The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1883-01-04
THEIRON TRADE.
Meeting of Western Iron Association
General Condition OF the Business.

General Condition OF the Business.
PITTSBURGH, January S.-The regular
adjourned quarterly meeting of the West
ern Iron Association took place to-day, at
the rooms Of that body, Fourth avenue.
At noon there were twenty members pres
ent, but no organization had been effected,
owing to delays on roads which prevented
a number OF Ohio members from reaching
the city in time. Those in position 10
know what was. going on inside the glass
doors, insisting that no special interest at
tached to this meeting, and that routine
business only would be transacted. The
meeting, before organization, was given to
the discussion OF the state Of trade general
ly, the tariff and other topics. There was
d very evident desire to avoid reporters.
THE OUTLOOK FRIGHTENING UP. 8.
AS to matters pertaining to the trade, q
we'll known manufacturer in speaking .ol
the general market to-day. said: "There
has undoubtedly been an increase in the
volume Of business during tie last month.
It looks as though customers, between
prices, nave '1 feaGnea h .ne % lowest ngufe, aaa
soon. Most OF the mill iron has been sold
for two months delivery. There have been
large sales OF ore and pig at good prices,
and large orders for manufactured iron are
being placed daily. In my judgement there
has never been much better outlook a [
the first Of the year for busy and brisk
market at fair prices. The steel rail market
is firm, although some sales at $50 have
been made. The ruling price, however, il
$40"
II is impossible to give anything more
than a proximate estimate ot'the produc
tion Of 1882, and the best plan will be Ia
defer statements until returns are in. The
Imports on pig iron for eleven months in
lSs2. were 4oS,l37 tons, leaving an eatl'
ehsro ueaets f psss .ne e a.t =. vaoS aoV ~
'''N n,,w.v naonuc1,ox
p,;,u,,, nrodno,;on ;ncrao.oa from,
,,a " a"S ,o,a ~ ,o7o - o., ,oo ,a,s lac,
i,ii9'-lo 'ons ~ t''u :" 10Th wv w. 'on' 400
year. Multiplying the average converter
capacity Of American furnaces, which ha:
heen r;van at 45 500 tons. by thirty.seyen
- o..;n,o,oa n,naro,;,a .an,a,,r
We nave n an es.inA'eu pio.us'ive .Apae''y
OF l,69i,S96 tons, provided thirty'sevon
oonyertes had been in operation the entire
wear. Adding 70 this tie probable impor'
tations OF EOS, 600 tons OF railroad iron i'm,
ported during the year, we have in round
numbers, ] 900, 900 tons supply OF steel rail-
and material for steel rails, besides the
iron rail mills, the production OF which
cannot be had NJ present, Imports Of IN,
wrought steel for eleven months 1876, ,42t
tons. The increase in rolled iron for three
wears, excluding rails, was from l,629,2s
tons in 1879, to 2,155,348 tons last year
Railroad construction last year will ngure
up When W,:i1la ~ Fe;ssufns r;si ~e ~ "pou' tHoo'
i4He'' Oe'''e9 @ "a = ,,,,,.a
mi, ...,.,,s..a ttAnna ni,'., " a. vi h..,.ho. =,
ine "an'ns' s'seu - .. ~ y, .g' Hanes "
.ne if0n n.s. 'aaee 40 " " 0Ie sut"v'ppoy =. -
isting facilities will nave tne enect o.
checking a too rapid increase in capacity.
Com mbinations are being perfected Tor the
protection Of trade interests IN case o. the
over supply. Competition will be placed
under some sort Of control, and the declln.
ling tendency resulting from the growth Of
iron. making will be.confned within legiti'
mate bounds, and the disastrous results
which follow pnguarded competition will
be avoided. Notgithstapdipg the great
for the wear fall but little over i60, 700 tons
behind those Of 1880. This Is partly due to
the cost Of labor and material, in which the
COS. ol sSg a mon
laa o.saia Hna We ne y ;aiiea es