Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-09-12
RESTRICTING PIG IRON.
Only five Furnaces Opposed to the Plan
Suggested by Circular.


Only five Furnaces Opposed to the Plan
Suggested by Circular.
On Wednesday an important circa r~as
mailed from the offices Of the Western Pig
Iron Association in Pittsburgh to the pig
iron manufacturers of the country, propos
ing new plan for restricting production.
A few weeks ago a circular was sent out
asking for opinions on the advisibihty
Of closing all the furnaces for four weeks
during period of two months. To this
circular replies came from 50l, furnace.
There are 6g2 stacks in the United States,
and only lSS did not respond. Of these
l3s are out Of blast, leaving 4s in operation
that paid no attention to the proposition.
HOW THEY FELT.
The answers were in the main favorable.
The proprietors of l39 furnaces with
yearly capacity OF 2,72s,750 tons, replied
that they were out Of blast and woald re-
main out; % with capacity of S9l, 100
tons were under contract for all their pro
duct; 70 with capacity OF 1874 tons use
all the iron they make; l9 with scapacity
Of 243,6s0 tons were uncertain whether
they could or could not participate in the
movement; 81 with capacity OF ,095 tons
agreed to participate, and 66 with capaci.
ty of sal ,775 tons declined to participate.
The classification given above does not
correctly express the feeling Of the manu-
facturers. OF all the replies received but
FIVE disapprove OF the plan entirely. A
large number of the furnacemen who de-
clined did so with the explanation that they
were so situated as TO force them TO adopt
this course, while they were at the same
time in favor of some method OF restriction.
These gentlemen intima,ed that they would
willingly unite on some plan that consider
ed and provided Tor their peculiar situa-
tions.
Other furnace proprietors agreed to close
not only for four but for six, eight or ,welve
weeks; and others, while not approving Of
four weeks stoppage, would bank for one,
two or three weeks, In classifying, all who
were not agreed TO the four weeks shut
down were put in as declining.
THE SEw PLAN.
The facts brought out in these replies
induced the promoters 81 the scheme to
change their plans, Instead Of four
weeks stoppage in two months they now
propose :;,oppage to be made within SIX
mouttIs, the length to be fixed BY each
vperator. The circular says:
1--WE ask each furnace Of the cuuntry te
in in a movement looking to the restric
ton of production on plan that shall bt
so broad as to take in the peculiar circum
! stances Of each. The only terms laid d'wr
as to this restriction are t6a, it shall tak'
place within the next six months; that th'
restriction shall be in such wav and a
such time as shall suit the convenience o
the furnaces, either BY banking for one long
period or for several short periods in THU
time, or BY blowing out earlier or starting
later than contemplate, or, where a con
Germ has several furnaces putting one o
more of them out OF blast, or by running
furnaces at reduced capacity"
In addition to thls it is contemplated IL
the plan that if the es'ric,ion in production
should result in the price advancing min,
dollars or the stocks at the furnaces be re
duced TO 100, 900 tons then the agreemen
will no longer be binding