Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-22
NOT so MUCH WASTE
In Some of the Pittsburg Mills as the
English Visitors Thought.
EFFORTS MADE TO ECONOMlZE
The Most Unavoidable loss in the Man
ufacture Of Wrought Pipe.
GREAT IMPROVEMENT OVER OLD TINES

During the recent visit OF the Iron and
Steel Institute to this city, many of the dele
gates commented on what they termed a
terrible waste of material" in the mills
and various other manufacturing establish
ments through which they were invited to
go. These assertions caused some alarm
among the local manufacturers, as they had
always shown tendency to economi re, and
every effort has been made of late yeals to
keep apace with the iriumphs of invention
by devising ways and means by which the
waste product could be utilized.
However, there are Industries in which
the waste cannot be avoided, and that the
waste exists in the PIttsburg mills to an
alarming extent cannot be denied. 1t may
be that this waste results in no actual loss
to the manu- facturer. but if not, it is added
to the cost of production and thereby the
price of the finished material is increased.
The loss in the manufacture of wrought
pipe is probably greater than in any other in
dustry. Mr.. Boles, Of the American Tube
and Iron Company, was seen in regard to
this matter yesterday, and he said:
SOME WASTE A TOTAL LOSS.
"In our mills we have waste of material
which is always q total loss 1t occurs
through scaling, scarfng, trimming and
turning. The waste will probably amount
to several tons day, and as we pay S45 a
ton for the iron and can only get S1S and SIG
for scrap, we are losers to considerable ex-
tent With US there is no possible way to
use up the scrap. A few companies have
rolling mills of their own, ami they work
the material over the second time, thereby
reducing the loss"
Mr.. Miller, of Miller Metcalf & Parkin,
proprietors of the Crescent Steel Works,
said there was not so much loss in their
works, because they are able to work over
the most of the scrap. He continued: 81
heard some of those comments made by the
British delegates, but do not believe thev
meant an extravagant waste of production.
What l think they referred to was the extra
cost OF labor by reason OF the waste. The
English manufacturers are extremely close
themselves, and anything that looks like
extravaganza or waste anywhere else excites
their attention. But the manufacturers
here have always tried to cut down on tine
loss of material, and I think probably it is
a mistaken idea that the actual loss is US
great as people would be led to believe
tHG COmWeuLS Ol TIE DTIGlSu.
Manager w. L. King, of Jones & Laugh
lins, Limited, said: 1--WE have no loss to
speak of. We work over everything posi-
Bile, and what we do not use goes to the
scrap pile. And although we do not sell
the scrap we do not count that we are losers
to any great extent.
IT IS ALWAYS COUNTED IN.
"There is just this about it: In every
mill where there is waste Of material there
is an addition to the cost of the finished
work. 1t is counted as part of the cost of
production just the same as the cost OF labor
or the wear and tear of machinery is
counted"
Another gentleman connected with one
OF the mills said: 'The question of what be-
comes of the waste material has always
been one of interest. And while manufact-
urers are not usually great losers through
this waste, the material itself is used for all
sorts OF purposes. For instance, the time
was when Stag from furnaces was dumped
into the river or elsewhere and discarded
entirely. But now it is mined again and
made into asbestos or is used for ballast.
"a large proportion Of the coal mined
along the Monongahela is lost because Of
being broken up too fine to be burned with
profit. A device has been lately put into
use by which the dust is compressed into
blocks. and it is burned like hard coal.
Formerly the waste in mills was very
great, but of late years the manufacturers
have been able to either make use of the
material themselves or turn it over to
others"