Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-23
WIRE MEN WORRIED.
|. W. Gates, Of st. Louis, Says That
an Amalgamation of Interests
MAY BE MADE HERE IN DECEMBER
Baltimore's Big Steel Plant Will Have a
Much Greater Capacity
THAN THAT OF THE EDGAR THOMSON

Traffic was not very heavy at the Union
depot last night, but among the passengers
were few who talked Interestingly.
J. W. Gates, the st. Louis wire manu-
facturer. went Westward on the limited.
From behind cigar in the smoker he had
few words to say regarding the wire and
wire nail business.
"While the volume of trade is large" he
said, "prices are so low that there Is moth
ing in the business. This is due to the
underwriting and disagreements which ex-
ist among us. We are now contemplating
means for reviving the association which
existed three years ago. We held meet
ing on the Sth inst, in Chicago, and it
was successful, to an extent in bringing
the matter to proper basis. Another
meeting will be held in Pittsburg on the
3Oth inst This will be very Important,
and feel that the manufacturers will this
time come to an understanding.
"Of what nature, Mr.. Gates?"
"Of the nature of an understanding where
by a uniformity OF prices may be main
tained."
"Will you form an amalgamation; CON-
pany?"
TALK OF AN AMALGAMATIoN. ..
"Very possibly" Mr.. Gates replied, "such
an outcome would be very feasible. I
talked with Mr.. Harry Oliver to-day, and
he is quite in harmony with such plan.
So is his brother George. So am l, myself,
for think that it is only by such means
that the selfishness of one or two of the
manufacturers who seek larger share OF
the earth than they are entitled to, and the
constant underwriting of prices, can be
obviated.'
Mr.. Gates is of the opinion that steel has
reached bottom prices. He has a hopeful
opinion of the new years prospects, and
cannot agree with those who hold that the
steel and iron trade has rough times ahead.
Mr.. Henry Aiken, the well-known me-
chanical engineer, occupied section on the
fast line. He was bound for Sparrow
Point, nine miles from Baltimore, where
the Pennsylvania Steel Company is erect
ing very extensive steel plant, under his
supervision. Mr.. Aiken said that the
plant would be far ahead, when completed,
OF anything else of its kind in the country.
Everything was IN forward state, and the
rail mill would be turning out material
about next April. The capacity OF the mill
will be from 1000 to 2,500 tons of finished
rails per day, or from 400 to 900 tons more
than the daily capacity of the Edgar
Thomson. Six lengths, or about $50 feet of
rails, will be made simultaneously, and
with more rapidity than obtains at Brad
dock.
VERY IMPORTANT FEATURE.
1.-THE mill will be remarkable" said Mr..
Aiken, 'fnot so much for its capacity
| which is only matter o.. size in anV mill
but for the fact that small output can be
| made at as equal cost as its greatest. This
| is the especial feature about this new mill,
and it is a very important one. The plant
| is SO constructed that the output can be
| regulated to suit the requirements of the
trade, so that one length of rail can be made
just as economically, in proportion, as if six
were passing through the rolls at one time.
/ believe that rails will be made at Sparrow
Point at a cost much, yes, much, below
| that of other plants now operating. The
| company put million of its earnings into
the extension last year, and it is hard to say
where they propose stopping"
From an iron and steel broker who was
traveller, it was learned that the Carbon
Iron Company intends to increase the capac-
| ity OF its plant at Thirty-third and Small
man, by one-half. The present output from
| the direct process furnaces is about 40 tons
OF billets per day. Enlargemen.s will be
made so as to make so. The other depart
ments will be correspondingly extended.
The company finds ready sale for its steel
| billets in every section of the country.
Much of its material is shipped as far as
| San Francisco for ship-building purposes,
and the extensions are due to the rapidly Y
growing favor with which the directly con-
yerted blllets are received.