The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-08-21
A TALK wlru:A MAILER


Which DlseIoses some Pertinent Facts
Heretofore unprinted.
Areporter met q mailer yesterday whom
he kn ew to be pretty well posted on mat
tiers generally, and especially the work
inss Of his trade and the trades related to
lit. After few words about tho weather
and minor topics, The TsrEILtoEScEs man
aeked hisopinion concerning the prospect
of an early resumption of the nail busi-
ness.
0Well,p said he; 'sthey are not at all
flattering, but consider them rs good as
they would be were there no strike
or Extraordinarily on hands You see
there are good many OF the manuftctur-
era who do not care to operate, their facto-
ries now for various reasons. Its not so
profitable to run during the heated term,
as it Is in cold weather; some Of them are
making extensive preparations for the
manufacture Of steel, others are building
gas furnaces to take the place OF the old
style ones, and still others are making
extensive repairs and building additions
to their mills; aud on the whole, consid.
erins the very moderate demale for nails,
they are, according To the eagreement made
in Cincinnati, either lying idle or trying
the feeder experiment.
"what will be the Gnal result Of open
ing the factories TO the fseders2 r.
.Well, 1t will be Just this: In. few
months, say the latter end OF this year,
the managers who have tried the expert
ment, will be fully satisfied that their ven
ture has been q practical as well as o
financial failure. As. 70 the feeders who
have taken jobs, their actions bespeak
their character, and II they were nailers
they would not be allowed to run machines
In any Of these factories. The manly por.
tion of tho feeders number 90 percent, and
arc all with the nailers for the 81 cent
card, ana they will not be duped by the
manufacturer who will come with the
olive branch in his hand protesting to
bring peace in a time OF trouble, but who
will really slay them one by one as soon
ss they have carried their purpose and
brought peace to him."
care there many eastern nails sold In
weatern markets. "
.0nly when 0 'shike Is on hands,
and when the western stock has been ex-
hausted. During our trouble three years
ago, when nails were selling at from s. to
SIS per keg, the eastern men empaed their
warehouses into the western market,
but as soon as our factories resumed there
were no more eastern nails run in the
West"
@Well, how about western nails in the
east2p
"our manufacturers sell largely in the
east, many car loads OF nails being con-
signed to New York and Baltimore, and
some even to Boston" ~
"What effect would 1t have on the east
ern nailsrs II the western manufacturers
should succeed In enforcing the Cincinnati
scale?e
NThey would have to accept q like re-
duction, or the manufacturers would be
compelled to close their mills indefinitely,
for they have millions invested and eau
not get out OF the business; neither will
they ask their employees to work for less
money. Mailing has reached bed;rock in
the East and the manufacturers well know
that another turn Of the screw will make
heroic striker out OF the biggest coward
that ever faced bead atone.n
Here the reporter was handed letter
postmarked Harrisburg, Pa, which among
other things stated that the workmen Of
| four Of the mills in that vicinity had held
a Joint meeting and decided 70 send, II
Necessary, fifty percent Of their earnings
TO the leaders ofthe western strike.
Said the reporter's informant: "Yeu see
they too understand the meaning Of the
enforcement OF the Cincinnati scale as
well as do their employers. 1t Is nothing
bnt a gigantic ctlort 10 force the East out
OF the market entirely, and to accomplish
this great scheme, nailers, rollers, heaters
and ill the hands In the mills will be
forced 10 work fora plttanee: The East.
Tern manufacturers are q. Q disadvantage
| in making nails. Why, the difference In
wages in the East and w eat does not cover
tie al ference In the cost Of coal alone, 70
say nothing Of the difference IN freight
4 tolls 10 Western markets. b ii
Iu.snswer to another quess sion the mailer
drew letter from his breast pocket and
holding Il up said, This Is the wedge that
\ VIII split them from one end 10 the other
Tine letter referred 70, when held mp,
4 was found 10 be ritten unde the print.
ed heading of IN Eastern mai tirm, but the
written matter W mostly concealed 80 q.
| 70 make II impossible for the reporter e
i distinguish Ito entire contents.
Upon being asked how the nailer5 We're
prepared 10 stand q strike the speaker re
marked that he wls sorry he could noi
ten the fuIl particulars Of the movements
\ ON foot, ebut,p said he, 4the III justice q
the dsmanda and che methods employee