Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-02-03
PITTSBURG.
A Crisp Bright Readable Review of the
Iron Situation.

Special Correspondence offhe Register.
PIrrsDURG, February 1.-The Oliver fail
ure was discounted by many Of the more
astute iron manufacturers months before it
took place, but upon the great business CON-
munity it fell with whitening effect. 1t is true
that the exhibit Of assets made by the firm
has been considered in the most favorable
light BY the creditors, and the several mills
will again be operated as usual by the Oil
vers
The magnitude of the failure however,
was such as to shake public confidence in
the iron business and procrastinate the re,
turn of good times in that branch Of indus
try. Harry W. Oliver, the main spring
of the firm, is wonderful young
man. For several years after
he had attained his majority, he was bill
clerk in the great firm of Graf, Bennett *
Co., and left it because they would not give
him an interest in it, He formed a part
nership with W. J. Lewis and Mr.. Roberts
for the purpose Of manufacturing bolts nuts
and other small specialties. Lewis lngen-
uity furnished the work for the few hands
that the firm at first employed and Oliver
managed the finances. A succession OF
paving sales, the acquisition of several good
mill Sties and good inanciering soon
made the firm second only to that
of Jones 4 Laughlin in Pittsburgh:
The panicky times of 1879, tried
the backbone Of the great concern
and at one time threatened its integrity
but Harry divers indomitable pluck,
backed by the means Of such admirers as
Senator j. Donald Cameron, and as rumor
has it. the late R. W. Mackey carried it
through, and with the return OF national
prosperity it became larger than ever.
| There is no doubt in the minds OF manufac-
mrers and some fnanciers that the early re-
turn of good prices for iron and its varieties
will enable the embarrassed firm to speedily
discharge all Of its obligations.
Every day intangible rumors OF great
business failures are current on the streets
bat thus far only one or two lnconsIderaoie
assignments have been made. The large
coal and coke firm of b. F. Rafferty, x 70.
failed this week. but like the divers an ex-
hibit Of its assets procured an extension for
il. The Srm does business in the Ccnneils-
vile regions,
Representative Cox, OF Allegheny, has in
troduced bill in the Pennsylvania House
to legalize Mining Camps. The object is
to allow the congregation Of striking
miners in large camps for the purpose
OF devising ways and means for resisting re-
ductious in wages: for collecting together
other miners to induce them to join them
and of transacting such matters as may
seem best to them. At one OF these camps
last year in Washington county, the ex-
cesses were such that information was
made against the miners for not and as
many as hundred were confined in the
Washington Jail at one time. Mr.. Coxs
bill provides that any infraction OF the law
riotous disturbances or overt acts shall sub
iett the campers" to the same punishment
that is meted out to other rioters.
Very few of the large number OF Pitts
burg laborers are in actual employment
now. The requisi6ons for aid upon the
guardians of the poor, the denominAtonal
societies and private charity associations Is
, something appalling. In nearly every IN
stance the request for coal, shoes or PROV.
sions comes from the wife or the moth.r OF
the laborer. my husband. or son, has had
no work beyond few days since early IN
the winter. or | should not be compelled to
come here is the stsreotyped plant: 1t Is
true that some of the mills are running. but
Il is only spasmodically s1d the results hard
" feed the laborers.
A Better Feeling. :,
The general feeling among iron and nail
manufacturers is one of confidence in the
outcome of the approaching spring and
summer. Offers for nails and manufactqred
iron at low prices are refused hourly and
the possibility is that nails will reach sZ.9o
within the next 60 days.
The glass business Is very much depressed
with no immediate prospect OF a revival.
GIass depression has probably been greater
his winter than iron, which IS saying .
great deal. .,
Grain and -four dealers and brokers laid
their grievances sgainst the PennsylVauis
Railroad Company and the PennsyiVania
Company before the Chamber Of Commerce
this week. The determinations agains'
P;ttsburpers are almost Incredible. 81
I,ouis. Chicago, ana even 81 Paul dealer'
can furnish both grain and -four TO eou
sume-s IN Westmoreland. CsmlBIa, kAyette
Huntington. Armstrong, and other coantie
tributary 70 Pittsburg much cheaper thai
those in Piitsburg can. Tais fact seem
| very strange in he face Of the other fac
that Pittsburg furnishes more tonnage thA'
J any other city on tie Continent.
; Window glass Manufacturers report
large increase in the number Of order
booked and this sggsE good trade tor u
: season
The coal miy.rs OF the PhruiE mSne o
! the Pan Hangle are sill oat oa strlki
ssd sse askIag aid from the oziSde..
; sVOtGAE.