The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-09-08
EXTRA CHARGE ron STEEL.
The Bcnwood Stoprnge-postionS OF tho
Bcll:tire Men, 2t3ii .ssasiy!s;l; =. y

A"S A'S""oh a'StoVlistse-tOsltlOnr or tho =
Bcll:tire Men. & + II
The Bellairo Independent OF Saturday
evening contains the following significant
editorial utteiancc, evidently "in spired ~
The nailers in the Bcnwood Nail Works Z
have led the why, it seems fora strike for.
4 20 percent advance in'theE cutting .of q
steel nails. There was demand made on.
the company, and when the nalcrs we're h
spoken to about cutting trial lot they
expressed willingness to do SO at the adj
vance, but not otherwise; hence the shut
down, though the managers claim that
western competition has made ruinous
prices for them. .',sE- III;
1t looks now rs il determined effort
would be made TO enforce strike anonrIl
the steel nail cutters, as all connected with
iron nail mills seem 10 be working together
to bring about this result. II will not be
m easy task. When the scale was signed I
the first OF June it was the same old scale j
that had been signed for years in form. Il
except that there was clause which I
reads about this way: Sccl nails, where
harder, 90 percent advance. The scale
was signed with that proviso in it. Who
are to be the Judges as 10 whether! Il il
harder or not? Are the puddlers, heaters
and nailers, who never handled the steel 81
to be declared the competent Judges Of 4
the matter? It hardly looks reasonable II
that they should. s,5Es 553ss55.5s5EEecg
This question was virtually settled when
the scale was signed. The manufacturers d
had assurances that the naiors who Z;
worked the steel, the only competent i
judges in the matter, were 10 decide
whether the steel was harder to cut orE
net. They have worked, and the nnaili-. 4
nous verdict OF all conservative and fair-I8
minded (by, this We mean unprciudiccd)Ai
nailcrs is that the steel is not harlcr to cut If
than the iron. Indeed, it is stated that; !!
quite often they had TO cut iron that was n q
great deal harder tlan my steel they have
ever had. &,.2s=g ! JT5S[a atta
Those who arc fighting the steel nail
and the continuance OF work on it say the
evidence that the steel is harder is indis-
putable, because ut the Riverside works f
they had to take out their rolls and put. &
III larger, heavier and stronger ones. Atys
the l'ellaire works nothing OF this kind y
has been done. The old iron rolls ara 3
still there, and with them has been rolled 4
some bastard steel That was really harder,.
but the rolls used for the iron nail plate 4
have been kept runningrightalongon steel
plate, are doing the work we'll, and it is not \
improbable that the rolls ut the Riverside
works were about ready to break down
even had heworks continued running on 4
iron nail plate. There is nothing in flatia
plea whatever, and the prepondeance Of &
competent testimony is against demand i.
for an increase in the pay by the mil cut. Z
tcrs. Whenever there is sufficient con,pe- q
tent evidence that the steel used is harder
to cut, then the manufacturers will pay y
the price because they have agreed to, y, S,
and 1t is refreshing TO see the men stand HI
Ing up to their part OF the contract now. Il
Wheeling may squcal and squirin il she Il
will, but Ielaire workmcn and mannfac- 81
turers will stand by their agreement II
both will stick. tI'IiF :. -