The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-05-24
Ghe SMtellioellter.
0eies5 los. ~ aud ~ Fourteenth Street.



The Cut Nail situation,
A very important meeting OF the cul
nail manufacturers was held in this city
yesterday, the results OF which are given
in our local columns, Much that was
said and done at the meeting might have
been added to this report, in order to
more distinctly show the gravity Of the
situation that is upon this all important
branch Of manufacture ut this time,
1t is very manifest that the cut nail
business is seriously embarrassed II not
very pryply threatened as respects the
entire future. II is indeed time for serl'
ous reflection aud wise council, The in
terests involved are too great to admit OF
The longer continuance OF the apparent
ueglectani IcIay that have characterized
the management Of the business, Very
many persons in this region have their
allat stake, while hundreds Of others are
scarcely less deeply interested. AL
together the magnitude Of the invest
ment ID sucli us to make the crisis mat
ter Of more or less deep concern to the
whole employing and employed popula'
lion OF this valley
The history Of the cut nail for the last
tew years las been one OF gradual de-
cadence, The advent Of the wire nail
wus the initial point Of the trouble.
The great eut nail strike Of 1885 gave
the wire nail an Immense impetus to It's
growth. It Is now the overshadowing
nail in the market, It is almost the ex-
elusive nail in some parts Of the country.
There is no abatement but rather an
increasing demand for 1t.
This being the case, what is demanded
of those who lavei in charge the vast in
vesttnent Of capital in cut naiIsP Is 1t to
Drotract a state OF things that has been
found inadequate to the solution Of the
rrlsis? Or isit to put aside all prejudice
ard all hoping against hope for the re-
tnrn of conditions that are forever past2
Ia It to attempt TO fight each other as in
the past for expiring trader Is It to rely
upon an exp@eIe" SeH'Fa' ,oTiv" "
trade, which VIII at Des' oD'S p,'nS
-n.ltNl HaIiaf-N
very temporary ana pHl'al rei'e'-A
mere drop in the bncket-~ lnlS par
tiCular branch oil trader
1t tistime for plain talk It's Ilmo ior
the wise men in tho business 10 come 70
the front, or for those VINO trlllle uhueF
one pretext and another with the inter
ests Of stockholders TO 80 to tho rear IL
is time for tho stockholders themselves
to confront the crisis that threatens
them.
The altered situation in the whole CUT
cut nail business must be recognized anu
met The time when the maximum
amount Of mere metal can be sold us
nails has past. 1t is not iron or steel
but naiis the trade demands. AS many
nails to the pound MS the wire nail men
give must bo given by the cut nail men.
II this cannot be done the business OF
cut nails has played out and
Tho pretense OF keeping up machinery
Tor that purpose may as well be aband'
onod- This is an advance step that is
demanded ut tho outset and right now
Another step is tho regulation oil the
overproduetion Of nails. The senseless
business ofselling nailsata loss, under the
prctence OF maintaining an individual
trade, issimpIy throwingaWay the money
of stockholders and emasculatins the re-
sources Of tho whole community year Wy
year. The end will be the bankruptcy
otthemills and the corresponding injury
of every allied business interest
The motto OF the regenerated manage
mOnt OF the Erie railroad Is the much