Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-10-27
A STATE INDUSTRY.

Recently, at Grafton, q meeting was held
of parties interested in the manufacture of
sugar hooks and other East India cooper
age along the line Of the B. & O., at Grafton,
and organized to protect the interest OF that
industry 1t was resolved to ask intcrven-
ton Of Congress in their behalf, to ask other
shook dealers to cooperate, and to send a
delegate to represent the case to Congress.
The cause Of the present organization Is
that these shocks, which are made from
timber not otherwise merchantable, have
heretofore been made in great quantities on
the line Of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road but that now, owing to the competl-
ton Of English gunny bags, the trade Is
threatened with extinction:
This industry is a very important one in
this State and is threatened by extinction
by dangers which can only be removed by
national legislation. There are thirty-two
firms engaged in the shook business in this
State. In 1883 it is estimated that 500 men
were employed and the output of shocks
for West Virginia amounted to oOO,OOO.
Since that time the English gunny bags
have been making steady inroads upon the
shook trade aided by the Spanish govern
| ment, and it seems without this aid no bags
| would be used at all. But last year, owing
| to these facts, the West Virginia firms only
| gave employment to $50 men and manutac-
tured only 100000 shocks. In two years this
Aourishing trade will be dead if not attend
| ed to at once.
The following letter from well-knoWn
firm of commission merchants doing bust.
ness in West India cooperage shows the
present condition of affairs:
"We regret to tell you that The outlook
for shocks this season is most discouraging,
and unless we succeed i'll obtaining the de-
sired relief from our Congress this winter,
the West India cooperage business will be
ruined. This year there will not be over
100000 shocks needed for the Island of
Cuba, against 100000 three years ago, AMI
| this has all come about from the reduction
Of export duty by the Spanish government
on sugars when shipped in English or
Spanish bags, instead of as formerly in
American hogsheads.
"The cooperage business of this country
with the Island of Cuba alone, formerly
amounted to So 100000 each year, and the
great bulk of this money was paid out for
labor in tho making Of shocks, heads end
hoops. 1t gave employment to large
number of men, many Of whom are now out
/
the goods to a shipping point, and 10
large fleet OF vessels in transporting the
eooperage to the West Indies. Ii the
cooperage business stops, our American
vessels will hayo no cargoes to carry to
the w. l., and they cannot go in ballast
and successfully compete with the Eng
lish ocean tramps in bringing sugar to this
country, and this country, please remember,
takes nine tenths Of all the sugar made in
the w. l. The only possible relief from
this great I'M ustice must come from our
| Congress, and must be in a reduction Of
about three.eighths of one cent per pound
on our present duty on sugar, when same is
imported in hogsheads duty on sugar in
bags remaining as now. Of course nothing
can be accomplished unless with the con-
certed action Of every body interested in the
cooperage business. We think all the New
Eng land States, New York, Pennsylvania,
Maryland and the two Virginias, can be
counted on sure, if the matter is intelligent
~ laid before the congressman Of these
States, and as nobody can be injured by the
proposed reduction, and great industry Of
our country saved, it seems to Us there can
not be much opposition from any source.
But unless we are determined to make
strong, persistent and intelligent fight,
|
now, and allow the insolent Spanish
government to do as they please in the
destruction Of our commerce, and with
out even protest from us. In the words Of
the late lamented Boss Tweed they arc say
ing, what do you propose to do about it 2
Hoping you will do all you can to assist in
the good work by getting your local papers
interested, and taking pains that your Con-
gressmen are we'll posted On the subject. We
are very truly"
BY the above letter will be- seen that de-
cisive and immediate Congressional action
is necessary to protect the interest Of the
shook dealers. That such legislation would
not be discrimination is proven by the fact
that hogshead is in itself much better
and more easily handled package for sugars
| than the gunny bag is, a fact recognized by
| warehousemen and others in the trade. 1t
is only by a combination between Spain and
England that the bag can supercede the
hogshead as it is doing at present. The
remedy for this evil has been pointed out
and the people of West Virginia should see
to it that their representatives in Congress
give this matter their earliest attention as
its Importance deserves. fredericksburg I W.
Ju.) State Journal.
Virginia, and particularly this portion Of
it is interested in this business.