The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-03-14

tnl6 district, and lt6 consequent hlgh price
when extensive operations were begun
twenty years ago. The average wages paid
here, as in the great northern coal district,
huctuate with theprice ofiron, 5s. Cd. or 81 50
per day as q minimum rate, increasing
plus 10 per cent plus Is per cent or plus 20
per cent, or retarding, as iron advances or
decreases in price. Mr.. Edward Williams
agrees with the Tariff Commission report
In the TACT that iron rails are doomed to
ultimate disuse, but he says It Ia no less
true that Cleveland has started the manu-.
iacture of steel rails from its native iron
that are bound to become the cheapest in
the world. should hardly be credited in
some quarters II were to say that this i'm.
mense iron district which l have attempted
to describe Is one Of the most absolute
merely quote the following from an address
OF the president Of the Iron and Steel In
sttute Of Great Britain. .u.
The firm ot Messrs. Bolckow & Vaughn,
who were the pioneers OF the Cleveland
iron trade, and who now produce one.third
Of the total quantity OF iron produced in
the district; have also taken the lead in the
establishment OF steel works.
"One.third OF the amount produced in
this district" ,l
What does that mean?
My table shows that It means an amount
Of iron ore far exceeding the total product
ot the entire Lake Superior district in 1880.
The fact lie, people In the United States
have no conception Of the yastness Of the
monopolies in England. A few firms con-
troll the entire district; own every foot OF It.
What does that mean?
It means the control Of an area OF iron.
stone Of APO square miles, with an average
yield per acre Of 10000 tons and estimated
contents OF five thousand million OF tons
OF iron ore. ! have already shown the
amount OF coal yet in the great adjacent
northern coal field to be ten thousand
millions OF tons, so that there Is sufficient
fuel in the coal district to smelt the main
seam OF iron ore in the other.
This district is capable Of supplying the
world with steel rails for couple OF cen.
turies to come, controlled by q few wealthy
men, capable, II the barriers OF foreign
tariffs were removed, OF crushing out the
steel interests OF every country on the
globe, and OF then controlling the worlds
markets and prices. The truth Of the
monopoly is ssnbstantiated by the president
oil the Iron and Steel Association OF Great
Britain and by a visit 10 the district; the
truth OF capacity in wealth OF coal aud iron
and economy OF manufacture by the best
scientists. Comment is not necessary. Let
every one judge from the facts l present.
THE TARIFF STANDS BETWEEN.
And yet the managers OF the firm pro-
ducing one. bird Of this immense output
camly sat down with me and unblushingly
talked OF "the grinding monopolies OF the
United States preventing the free importa.
tions Of steel rails" and actually spoke
disparagingly Of such an otherwise sensi.
ble man" rs the Hon. Abr4m S. Hewitt for
his absurd protection heresies."
1t did not seem to occur to him that the
iron manufacturers Of England are worth
millions Of dollars; the British iron districts
are crowded within an area of hundred
square miles, while Americas spread over
a vast continent every State producing
iron ore; the manufactures OF England
are controlled, as have shown in the
Cleveland district, by few enormous cap.
italists, the annual product OF one firm
alone exceeding that OF the entire Lake
Superior district, while American iron and
steel industries are scattered over contip.
ent, giving employment and building up
towns in the agricultural districts, and
making more permanent the progress Of
the mining States; it is an exception in
England to find situation in which the
ore and the coal and the coke aud the
limestone are separated 100 miles, while in
America 1000 miles very often intervene.
From the ore mines OF Lake Superior and
Missouri to the coal OF Pennsylvania is
1000 miles; Connellsville coke Is taken GOO
miles TO the blast furnaces at Chicago, and
750 miles 10 the blast furnaces OF st. Louis.
The average distance over which all do.
mestic iron ore which is consumed in the
blast furnaces OF the United States Is trans
ported is not less that 450 miles, and the
average distance over which the fuel used
to smelt 1t Is transported Is not less than
200 miles. And yet here, within q rec,augle
OF IS miles by 30 miles and square OF 40
miles, is produced over one.third OF Eng.
lands annual ore supply and one.fith Of
her annual coal supply. ...