Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-30
At the Status of Business During the
Week in the Staple Industries
of the City of Iron.
CONDITIONS REMAIN UNCHANGED.
Some Probability That Window Glass
Will Follow the Rise in the Cost
of Raw Materials.
LOOKING TO UNIFORM SELLING RATES.
Prospects That the Westinghouse Diffculty May
be Soon Settled.


was said of it in this review last week holds
equally good to-day. Bessemer moved
slowly at SIS 80 to SIS rs, prompt delivery,
but grey forge and mill irons are sold right
along at firm prices. without buyers receiv-
ing any chance from manufacturers of con-
tracing ahead at current rates. There is O
very general belief that bottom prices have
been touched, and while there is no expecta-
tion of q wonderful increase in prices along
towards the winter, the trade is disposed to
regard the outlook as encouraging.
Muck bar still continues in brisk de-
mand, and structural iron is in good re-
quest, with indications for aslight advance
in prices, Merchant steel and blooms and
billets are reported as moving trifie slower
during the week, but the business in steel
plates and rails has been brisk.
There has been q noticeable scarcity OF
iron workers for some time past Puddlers
especially are reported as very scarce, and
several mills desirous Of going on double
turn now that cool spell of weather has set
in, are unable to find men to man the fur
naces. Howe, Brown & Co. intended going
on double turn this coming week, but can t
find the help, and at Zug & Co.'S there is a
similar complaint. The cry during the
week that mills had to close down temporar-
lily for want of gas had little truth in it,
but not so much as because men could not
be obtained to run the furnaces to their
capacity.
IRON WORKERS SCARCE.
There are said to be considerably fewer
iron workers in the district now than there
were last year. Many have gone West "to
grow up with the country" and not few
have immigrated to the South. In both in
stances better rate of wages is assigned as
the reason, though the fact is questionable.
During the heated term, too, good many
men knock of, and prefer to "bum" on
their friends and the public rather than
follow up their occupation. These may be
expected to turn in again when the cold
weather sets in.
Fall operations in the coal trade have not
set in in such way as vet as to foreshadow
to operators whether they may look for any
better trade this year than last. River men
speak cheerilY of their prospects, and are
preparing to stock the lower markets with
the first fall freshets. Prices there receded
little during the last couple of days, but
only in temporary sense, it is thought, due
to the full million bushels sent down on the
sudden rise in the river. The output from
the railroad mines was reduced this week
from the previous, owing to the crowded
condition of the roads. While the trade is
good and prices maintained, operators are
held in check, owing to the reasons as
signed. This is attributable, in a great
measure, to the strike on the New
York Central. Consignees have experienced
delays in sending their goods over that
system and have directed their traffic to
other lines. Of these the Pennsylvania sys-
tenn has had to bear the brunt of the attack,
and in addition to its ever increasing busi-
ness has had to find room for large proper
tion of the New York Central's trade.
Hence the blockade in the transferring yards,
already too small for the traffic.
SHORTAGE OF CARS.
The coke market is in healthy condition,
but operations are disturbed by the scarcity
of cars, and the inability of the roads to
supply transportation facilities are due as
much to the causes assigned above
as to an actual scarcity of cars
to supply the demand. The Western
demand especially is very brisk. Despite
the shortage, there were 375 cars more
shipped during this week than in the pre-
vious. This increase was mainly to the |
West, where 200 cars more were shipped, as |
against falling of of 12O to the East.
The shipments to this point were increased |
by 300 cars.
The transactions in window glass during |
the week were moderate, and business |
generally quiet. buyers holding of to see
what the profits will be when the factories |
start up. While manufacturers are not dis
posed 10 say that an advance in prices is
imminent, it must be said that there are in
dications that way. The market for the ma
tive glass is based on the prices of the
French article, and reports from
abroad would indicate that foreign manu-
facturers will have to follow in the line of
American and take the question of labor
into account, The strike In Belgium must
show foreign owners the direction in which
labor is trendIng, and they will have to
take account with increased cost of manu-
facture, as the coal operators have had to
recently. But what would indicate more
strongly that rates will be advanced is the |
intimation lately received by manufacturers
that future contracts for salt cake-whlch
enters as a material consideration into the
cost OF window giass-will be entered into at /
an advance of II per cent for the next years
supply.
It is just possible that the question may
be broached at the adjourned meeting of the
manufacturers to be held in Chicago on next
Tuesday. This is an adjournment from the
meeting in the Auditorium on the 18th, at
which committee OF three was appointed
to consider and devise some means by which
PRICES CAN BE MAINTAINED
ut q uniform rate throughout the country.
This committee was directed to consult with
manufacturers, and report at the meeting
on next Tuesday. The members, viz: w.
ID. Keyes, of New Albany, Ind; j. +.
Hart, Muncie, Ind, and James A. Cham
bers, of this city, met at the Monongahela
during the week, and conferred with local |
manufacturers on the subject. 1t has been
reported that consolidation of all the fac
5ories in the country will be effected, but
this is put down as mere sur
mise, and has no reference to what
will be done on Tuesday. Consolidation
has been before attempted, and has proved
to be ineffective. About the only thing
that can be done in q practical way to pre-
vent the underwriting that now obtains, is
10 get manufacturers TO join in q mutual
compact TO be bound by prices fixed by
board of control. Whether even this ar
rangement can be accomplished remains to
be seen from the result of the meeting on
Tuesday.
The flint glass trade.generally is good, and
the green bottling business is reported as
picking ur. Bottles will stand in manu-
far a rrn0r hon oNt 4