The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-22
LOWER FREIGHT RATES
From the Lake Regions on Iron
Ore, at an Early Day.
SOMETHING ELSE is NEEDED
To Place Wheeling on an Equality
with all her Competltors-Ipjus-
tIce of Coke Charges and the
Source OF Relief

The information has been received,
from source which, though not official
is considered reliable, that the freight
rates on iron ore from lake points to
Wheeling and Pittsburgh are shortly to
be reduced, There has been some talk
for o good while Of such production, and
not long ago a meeting Of furnace men
from this whole section was held in
Pittsburgh to exert pressure to secure
the desired reduction, and the uhnuisc-
turers asked for reduction from the
present rate OF 81 25 a ton to 90 cents,
This 90 cents they claim will place them
on au equality with points in the Hook
ing Valley, that receive such favorable
rates from the Ohio railroads, Andrew
Carnegie and Harry Oliver are credited
with bringing about the reduction,
which was agreed upon at a meeting Of
railroad officials in Pittsburgh on Mon
day,
The reduction to be made Is to 81 O5 a
ton, instead Of TO 90 cents, and while not
all that the furnace men would like, IL is
such an improvement that they feel very
good over Il,
II takes one and six-tenths tons OF ore
to make ton Of pig iron, so reduction
OF 20 cents per ton on ore, means a de-
crease OF SO cents per ton In the cost Of
manufacturing ton OF pig iron, AS to
the finished product, II requires about
one and one-half tons OF pig iron, and
about 500 pounds OF ore, to make one
ton OF finished iron, so that by this break
there is an actual reduction OF SO cents
per ton.
The change cannot take place until
after three days formal notice, and as
this notice has not SO far been given, II
will be some little time before the ADJ
vantage OF the reduction will be ielt. A
well.known Wheeling furnace man said
yesterday that the lower rate would do
much TO equaliSe things here with those
In the Mahoning and shenango valleys,
and would tend to reduce the advantages
enjoyed by Chicago on ores, though II
could not entirely do away with these,
since Chicago iron men pay only lake
freight, and In the Pittsburgh, Wheeling
and Valley districts the freight by rail
must be larger in any case than the cost
OF lake transportation to Chicago,
There Is another inequality In freight
charges which operates seriously against
Wheeling, and that Is the larger rate
charged on Connellsville coke to Wheel.
ing than 70 Pittsburgh. This inequality
does not concern Mr.. Oliver nor Mr..
Carnegie, and 80 there has not been
much influence brought 10 bear to SO.
euro o more equitable arrangement.
The freight rates on ore to Pittsburgh
and Wheeling are always the same. On
coke the rate to Wheeling Is now 81 30
per ton, while Pittsburgh pays but So
cents per ton. This difference OF 30
cents per ton againAt Wheeling is serl.
Gus. It requires ordinarily ton and
quarter Of coke to produce o ton
Of finished pig iron, which makes the
difference OF freight rates against Wheel
ing amount TO W! cents a ton on pig
iron, or 81 OFT a ton on the finished iron.
With brick stoves and other improved
Conveniences a furnace can produce a
ton Of pig iron for a ton OF coke, but even
with these advantages, the unfayorable
rates given Wheeling would be seriously
felt and the furnaces here nearly all, II
not all, having iron stoves, the figures
given represent the real difference in
favor OF Pittsburgh.
This inequality, the Wheeling furnace
men consider, can only DO surely equal.
lied bya new road to the Connellsville
field, which would compel existing roads
to make a more equitable schedule.
There Is another source Of relief from
this injustice which will be available
ere long, and that Is the coke regions
now being opened up and developed by
ex-senator Camden and his associates in
this State. These fields are easily &C.
cessible to Wheeling, and when the con.
neCtions needed are secured, assurances
have been given that coke will be put
in Wheeling on an equality as to freight
charges with the Conceivable coke at
Pittsburgh: The coke has stood the
test, and Is pronounced fully as good in
all particulars as the Connellsville pro.
duct.
SO far, no official notice has been re.
ceiyed here Of q change in rates on ore,
but as the Pennsylvania company is
among those in the agreement, Wheel.
ing cannot fall to enjoy the advantages
OF the change, and the other lines will