Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-07-18

ers were introduced into many OF the iacto-
ries and the fight went brayely ON, both
si,Ios adhering 10 their positions.
For nearly fourteen months Wheeling
has been afflicted with a spell of dizziness
or sinoeuous desuetude" that has neceS-
sarily paralyzed to considerable extent
/ its business interests, and thousands upon
thousands of dollars that would have
otherwise been brought into the city and
distributed among her business men were
allowed to 90 into the pockets Of outside
concerns and to sustain and build up the
interest ofother cities, while Wheeling, the
METROPOLIS of West Virginia and the
boasted chief nail producing city OF the
world. whose goods have a world WIDE
reputation. has been dragging along IN
slow. hum-drum sort Of way that dlscOur-
a0ed her citizens, prevented Others from
settling here and caused some to leave for
the West and other points that gave better
promise of progress and enterprise, and
therefore brighter hopes Of success. The
mere fact that strike was III existence
seemed TO be a handicap, and had depres-
sing effect that was felt throughout the
city and became generally known among
business men all over the country. And
still the strike, though gradually knocking
the props from under Wheeling's former
GOOD foundation, still continued and the
prospects of settlement seemed to be no
better than when it first began.
In the face OF all these facts some two
hundred new nail machines were built IN
this city and gotten ready for work, al
though they were compelled to stand idle,
while factories, cooperative and otherwise,
were started in other places and helped to
take away the immense trade the wheel
| ing mills had heretofore enjoyed, Other
mills kept signing one scale or another
until mt last Wheeling was almost
left standing alone, shOrn of her glory, al
tbouOh mart of the members of the Western
| Nail Association had signed compromise
scale and started their mills, and Wheel
inc nailers and feeders went to other cities
70 SECURE work. This was booming the
old town" with the wrong end OF the
boom. as it were. But now CLEAN OF
light streams through the darkness, that
| win tx ~ probability gov kngS< i; c few
days.
when the rumor rapidly spread through
out the city yesterday afternoon that the
/ I.aBelle mill had signed the scale, 1t seem
ed to have an air of truth about 1t that
could not be mistaken, and faces on the
South Side especially began TO grow bright
er as the news was EphStantiated. How
did il come about, you askY
| Well. in some manner last Sunday Pres
idept Priest of the I.aBelle, and Mr.. Will
/ liam Creighton, q member Of the mill COM
mittee. got together in Pittsburg and began
talking over the situation This CONVEX
sation resulted in arrangements being
made for another, which was
held some time during the
week between Mr.. Priest and MeSsrs.
Newton Linch and Creighton. Several Of
these meetings were held and the little
points of difference discussed. This was
all done very quietly and not even the
acute ears of q reporter were able to catch
q suspicion of what was Transporting. This
was probably because the interest seemed
to be centered in the BenwOOd mill as the
/ first likely to make the break.
Yesterday another meeting was held IN
the office of the LaBelle, those present be-
| ing President Priest and Secretary Robin
| son for the company, MeSSFs. Lipch and
Creighton for the nailers, and Robert Stro-
bel for the heaters. The points of differ
enee were the prices to be paid the heaters,
and the question as to whether the
old nailers would all be taken back.
The scale for mailing was that adopted
by the Amalgamated Association and
known rs the PittSburg scale. 1t Is
a l7-eent scale based on sell
ing card rate of s., not running
below that point. and advancing one cent
for each twenty-five cents advance in the
selling price. The heaters are TO receive
SO cents per ton, one helper being paid by
the company and the other by the heater.
Fifteen tons is the average day s work with
the Smith furnace, which gives the heater
1915. Out of this he pays helper 81,
which leaves him S7.45 for his days work.
Wheeling is the only city where the
Smith gas furnace is used to heat
nail plate, and this caused the difference to
exist on that point. Each old mailer is also
to be taken back and given job. This can
easily be done, as twenty new machines
have been placed in the factory since the
strike begun, which will give jobs to the
! feeder-nailers now working
! All the old nailers seemed to be satisfied
with the settlement, and were very
| iubilant last evening. They will
90 to work tomorrow morning
Overhauling their machines and getting
| them in order for work. This will give
employment to some 300 men in all, and
already business people ON the South Side
begin to feel the effects of the boom, while
up town better feeling prevails.
A number Of other manufacturers were
spoken TO on the subject yesterday, but
they seemed 20 be unanimous in the
opinion that the action Of the La
Belle would not have any effect
upon them, and they would continue on
in their chosen path. OF course the La
Bellies action, however, caused a number
of rumors to become current to the effect
/ that other mills would sign the scale, the
most generally discussed one being that the
BenwOod mill would sign ON Monday.
The manufacturers claim no knowledge of
such thing, and say there is nothing
I in il.
Notwithstanding this seeming decision on
the part of the other mill owners, it is gener-
ally hoped, that now the ice has been broken,
the other mills will also make q settlement
and cause boom in the old town this fall,
the like of which has never heretofore been
experienced in Wheeling and which will
place her and her commercial interests
back upon the firm, reliable old founda-
tian that has heretofore LISTED hero among
the leading industrial cities of the world
LIS. Good&Co. sell dry goods the cheapest
CALL and examine goods on cheap eOun-
| Ter Mt ,JNO. FRIEDFL's