ths Nall Card Re.
affirmed d-Othtr Labor Notes, Etc.

PITTSBURGH, March 1.-THE Chronicle
this evening has the following: The pros
poets Of business among the mills is by no
means discouraging, though the steel man.
uiacturers do not report boom in the
market. Mr.. Park, sr., when he was spoken
to, replied: ave are moving along moder-
ately, but are not crowded with orders" A
member Of the firm Of Hussey, Howe &
Co. replied in similar strain. At the
Crescent Steel Works. a reaction in the
steel trade Is looked for In the near future.
The Pittsburgh Steel and Casting Company
manufacture no merchantable steel. but
their trade is by no means falling OF, "A
member OF the firm of Clark & Co. re
marked that iron is cheaper now than 1t
has been a. any time within the last six or
seven years. Said he: "For some time
the finishing department in our mill has
been on single turn, and the puddlers,
since last week, are on the same basis.
How long this will continue I am unable
10 say" 5F..1-
Mr.. speer, OF the shoenberger Iron
Works, does not speak very hopefully
about the iron trade, though he hopes that
there will soon be reaction. The puddlers
are working double turn. The trains OF
nail and large plate rolls are operated
singly. Both sheet mill department are
now shut down. The nail factory Is also
closed, but will be set in motion next Mon
day. Two blast furnaces are connected
with these works, OF which one is not nowin
use. Each Of these have capacity Of $50
tons week, which is about lotions more
than is required in their mill. How soon
the other furnace will be used to cast is
now not known, but the present price in
metal will not pay this firm to place their
over production on the market. Mr.. keat-
ing, OF the Sable Iron Works, was spoken
to. He reports the trade and the activity
in their mill now about the same as three
months ago. Mr.. Walker, OF Wilson K
Walker, bore an exceedingly smiling coun-
tenance when the reporter entered the
office. The trade was not reported verygood,
but the appearance OF the interior Of the
works is much better than ashorttime since.
The puddlers are on double turn, and when
such Is the case in rolling mill there
is no scarcity Of orders, except where all
steel Is manufactured. Little muck iron Is
needed, and single turn In the pudding
department will more than supply such
works. At Carnegie's works the puddlers.
are constantly working double turn, and
are utterly unable to supply the finishing
departments, which are nearly all on
double turn, with muck iron from other
places. At the Fort Pitt Iron Works there
is not much activity at present, but that Is
in consequence Of the repairs that are being
made to some OF the machinery. The pud.
ding department has been idle all winter,
but it will be lighted up next week. The
trains Of nine and twelve.inch and thetwo
trains OF sheet rolls were set in motion and
three scrap furnaces were lighted up this
week. Very favorable reports are obtained
from the office Of the Pittsburgh Forge and
Iron Works. Nearly all the machinery is
operated double turn.
All through the mills along both sides
Of the Monongahela river there is not the
slightest indication Of an iron panic. In
nearly all the mills the puddlers are work.
ing double turn, and very little muck iron
is stored away at any Of them. Atthe Etna
Iron Works the increase has been made in
the running OF the finishing departments.