Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-06
HARD TIMES ON THE WANE
PENNSYLVANIA IRON MEN
GREATLY ENCOURAGED.


Many Assumptions Reported Which
Give Work to Thousands of Men
10000 Hands Made Idle, however,
Near Wilkesbarre, but the Duration of
the Suspension Indefinite.
PITTsBURG, PA, Jan. 5.-The iron trade
is beginning to show signs of reviving,
Shoenberger's old mill and nail factory
started up to-day after a suspension of
several weeks.
The finishing and pudding departments of
Zurg q Co. have also resumed, and the bar
stone Bridge COmpany's works there was a
resumption in all the departments at a slight
reduction IN the wages OF all the employees.
except those governed bY the Amagamated
scale. By these assumptions about 500 men
are given employment. Secretary Martin of
the Amalgamated Association, says that the
scale for this year at the Bessemer
works of Homestead has been signed with a
reduction of Is per cent. in the blooming, and
y per cent. in the converting department:
and, as the plant has not for some time been
regarded as a rail mill, a 33 per cent. reduce
tiOn in the rail mill demanded, does not affect
the wages of that class in the other Besse-
mere plants. He cOntradicts emphaticalfv
the report that the Milwaukee Bay View Iron
Milf Lodge, of the Amalgamated Association,
had accepted a reduction without consulting
with the general office of this city. The re-
duction OF wages there applies only
to union WOrkmen, Dresa dis
patch from Milwaukee brings a similar
denial from Superintendent Parkes and the
association men at these mills. Work was re-
sumed TINS morning with an average reduc-
tiOn of y per cent, affecting about $40 men.
who are outside the Amalgamated AssOcia-
ton.
A marked change has come over the various
business men in Pittsburg within the past
month. A few weeks ago they looked only at
the dark side of the picture, and could see
little. II any. hope for the future. Now they
think that we have seen the worst, and that
from now on 1885 Will show a gradual i'm
provement until the volume of business is re-
stored to its full proportions. The indications
are that the iron mills and
furnaces OF the city will not be
as orders are coming in more freely and the
stocks in the mills aud warehouses are very
low. The Amalgamated Association men
having accepted a reduction at the Home
stead Bessemer Works and signed the scale
for the year, it is thought that there will be
a cut in wages at all the steel mills in the
country. The works will resume in All the
departments tomorrow.
Among the other firms resuming to-day
were the following: The Westinghouse Ma
chine Company, 500 men; Cambria Iron
Works at JOhnstoWn, 5000 men; Long Co.
300 men; National Rolling Mill at McKees-
port, 5000 men; Oliver Bros. & Phillips
Tenth and Fifteenth streets, South Side
Mills, 600 men; Schoenberger's Mill, 300 men.
KNITTING MILLS START UP.
TROY. y. Y, Jan. 5.-The Racken knitting
mills at COhOes started twelve sets of machin-
cry to-day, giving employment to 200 men.
John Scott " Co. resumed on full time.
Leroy u Lambs Tivoli mills, the Riverside
mills, the Troy Manufacturing COMPANY the
Star, Erie, Standard and Elk mills and HOr-
rocks Vanbenthysen also started to-day.
The knitters admit that there is little encour-
agement In the prospect, and much discour-
agement in the price of goods, but the help are
taken into consideration, and for this reason
many of the mills were put in. operation to-
day. With few exceptions reduction of 10
per cent. in wages has been made.
TRAINS SUSPENDED.
EAsToN, PA, Jan. Slowing to the in
creased depression IN the iron business several
trains on the Lehigh Valley Railroad were
discontinued this morning. Among the trains
suspended was an iron train that had been on
the road every working day during the past
- years. This train hauled iron shipped
by Thomas Crane, the PaTyville, Bethlehem,
Coleralne and GlendOn iron companies, and
had not been idle a day during the time mem
toned. Its suspension shows that the sale of
iron at the furnaces in the Lehigh Valley is a
great deal less than during the panic ten
years ago. One of the other trains taken off
carried coal to the furnaces along the road.
The steel mill of the Bethlehem Iron Com
pany, which has been idle several weeks, re-
sumed work this morning.
The Lehigh Zinc Works at South Bethlehem
has just received a large order, which will
keep the works in full blast for sometime
Two hundred and fifty labOrers on this end of
the Belvidere and Delaware division of the
Pennsylvania Railway, were suspended this
morning until next spring.
FARMERS GO TO MINING.
GALENA, ILL.,, Jan. 5.-The Improbable
ness of agricultural labor during the past
year in this vicinity has driven many farmers
70 mining, and as a consequence large impetus
has been given to this industry, which for
some years previous had been only partially
developed. IN the .Galena lead region many
new and valuable mines have been discovered,
some yielding as hlgh as 2OO0 pounds per day.
In Southern Wisconsin hundred of farmers
and laborers are at work prospecting for
mineral, and several new and rich leads have
bt en- opened. Vast quantities of dry bore and
black jack, which a few days ago was regarded
worthless, is now used by zinc smelters and
paint manufacturers, The present indica-
tions are to the effect that more mining Will
be done in this section during this season Than
has been attempted for many years.
DANGEROUS WORK IN THE HOOKING
VALLEY.
COLUMBUS, o., Jan. 5.-The striking miners
had control of the wires in the Hooking Valley
Saturday night and issued false order for
running a special train from Buchtel to
Straitsville, which, if it had not been discov-
cred, might have resulted in great damage,
and probable, loss of life, as a collision would
have occurred if it had run as ordered. The
reports are that the wire is being tampered
with again. Bristol tunnel is still on fire. and
it is thought that its destruction will be com
pleted, and that several months will be re-
quired before transportation can be resumed.
10000 MEN AND BOYS MADE IDLE.
WILKEsBARRE, PA, Jan. 5.-The Delaware
and Hudson Canal Company to-day ordered
a suspension of work at Plains tunnel. in
Plains, and Nos. and 4, and the Laurel Kun
cOlllerles at Plymouth, all located within two
miles of this city. This order will throw
nearly 10000 men and boys out of employment,
How long the suspension will last has not
been made known.
RESUMPTIONS IN OHIO.
CLEVELAND, o., Jan. 5.-The extensive iron
works of Brown, BOnnell Il Co.. at YOungs-
town, o., which have been idle for sometime,
will resume in all departments tomorrow,
the annual settlement, and says that the men
will be paid in full up to Jan. l.
Five departments Of the Cleveland Rolling
Mill. closed three weeks ago, started O-day.
COKE OVENS RESUME.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Jan. 5.-The coke
ovens at Soddy Mines, in this county, $50 in
number, have resumed operations.
REDUCING WAGES IN THE DRY GOODS
STORES.
BOSTON, Jan. SIN two dry goods stores of
this city notice was given Saturday evening
of reduction in wages, and in one or two of
the other large stores part of the employees
will be required to take three weeks vaca
tion without pay.
600 GO OUT.
MOUNT CARMEL, PA, Jan. 5.-Six hundred
men and boys struck at the Belmont Col1ery
this morning against reduction of 10 per
cent. in their wages. The colliery is operated
by r. S. Bickle q Co.
INCREASED ACTIVITY ON THE TYNE.
LONDON, Jan. 5.-There is a noticeable re-
Vival of activity in the ship building interest