The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-25
THE GUN NAIL TRADE.
Causes Of the Depression and
the Proper Remedies
A GREAT VARIETY OF VIEWS
Expressed by Men in all Branches Of
Trade ALlghter.woight Cut Nail
VIII Solve tho Problem-The
Steel Nail the ReIter Nail,

The local account in yesterdays IN
TRLLIaRSoRR Of the action Of the West
ern Cut Nail Association at It's special
meeting on Thursday, in suspending the
ten cent forfeit for every kegoi nails sold
over any mills allotment, and the edl'
tOrial on the same subject formed one OF
the principal topics Of conversation
about town yesterday, and as well ip
surrounding towns which are vitality in
terested in common with Wheeling in
the cut nail industry, 1t was not only
those who are directly interested in the
manufacture Of nails who discussed the
situation, but every class Of business
men; for all realize that the industry
which long ago gave Wheeling its SOU
briquet OF "the Nail City" was IN In
portant feature OF the business Of the
city, and that to q greater or less extent
It's prosperity or depression must SYM
pathetlCally affect every other local iu-
terest,
To the nail trade Wheeling largely
owes her existence Us a manufacturing
town. She enjoyed special advantages
under the old systems OF working for
this branch OF manufacture, and her
commercial Importance grew with the
growth OF her mills. To take away this
Industry now would be to deal almost u
death blow to the city,
Views were volunteered or brought
out by reporters during tho day from
business men in every branch OF trade,
Everybody knows that the nail trade is
depressed.
Why? is one question generally dis
cussed,
Is the depression, or Generalization,
permanent?
What are the remedies?
These are other vital questions which
are lust nov interesting the public, and
the answersgiven yesterday we're worthy
OF attention, ,
First, as to the causes Of the depressed
condition OF trade: The main one, and
tho cause first mentioned by everybody
who disCusses the question, is tho COM
petition Of the newer wire nail with the
older cut nail. Indeed, this is almost
the only cause assigned, other reasons
given being really but explanations oil
this competition, with the exception oil
one. There is i general belief, in and
out Of the nail trade, that there Is an
over.produCtion Of nails. There are too
many factories, and the factories arc too
large, for tho consumptive capacity oil
the country.
The lack Of wisdom In the manage.
ment which built tho mills up to their
present capacity, and then opened the
door for the wire nail to compete, was
seyerIy commented upon. The present
difficulties IN the manufacturers nsso'
citation, weakening II not destroying
whatever power for good 1t might
possess, was referred to Us but ono moro
addition to the already long list Of in.
stances Of narrow, sbort.sighted and sui.
cidIpally selfish policy on tho part oil
manutaCtuIGrg,
Tho cut nail trade was VeaEonably
prosperous until the strike OF 1885. The
mills were then shut down tho existing
stock OF nails was exhausted the de-
mend must be supplied, and what was
more oStural than that the wire nail
should receive the benefit
This made the competition OF the yiro
nail, already serious, actually formula.
bio. The proportion OF wire nails used
has lnCrcSOed every year since. The
already existing oyof.prodpctipp became
more disproportiopel 70 the demand.
Affairs In the nail trade went from bad
to worse, and seem to be now at their
worst.
As to the remedies, there are various
suggssttopg. One Of them is that the
nail factories introduce machinery to
make wire nails. With wire nails % a
part OF their product, they would natur.
ally have an advantage over the wire
null factories, being able to fill orders
for both kinds Of nails in the same ship
ment,
The other and iaYorite remedy was
that suggested in the editorial in yester.
days INTELLIdENcRR. When steel was
substituted for iron in the manufacture
OF cut nails, the dies were not changed;
that Is, the steel nails were made Just as
Dig AH Llb lTOu uutb' 4ulb WIS MhSCo
OF metal, as the tougher and harder steel
cut much thinner than the iron, would
drive as well and hold az vel,
The wire nail Is not the equal OF the
cut nail. A test made by direction Of
tho United States Government, under
direction Of experts, showe9 that the
wire nail had not nearly the holding
power OF the cut one, Tho natural
question, why, then, does the eonRump'
ton OF the wire nail increase? is easily
answered. There are more OF the wire
nails In a pound, and while they arc
sold alittle higher, they arc cheaper by
the hundred or thousand than the out
nails, and II they do not hold well, the
contractor or carpenter does not care II
they hold till alter he gets his pay.
II cut nails eau DO reduced In weight
without affecting their strength or hold.
ing power, II Is logical 10 suppose their
popularity would Dc regaIned. A better
article at as low price would rccapture
the nail market from the wire nails at
once and permanently, or the best
judges oftho trade are sadly at fault.