New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-17
BUSINESS DEPRESSION IN PITTS
BURG.
IRON AND GLASS INDUSTRIES sTAGNANT.

NEARLY TWENTY THOUSAND MEN UNEMPLOYED
THE OIL RRFINERIEs ALONE LOOKING UP.
tpDo,, A., oc AsroSAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNEl
pr1TsBuRG. Dec. l4.-In no time in the his
tory OF Ptsburg there been greater depression OF
the material Industries which contribute to its wealth
hon po II ia true that many OF the great ron-mills
re I'm operation IL Ia also true that not one among
Them ia running its full capacity, while the prices re-
ceved for the product such that In many cases IL
oud he more profitable TO close the works than TO run
tbcn, 1.-THE cause" say the proprleors is oyer-pro-
ducton We can't help the inevitable hut we can submit
In H. We are afflicted with Oyer-producton ana we must
endure f. Itwoud be better for 10 close our mills
but II we did It would throw many men out OF work.
But that is not the real why the mills are run at
loss An iron mill rapidly deterorates in value IL IL Is
oft idle There is too much oxygen in the atmosphere,
and TOO much attraction forit in ron Ia permit cylinders
cocwheels rolls aud couplings to be Idle AronhS NH
can more prontaby be run at loss Tor SIX mOhths tl
no idle for the period But these crude IDEAS tel
bi. story that of the $4,000 men employed In the iron
mills of Pitsburg, $4,000 at least arc idc-not lille
oItogeher Il is true because they take turns with their
hrcthrcn at the furnace and the rolls but 1t amounts To
the same I'm the end and the money paid out only that
which would be given were the men employed Ohy TWO
thirds the number now on the pay-rolis.
THO second industry OF importance In Ptsburg Is tho
manufacture OF glass; and II Is in even worse condition
than the iron business It be true that the arh has
had omcthng 10 do with the depression IN TINS branch oil
trade but It be denied that utter stagnaon IS the
term that can best be applied to the wlndowgass hus
, ~ nresent In 1880 there were imported 2,OOO,OOo
hoxas Of window glass from Belgium, zach box con-
toinIng fifty fcct. Then the customs duties were
oo ner cent higher than they are now. Ihefo
are IN the United States at present 500 pots
devoted exclusively to the manufacture OF
window glass OF the 800 there arc now idle dOo' OF
which 32s are located in Ptsburg or its Immediate vi
einty. Why they are idle Is not unknown-the manu-
factrers ask the blowers TO accept reduction III wages
of 10 per for single strength and ~ per cent lor
double strength glass The blowers have strong orSah-
zoon and say that they win not accept any reduction IN
xoges The manufacturers firm In their POSITION De-
coe orders are very because glass can be bought
from importers cheaper than be made here ana De
building interests do ask for much at present
The result Is that in Pttsburg alone 1000 men are lIe'
or else have had to seek work common IaDOFcrs
blowers are very determined in their stand, but capital
IA combining against them. -, ooo 40
20 600 men ido serious effect is produced upon
general business. IL is not To be wondered AZ Iueto
fore that business Is duh In every department sun the
DIS failures ia the United reported through bus
W HeS bckey manager Of Bradstrees agency this city.
remarked 10 me on Saturday that he had become con-
yinccd that Plttsburg business men had Dougn' OK,
neence doing the panic years which they would not part
with for any price, and he had no fear or trouble mere
o nstroIeim And so it was until the standard Oil Com
many laid its hands upon the industry here Every refinery
IN se into the hands of the standard with solitary
excepton-D r. Reighard Co. For years the standard
en I'M s fpht here established central cooper Shops
naid immense to the owners OF leased reineries
ETC. but its prestige has departed Recently zen the
than Ave OF the largest reneres In the city, abandoned
ts coopershops and in various other ways gave ndica
sources Far from being an injury TO the city, TINS actoh
has been benefit Several large refneres which mad
tSe % reaning interests OF Pttsburg will resume their
former activity before many weeks have passed.