The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-02-18
SHOOK INDUSTRY
AND aow IT was PARALYzED.
Discrimination Of the spanish GOVsrumSnt.
West viIg'niNs Intsrsls In tbs Revival
Of the BuuinsSS-ThS Remedy Pre-,
posed to OVOToOms its PrOstEation.

Special Di,patch to he Llielligacsr.
WASHINGTON, D. G., Feb. l7.-A large
delegation representing several States In
Guiding West Virginia held meeting
here to-day, in the interest OF the shook
or stave industry. The West Virginia
delegation was headed by Hon. B. I. Mar
tin, Of Grafton, and included Martin L.
ShSier, Of Preston county, H. S. Wilson, Of
Grafton, j, Gal, Painter, OF Taylor, ], Il.
smoot, U. N. Orr, W, H Linn, Gus Shat
Ter and Mr., Stone, OF Preston county.
There we're also delegates from Maryland,
Virginia, Maine and other States. After
meeting at Wizards Hotel the delegation
proceeded to the Capitol and had an au.
dience with the Ways and Means COM
nittee OF the House, The interests OF the
shook industry Of the country were pre-
.snted by AIessrs, Martin, of West Virgin
"a; Reed and Willis, Of Virginia, Dyer and
Winslow, Of Maine, and Mills, OF Boston.
They were listened to with great Interest
and were frequently interrupted by ques.
tions from Msssrg. Morrison, Kelley,
breckenridge, Reed and other members Of
the committee.
lion. Is. \, Martin In his argument
alled the committees attention 70 the
iaCt that one oi the largest industries Of
Iur country, which had given employ.
nent to $4,000 laboring men is almost
wrecked,
TIIR AMOUNT INVOLVED.
"Three or four years ago, he said, this
country was shipping annually to Cuba a
million shocks, or thirty million slaves,
sixteen million double barrel heads an,l
many millions Of hoops, West Virginia
furnishing large proportion Of this great
quantity. Within three years this in.
crest has dwindled down, until last year
wo hundred thousand shocks ouly were
shipped. Iu consequence thousands Of
aboring men are out Of employment and
Mills ale idle everywhere,
CAUSE OF PRosTRATIoN.
The cause OF this decrease OF trade with
)uba is owing 10 the fact that the Spanish
government has disCriminated against
american hogsheads In regulating It's ex.
lort duties. Within tue last three years
iugar has been shipped TO America from
)uba In bags manufactured in England
md Germany, five bags holding 1000
pounds, costing but one dollar, while the
American hogsheads, holding the same
amount, are furnished for dve dollars
zach. On every 1000 pounds Of sugar.
therefore, there Is u saving OF four dollara
o importers when shipped In bags, The
Introduction Of the latter has paralyzed
Iur shook trade, which before amounted
% $2,O00,00O per year. The only shocks
used now are for the molRsses trade.
TlIR REMEDY PROPOSED.
The remedy, Mr.. Martin and the delega.
ton sug sestsd,' was to reduce the tariff en-
sugar one.fourth OF one cent per pound
only when shipped ia American hogs.
reads. This would make the difference
4 the four dollars expense TO be Offset as
he tariff on sugar shipped in bags would
emAin>h Me same al now, aud the shook
industry would revive. The sugar trade
would not be affected by this and Louis
ana interests not be interlered-with. The
delegation asked this legislation in behalf
II the American hogshead and the $4,000
aboiers who were out Of employment.
1t would also benefit our merchant ma.
line. SIX thousand vessels had been built
Turing the last few years for this trade,
nut since the cheap bags had come into
use none had been built. When sugar
IAN be imported In hogBheads at the same
expense as In bags the Oubsns would use
aogsheads. Mr. Martin said West Vlr
tinia was interested in this matter 10 the
5xtent OF hundreds OF thousands OF dol
lars. The committee gave the delegation
! very respectful hearing.