Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-11-01

not operate them Of late as they did
formerly, If they possess such an
advantage over Western manufacturers as
is claimed? Why is it that but one nail
mill has been built in New England in the
last thirty years Dob Leonard's, at Som
erect, Mass, working mainly on special
ties)' while thousands of nail machines
have been put up west Of the Alleghsnies
during that timer Simply because there
was, and lie, money in the business In the
West, and there was no money in New En-
GLAND. The same relative difference in
wages has always existed between the New
England States and the West, and Hau
mills have multiplied while there are less
mills in the New England States than
there were ten or twenty years ago The
nails made at the Providence, K. L,
works. and those made at the Ware
ham works went into the New
York market. The works at Providence
have not made nail for some ten years.
The works at Wareham have made very
few nails for several years, have been OPP
Grating but eight machines OF late, making
small nails. The works at Weymouth
have skipped their product into Boston
market" as also the fremont iron works
At West Wareham. These mills have done
much better than those sending their pro
duct into New York. Why is this sol The
mills shipping their nails into New York
supplied the Southern and the California
market. The New Epgland mills lost both
of those markets to great extent, if rot
wholly, years since. If they have such an
advantage over the Western manufacturers
in the matter of wages, and with cheaper
transportation to those points 10y water,
Why did they not keep those markets.
Simply because they could net
compete with the West" even
with this much talked of difference in
wages. The West could pay higher wages,
and freights, and yet haze their market,
and finally close up some OF their works.
Why is it that this has not happened TO
the Weymouth and fremont works who
ship their nsils to Boston2 Simply BE-
cause Western competition has not been
so great in that market. The cry In the
East for years has been that the West was
killing the Eastern trade, audit has proved
true, although starvation wages have been
pad there. We say starvation wages,
because we know that on the whole,
the wages of the New England
nailers for the past ten years has not been
sufficient TO give them decent living.
That the manufacturers have not Jared
much better there is shown by the fact
that several of their mills have been
compelled to close down. In view OF these
facts, does it appear that the Western nail
manufacturers were compelled to force
this Wholesale reduction in wsges? A re-
duction OF Is Ier cent. IN the waves OF the
workers in the mills affects the business in
terests of the town much The same IS the
permanent closing down Of rs per cent. of
the manufactures. Is this thing to be
desired, we ssk2 Ought it to be, ii it can
be prevented If we believe it is right TO
strive for the greatest good to the greatest
number" it certainly is not To SUM it
all up. it amounts TO this, in our opinion:
The Fail manufacturers Of New England
have not been able to pay the paltry wages
that have prevailed in that section "and
i've" while the nail manufacturers and
manufactures Of the West have
increased and multiplied ex-
ceedingly. If necessary we can give the
figures to prove that the nailers of New
England have not made ordinary day la.
borers' wages for the last ten years, when
averaged. Is it any wonder, then, that
such towns as Wareham, whose main de
pendeuce is the mailing business are dead?
Dothe business menotWheeliDg desire to see
the same state of affairs existing hereH
ITSTrCr