The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1889-12-19
Active Iron Trade.


The iron interests are at the bottom
of all industrial conditions. When there
is healthy activity in the iron trade, al
other branches feel the influence anC
respond to the feeling which prevails if
trade We have heretofore mentioned
the fact that this and succeeding years
promise to show more than usual vol
ume in furnace outputs to meet enlarged
demands, both of steel and iron. The
construction of navy; the building O.
coast defences: the introduction of iror
into business buildings; and Other
sources of demand, combine to give the
iron interest an Importance never before
realized, and to stimulate activity in its
manufacture for ten or twelve years tG
come. The evidences of this feeling ac
cumulate daily, and show remarkably
the iron trade. The Philadelphia Press
of Monday week, with its usual enter
prise, contains reports from the various
iron centres of that State They sus-
give assurance that we are to have pc.
Rod of extraordinary activity in the
iron business. The Press prefaees its
reports lis follows:
Since the election of President Harri-
son and the assurance of a continuation
of the Protective tariff policy which has
brought such great prosperity TO the
nation, the important iron manufacture
ing industries of Pennsylvania have en-
tered upon q period OF renewed activity.
The Press presents below reports gath
cred by special correspondents of the
present condition and future prospects
OF the iron trade in the various manu-
featuring centres of the State, as we'll
as comparison of the rates OF wages paid
to the employees.
The total production of iron is expect
ed largely to exceed that of any previous
year. 1t is believed that in pig iron as
well as in steel rails the United States
will surpass England, and Pennsylvania
will hold her own in the advances made
by all the iron manufacturing States.
While the manufacturers, as rule,
object to the term ''boom" being applied
to the present state of the iron market,
with few exceptions they admit that the
legitimate demand for their products
was seldom more marked. Most of the
furnaces and shops are running on full
time, and not few of them are required
to keep in operation both day and night
to fill their orders.
There is a greater demand for labor
than last year, and wages are considera-
bly, better. A general advance in pay is
reported, the increase averaging from
to 10 per cent, although, in some few
instances, it has even risen to 20 per cent.
The manufacturers are receiving fair
returns for the work they turn out, and
there is every indication that the season
OF prosperity will continue for an indefi-
mite period. Details of the situation are
given in the dispatches below.
And referring to the effect of this stir
in iron making, the Press states the eff
feet upon wage-earners as follows:
The extent of the army of Pennsylva-
MIA iron workers whose homes have been
made more comfortable and whose fam
lilies have been better fed and better
clothed can only be estimated. 1t is an
army i'll fact. The census of 1880 shows
that the number was 57,952. These men
during that year were paid in wages
So, 095, $50 in producing raw and finished
iron worth 1854, SIG, 20S. Has the num-
Der doubled since then? Hardly Yet
there are iron men who think that the
figures have nearly doubled. No one
who will hazard a guess put it at less
than $4,000. The output may have
doubled, but that would mean a like in
crease in the number employed, because
OF improved appliances for increasing
the product without a like increase in
labor. Still the labor has increased to
marked degree. To-day iron capitalists
are building in Pennsylvania four fur
naces that will have a capacity equal to
all those of Virginia, which in 1888 turn
ed out 1896 tons.