Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-04-10
Views of a Wheeling Manufacturer
on the Situation.
Pre- sent Dizziness Of the Trade Future Of
tie Steel Naii-The Nail AssoCia-
. ton Decides TO Form
Pool.

Below will be found the action taken by
tie Western Nail Association at Pittsburgh
yesterday. This association has held nu
nerous meetings in the last six weeks for
the specific purpose of fixing the card rate
of nails at q certain figure, and bind every
manufacturer to stick to the price aud not
urdersell the other. Yesterday during a
talk with a manufacturer on the subject
of the nail trade, REGISTER reporter
cleaned the following information, which,
of course, is only this gentleman's view.
He said: 1.-THE nail trade is very dull and
the prospects are anything but bright. We
will have a repetition of 1877, rs and
10 during this year and next. This trade
is like all others, it has its ups and downs,
and to person conversant with 1t for any
length OF time, the present indications
show conclusively that the
SUPPLY is TOO GREAT FOR THE DEMAND
and, as a consequence, prices are bound to
go down, down, down. The mills Will
have 10 close for tbs simple reason tn.
price will reach such Il low figure that The
Expense of making the uails wall DO lar In
excess of the market value. | further be
pass over our heads, you Will not only sac
a uuIober of mills closed down, but sold
out. One thing is certain. in a heavy strain
IKE what l think will be reached during
tie next eighteen months, some one Is
oCund 10 60 TO the wall.
/ think the wOrkmep do not look at the
present situation of our business, or the
future prospects, in the right light. IL they
did, / have no DOUBT III the world
hat they would assist us TO bridge oyeI
the coming struggle. There is no use o |
any of the man nfsCLWr.rs talking about
the prospects of trade Frightening mp IN
he near future, for thai is only talk; there
is nothing in it. Why, just ask any man
Who sells nails, whether the prospects are
good or not and be will tell you in very
few words, that trade is very slow. You
see, at this season of the year the nail
trade should if-there is going TO be any
great demand for nails during the year
be very brisk and orders would be rolling
into ali the mills in this city, for every
nail that the mill could make. AT presest
as the trade really is now, venture to say,
there is not one mill in this vicinity that
has half enough orders to take their stock
already in hand.
FUTURE CE THE STEEL NAIL
Another thipB the pubic is not con.
Versant with, nd that is the new steel
nail. Well, sir, you can tell them that
the steel will take the place OF the iron
pail in the market in a very short time.
Now do not mean to say that the steel
plants at Benvood and Bellaire will pro
duce nail steel Immediately at less money
than the iron nail is TTUduced for, but |
do mean to assert that before the com
mencIng of the next year, nail steelwlil be
made and offered to the nail manufacturers
at such figure that steel nails can be made
a. q cost OF, at least, 10 c.nts on the keg less
than the iron nail is now manutac-
tured for. Another thing about the
steel nail. II will be the same size as the
present iron nail, but will be superior to ii
IN every respect, hence it will take pre-
ce6ence in the market, and finally abolish
the iron nsil.
THE great fight now is who can make
nails the cheapest, and, don't you see, II
steel nail can be MADE for less money.
then all the mills will be compelled to
make that kind OF nail 10 keep in the
market"
"You then believe the steeI nail Will
be a success"
Most assurdly, sir, d., but DO not
believe it will be so until probably nine
months hence"
will you give me your reasol fo' 50
thinking!
Not at present. Good day. Call again,
and so the reporter was politely invited to
leave.
POOL 10 EE FORMED.
The following dispatch came from P.tLs
burgh last night by Associated Press
An important meeting of the Western
Nail Association was held in this CITY to
day. After 9 full discussion Of the Safe
trade, il was decided to form pool, whose
managers shall have arbitrary control OF
the Western nail trade. Under this au
thority prices will be regulated, proiuc;
restricted and other measures adopted
which may be considered necessary. The
meeting was in session until late hour
this evening. To morrow another meeting
will be held and all prelimiDariss arranged
Stocks were reported light and orders
plenty. Card rate not changed.
thta auon,no ~ -