The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1885-05-01
Future of the Slate Trade.

The Slate Trade Journal tor April contains
the following which will interest many
readers:
There exists well grounded belief among
slate men that the future of he slate trade
is far more promising than the past has
proven itself to be. The slate industry is I'M
questionaby still only in its infancy-not in
point of time, but in process of Development
The reason why this Development has been
of such slow growth is evidently due to force
of circumstances rather than the necessity
of the case. The need of good, substantial
roofing material has existed ever since houses
were constructed for sheltering human be-
ings. Slate was known to answer this pur-
pose as early as the twelfth century, and in
this enlightened nineteenth century We begin
TO realize that no known material is so well
adapted to all the requirements of good roof
ing material. In the mean time experiments
have been made along the whole line, from the
matched to the tile and metal roof showing
a constant demand for something better yet
with an abundance of material at hand we
find at this time, and in this progressive land
of ours, less than one roof in one hundred is
constructed of slate, and even in the great
State of Pennsylvania, where the slate indus
try has assumed its largest proportions, slate
roofs do not constitute 30 per cent. of the
whole number proofs, while in our border
State, except Ohio the percentage is still
smaller. This state of affairs is not due to
limited or restricted supply, for the supply is
regulated by the actual demand. There are
still entire square miles ofundeveloped slate
beds in the already known slate districts
which might have been opened and develop
ed iftherc had existed demand for the pro-
duct to make its manufacture remunerative
While this actually appears to be the case, the
known slate area of this country is insignifi-
cantly small to furnish the product necessary
to meet the demand which, under all the Cir
cumstances, might be reasonably expected
This apparent or fictitious demand, however,
does not exist, and hence arises the most sim
gular paradoX-a manufactured article for
which there exists universal necessity, in
point of economy unequaled, and an abund-
ant supply of raw material, yet the demand
for the product is not sufficient to render the
industry either remunerative or to stimulate
its growth by inducing capital to embark in
its prosecution. The coming generation of
slate men will solve the problem by revolu-
tionizing the slate industry and establishing
and conducting it on business principles.
There is no enterprise of one-half the mag
nitude of the slate business, that during the
same period of time has consumed so small
a quantity Of printers ink, and been con-
Quoted with such limited measure of
business tact and ability, as the past history
of the slate industry shows, and this proba-
bly, is the true explanation of why the area
OF slate roofs in this country is so limited
when compared with what might be reason
ably expected. The majority of roofers and
builders know very little about slate, and
still less of its properties and qualities as a
roofing material This knowledge is confin.
ed to n very limited circle, instead of being
universal, as it should be, with the exception
of a very few dealers, who pushed this pro-
ject into new territory, educated the public
in its use, and it is hoped profited by their
enterprise. Slate men have let the golden
opportunity pass, in idle waiting for the
trade to find their product, and carry it, they
knew not and cared less, whittier.
The slate trade is apparently on the eve of
revolution in this respect, as indicated by
the steps taken by the so-called Slate Elk.
change of Lehigh and Northampton counties,
Pa, towards recognizing on plan similar to
the Produce Exchange of Now York and
Philadelphia. 1t would probably be start
ling experience for some of the old time slate
operators to go on Change, and sell their
entire seasons product in the twinklng of an
eye, or to watch the bears" knock the bot
tom out of a seasons profits, and the "bulls"
tossing up the prices after the bewildered
and uninitiated dealer had sold on an appar-
emily breaking market; but some practical
experience of this kind would soon develope
the proper amount of caution. 1t is to be
hoped that the members of the exchange will
fully examine into the merits of this plan,
and by adopting it increase the future of the
organization which has, in the past done
more for the slate trade than the projectors
originally dreamed Of or most of its members
appreciate.