davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
DISSATISFIED IN KENTUCKY.
The Methods adopted by Democratic Com
mittees Causing Deep Disgust and
strengthening the Farmers
Alliance.
fspeciaI I)ispn,cll.)

LOUISVILLE. Aug. l4.-Considcrablc dis
satisfaction has been caused i'll several
sections of the state by the despotc and
corrupt action OF many OF the local demo
cratic COMMITTEES in securing the nominal
tions of several unpopular and incompc-
tent men for the different offices, and in
whipping in voters to support them in
spite of the protests of the better element
in the commpnity. In Jefferson county
to instance, tho local committee nominated
English for the Constitutional Convention
before the legislature had passed the act
authorizing such convention. Their ac-
ton caused considerable dissatisfaction,
and the committee was again called to-
gethcr by the chairman. But so great was
? The disgust among the committee them
selves that only half of them attended the
meeting. AZ they lacked one OF quorum,
this defective body elected member to
take tho place of one who had resigned
because OF his disgust Of the proceedings,
and proceeded to renonlinatc English, who
was elected over Judge Bullitt, though he
was in no respect fitted for thc position.
and Judge Bullitt was cmincntly qualified
to fill it. Public sentiment now loudly
demands Il reorganization of the party
upon purer basis, and Gen. Castcman,
chairman of the State Central Committee,
is taking steps to secure reform of the
party machinery.
1 1t has been asccrtained that the
Farmers Alliance, which is growing in the
S$tate, and causing the politicians much
-ious apprehension. succeeded in clccting
members of the Constitutional Con-
&ion. This organization has suddenly
Sclopcd unexpected strength, and is ex-
Wiling its membership so rapidly as to
keatcn serious results to the regular
bocratic organization. The dssatisfac-
n at the methods adopted by the local
Ahocratic committees in various coun-
j., has served to give the movement
POPULARITY and strength. Many believe it
III soon sweep the state, as it has done
HGe0rgia and Alabama
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
Financial.

General trade has been somewhat re-
stricted by extreme heat and much solicit
tude has bccn excited respecting the crops.
Chicago advices intimate that it is likely
the drought and hot weather NAV curtail
the consumption of goods in sections where
the damage is most serious. bnt up to the
latest dates very few orders had been can
cclled. In New York, among dry goods
j0bbrrs, there is an improved demand,
trade being better both there and in the
interior than for several years ut this sea-
son. The prices Of commodities. tea OK
cepted, are not pcrccptibly affected by
silver legislation. Although i. is coin
cidcncn quite noticeable that fcvcrish
speculation in produce, with wide huctua-
tions in prices, has characterized the deal
ings Of the wcck-bar silver rising
and gold leaving the country. As to the
corn belt, the latest dispatches say the
drought is now broken. Corn during the
week advanced about six cents per bushcl
Wheat is shade lower. with considerable
selling on foreign account. Provisions
are stronger. \ cable from Rio speaks of
stron. combination to control the Bra
lillian coffee market The Western petro-
lcnm exchanges and the New York Con-
eolidatcd Exchange agreed To list the
Ohio Pipe Line certificates. A Chicago
special says: The new bill of lading adj
opted by the Central Traffic Association
and containing the words mot negota
Bile, Was thrown OUT blythe Commercial
National Bank on Saturday. Shippers arc
using roads which have not adopted it,
The Interstate Commission sent out its
expected order reducing rates on grain
and brcadstuifs west of the Mississippi
River.
Gold exports equal TO $G,50D. 900 during
the week and the uncertainties caused by
silver speculation disturbed the money
martU.. to an unusual I.grre, 80 that
banking institutions are keeping their
funds well in hand. looming very little ex-
ccpt on call. Time money, in consequence
is trmcr, despite large disbursements by
the Treasury. Other disbursements, on
account Of interest and dividends payable
August ! reached the unprecedented total
of $l9,oOO,OOO. Money sn call WAS quoted
! a. ". Time money, % for GU days,
j u for four months and 81 q for six
months. on approved collateral CONNER
cial paper quiet. The hest doublc-namc
paper is quoted at ) % SD &5, and prime
single name at 81, a e u.
Exports Of merchandise from New York
for the week were $5,S43,I0O; total since
January !, $l9S,645,OO0, against $2O2, 3d.
600 for the same time last year; imports
for the week, $l2, lGl 900, and since Jan
uary |. S325,563,O0O, as compared with
$3D0. POP ,OG0 last wear
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
COST OF MAKING PIG iron.
PORT OF THE SOUTH AS 4 REGION
FOR MAKING CHEAP IRON SET
FORTH In COMMISSIONER
WRIGHT'S REPORT.
(Frmn the Manufacturers Record.)


When the Department OF Labor was
established by Act of Congress iii 1883
the commissioner of labor was specially
charged with the duty 81 asccrtaining ut
the earliest possible date, and whenever
changes should make it essential, the cost
of producing in the United States and
leading countries Of the world articles at
the time dutiable in this country. The
scope OF the Investigations thus provided
for WAS very bzoad, thN commissioner OF
labor being instructed to base his inquiries
upon definitely specified units of produc-
ton, and to show in his results the different
elements of cost, including tho wages paid
in each industry per day, week, month or
year, the profits of manufacturers, etc.
Immediately upon assuming the position
Of commissioners of labor, Hon. Carroll D.
Wright formulated his plans for this slabo-
rate work of investigation, and the agents
and experts of his Office have been at work
since December, 1888, gathering tho re-
quired material. In undertaking this work
Mr.. Wright selected as basis the mere
important industries, upon which the minor
industries largely depend. The industries
which Mr.. Wright chose for this purpose
were iron and steel, cotton and wool, glass,
linen, silk and carthenware. Ayust amount
of material has been gathered by the de-
partmcnt relative to these subjects, and
although the work is still far from compile
tion, the urgent demand for information
upon subjects now under discussion in the
consideration of tariff legislation, has me-
ccssitatcd the issuance. OF preliminary
report by Mr.. Wright upon the cost OF
producing pig iron, steel ingots, steel rails,
coal, coke, iron ore and limestone.
Like all Of the statistical handiwork of
the present commissioner of labor, the
report that has just been presented to.
Coagre IS is marked byits general accuracy
and its Intelligent grasp Of the subjects
under consideration. Naturally the york
! is one of great difficult as il il anyt ling
but an easy matter to induce . nlanpfac-
tarcr to open his books ID y yernnient.
EotfcisI md reveal the utt ermost secretss os
lfiie eost ss of his laiios and naateriais and
prpA Is upon his pradaetss II was only
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15

i els
in this manner, however. that the desired
results could DO obtained, and fortunately
Mr.. Wright was able to find sufficient
number of manufacturers who were willing
to give the desired information to make
his work ut once successful and valuable,
and although their identity is carefully
corceale |. tho country is under lasting
| obligations to these manufacturers, who
have generously disclosed such valuable
! information for the public benefit. All of
the figures that are embodied in the report
were taken directly from the hooks and
payrolls OF the different establishments,
and ihcir accuracy camei, therefore, be
questioned.
In his treatment OF the cos, OF king
pig iron. Mr.. Wright has selected for his
preliminary report the figures Of rs diff
icrcnt establishments. each OF which is
designated by number. There is scarcely
clcw to the identity Of any of the con-
Germs. and there is no indication of their
location beyond broad grouping OF the
works in two grand divisions-N0rthern
and Southern The distribution Of the
establishments is as follows: Northern
Observation-Disclosures, 3; Indiana. / Maryland,
!; Michigan. =; Missouri, l. New York.
): Ohio, 10; Pennsylvania, 81; West Vir-
ginia. !; Wisconsin. |. Southern district
Alabama, l3; Georgia, Tennessee. 6;
Virginia, 6. The foreign establishments
are: Belgium, 6; France, !; Germany. &;
Great Britain, &.
The information that is given by Mr..
Wright is presented without comment or
analysis. 1t is simply submitted in bulk,
and it is left for the reader TO digest it for
himself or else await the completion of
the final report. To anayzc the array of
figures would require the compass of
volume, and the most that can be done
within the limits of this article il to draw
from the figures u few details that bear
most directly upon the iron industry of the
South. After all the discussion and argu-
mcnt that has hinged upon the cost OF
making iron in thc South and after the
often harsh criticism that has been called
forth by figures presented to show how
cheaplv pig iron could he made in the
South. it is certainly refreshing TO read in
Mr.. Wright's carefully compiled tables a
confirmation of some of the Southern pig
iron fables" The figures not.only show the
measure of the advantage that the South
enjoys, but they also reveal in very specific
terms the exact character of that adj
vantage.
Let lis first compare the total cost per
ton, run of furnace, North and South, and
for this the deadly parallel column" will
serve:
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
THE S. A. & O. ROW.
/ New Complications and Proceed
sngs Against eates. Haskell
Gordon and Others for
Contempt.
Especial Di.patch.)


Ra,srot. Aug. I4-Judge Bolen has is
sued rule against Fl. W. Bates, Geo A.
Blakemorc, Robert Cox, ". A. RAIDER. +
Huidekopcr ]. C. Haskell, F. I. Barr &.
W. Hammiit, 4. i. Whitaker, W N. Bur
row. ". F. Rhca. G. b. Burruss, ". j. Cox
and 4. NJ. c. Sump'crto appear before him
tomorrow al Abingdon, to show cause II
any thew can. wliy they shall not be attach
cd and fined and Imprisoned for contempt
of court. in refusing to obey its orders
: Sheriff Hughes has served the sum
mons upon all the parties, except Gordon,
Haskell, Huidckopcr and Sumpter. who
have not lccn found.
The complainants have also given
notice to the defendants that they will, on
tbc same date, move to dissolve the in unc
ton granted in the ease by Hon. j. A.
Kelley.
The service of the summons created
considerable excitement here and there
are many different opinions as to the legal
merits of the case and of its final out
come
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
Cardinal Newman.s nenth.

ASnoN, Aug. 1.-The funeral services
Ithe death Of Cardinal Newman, the
Ment Roman Catholic prclate, have
NJ progressing for the past two days
3ssarc very Impressive. Thousands Of
Mrners have attended the services, both
aestants aud Catholics, MS he was the
&st popaia. dignitary in the Catholic
Murch. Mr.. Gladstone, among many
other eminent persons, was present, the
two having been close personal friends for
period of over fourty wears.
= ga 'dinal Newman was learned eccie-
astic, free from scctariah bitterness and
haticlsm, and his death is deeply
burned by all classes.
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15

OF these furnaces, Nos. s, 8, Is, II, 10
and 20 of the Northern group used mixed
anthracite coal and coke; Nos. "a and II
used bituminous coal and coke, while No.
! ran on all bituminous coal No Is of
the Southern group used hituminous coal
and coke. All of the other furnaces used
ali coke fuel.
The elaborate details which the tables
give enable one TO trace with ease the
elements of advantage or disadvantage in
the cost in each case. In the elements Of
cost that 90 to MAKE up the tota', given
above, materials figure in each case as
shown by the following table:
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15

The point that is brought forward most
prominently by these two tables r. the
greater relative cheapness of the ores
used by the Southern furnaces. The
smallest Gust per ton Of iron for ore. to
the Northern furnaces is seen obe $4.2,555,
which is the figure given for Nos13,
while the highest cost for ore in this
group is So, 1863 in. .sne case Of n o. ~.
AS comp the extremes the South
ern furnaces abow 81 Sill as the lowest
ore cost per toasos the product ard .s066
as the os and "a Respective.
:Iy. The ot ent d oE cfis That gs 10
;snske up that re not 1f sun eient
!siE iacanre ID recessi fate tlsetr der.
Il i'm 4 any sepS b at iaag ii hey sss
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
Congress.

AsnlNeroy, Aug lit is understood
Stariif bill! will come TO Il final vote
T. 50. Protests continue to pour in
pst the force hill and it is not likly
Hthe modified measure of tho Senate
70 passed at the present session, if at
eral republican Congressman have
Nly returned from visit to their
Sfs in the Western States, and tbcv
Aort there is no demand for the passage
Esach measure, but much opposition to
~ w
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
BIG STONE GAP, VA.
What has been done toward Laying
the Foundation for the Future
Mineral Metropolis OF
the Nation.
INTERESTING RESUME OF THE WORK

Ii will be matter of interest to the
readers of the Posi- not only al distance
but also TO many at home, to know the
exact status OF our varions public inn
proyements. With view to giving the
puilc this informaiion, a representative
of the Posr has made canvass of those
having charge of these various works, and
gathered the following items:
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
Killing frosts.

JOHNSON CRY, Aug. l4.-Sevcre frosts
,tre reported to have occurred Tuesday
snd "Wednesday nights all through the
SoEatains OF North Carolina. The leaves
thestreesa are discolored and vegetables
.sANAA The mercury was down to- 20
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
THE RoN FURNACES.

TIE IRON FURNACES.
Mcssrs. Byrd and Peters, the managers
or the furnace company, are men OF
business push, and from long
training arc intimately acquainted with
all the principles md details of
thc iron business. Mr.. L. j. Byrd, one of
the leaders in this important movement.
has had wide range of experience ex-
tending through nearly forty wears, and
i'll several countries Of the Old World and
all the iron making states of the New. He
has been connected with the building or
management of many very important
iron and steel plant in this country. With
all this practical knowledge AID sxpSYi-
cnce behind him. he has settled on Big
Stone Gap rs the one place which COM
hines in the highest degree all the essen
tlal elements entering into the cheapest
production OF iron and steel, and here he
has pitched the crowning work of his
| llic-two splendid tureaces with the COM
bined capacity OF 400 tons of pig iron
per week. Mr.. Byrd confidently claims
that he can make from the coke and the
ores which lio here in two miles of each
other, a pig tmo dollars per ton cheaper
and three dollars per ton better than can
pc made at Birmingham, or anywhere
else!
1t is no wonder then that no and his
partner, Mr.. Peters, arc pushing their
furnaces to completion as RAPIDLY MS nos
sible. Mr.. Byrd is experimenting tho
work here. and the heavy masonry on the
foundations is going forward satisfacto-
rlly Tramways connect the foundations
with stone quarries near bv The furnace
sites adjoin the S. Al o. r. and This
road and the Ian. will run switches
into the Yards. =
Mr.. Peters, aided by Capt jenkins, late
OF the S. a. q o., is at East st, Louis
H. experimenting the dismantlinr Of
IN inc Two furnaces, and their shipment here
II Will be remembered these furnaces
were built there two years $50 and were re-
not used at all, to speak Of. owing " 10 fhe
giving out of the ores ats Iron MI and
e'her adverse circumstances These gen
tiemen expect TO he in shape 70 blast.in
ABOUT eight months or less time.
THE COKE rlASrs.
T.esYirginia Coal and iron eou ,, ~.
| through their manager, Mr. X. art
Hfe % G"nnellsviil.s have berlen nj, s.t,.
i'i,lsl s. s.
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15

A.pof's hslA the engineers who have
s 'sa on thsfmryeying enterprise are
f., "s,! iafog.sle to the tunnel project.
,r'' ,'ofdoaf>ap the tunnel need not
). wv mi" in length. and can be cut atH
S CO; ssssss. .y.ks ri first sstisasty,i.l
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15

all carefully set forth in Nr. Wright,s re-
tport. The labor cost per ton does hot
lrNary materially between the North and
South, nor is there any marked difference
bin the allowances made for superinfcn-
dcnce and clerical work in the two sronps
under consideration, although these items
arc slightly larger in the case ofthc North.
ern plants. Tho average payments for
taxes are also very near alike. and the
same may be said of the allowance for
supplies and repairs. None OF these
items, therefore call for further atten-
ton.
There is much Of both interest AMI
profit in acioseranalysis and studyofa few
o. the more notable OF the cases OF lew
east That arc presented in the rabies that
have been given. Thanks to Mr. Wright-s
minnie details there il nothing lacking
save the names Of different establish
ments. Let us first take the cheapest
iron made in the South. and examine the
conditions under which it yrs produced
The furnace designed as No. ) shows the
lowest cost, SS,553 per ton. Although
no clue to its identity is given this is evi-
IDENTIFY one of the finely equipped modern
''"HNS III viz <AliDuHt6 ulStrlCt. IL IL u
single stack Is feet high by II feet bosh,
with four stoves and two blowing engines.
The period of operation upon which the
figures of cost were calculated was q run
of 365 days from January |, 1889 to De-
cember 81, 1889. The aggregate output
of the fnrnace during that time was
4l,272 gross tons of pig iron, an average
of lib tons pcrday. The fuel used was
coke, made at the furnace from coal mined
one mile distant. the fuel costing ut the
furnace $2.45 per ton. The ore was u
mixture of about two thirds hard red fos-
silifcrous, Containing 52290 per cent me-
talic iron, with onc-third brown hcmitite,
running 4S.GM per cent metallic iron.
These ores were mined twenty miles dis
tant from the furnace ana their average
cost laid down at the furnace was $0S4I
per ton. Including freight charges ut Is
cents per ron. In fact. the ore seems to
have cost but Il .trihc more than the lime
stone which paid II freight charge of b
cents for 30-mle haul and WAS figured
to cost at The furnace 5000 per ton. A
reorganization oi all tho elements of cost
in the production of iron by this furnace
gives the following result:
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
,ackost's Monument.

"a 1.-THE corner stone of
s a 2 ~ IS lett monument will be laid
farf ~ Fong's Springs. Col. Rob-
s sax v'V LIN, grandson of the famous
iona. "''eAe ssent. A large crowd Of
N Ncted to attend.
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
POPLAR HILL HOTEL.

Work has not begun on this much de-
sired structure. 1t is understood that the
improvement company is negotiating with
a company of Boston capitalists with a
view TO the latter's taking the eight acres
of ground and erecting Sl50,0OQ brick
or concrete hotel, after the plan accepted
by the company at their last annual meet
ing, and it is thought the negotiations
will be successful. This will relieve the
Improvement company of heavy drain
upon its cash assets, and allow that sum
10 go into other improvements, while the
public will he equally benefited by the
erection of this great building 1t is to
be hoped that this plan, or some other
feasible plan. will be adopted speedily.
and the work pushed forward Nothing
in the power of the company can better
show that they mean business, or better
strengthen the confidence of property
holders, and the public generally. than
the assurance of this great enterprise.
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
Total oI all costs per ,o,,.


figures for the Southern furnaces, those
thai have already been given indicating
their general character and the advanta-
ge, that lie upon the side OF the iron
makers in the Southern States But the
,oni..lst between The conditions of the
North and South will not he complete
without an ANALYSIS, Of the figures o.
Il rcprese ntatiyc Northern coke furnace.
Let uS take No. II Of thc Northcrm group,
whose total OF $i2,4al is the lowest cost in
that division. This furnace is only 63
feet high by II feet bosh, hu; it is a good
producer. as is shown bv its output of
1850 tons in u run Of }Ji DAYS, bctwccn
June !, 1883, and May II, 1889, and aver
age of % tons per day. The ores used
were specuar magnetic and hemafite of
ABOUT I'll per cent, metallic iron. evidently
from the Lake Superior region. as freight
is figured ut SO per ton for transportation
by rail and a lake distance Of 900 miles
Limstone was quarried ~ miles distant,
and paid 40 cents freight. while the coke
came l23 miles and paid 81 .35 por ton The
elements of cost in this iron may be SUM
mariscd as follows;
Ore, l.23I tons, ut - .615 per tom $5,745
Clndcr, scrSp, etc of s tom, 500 pr ton LOOT
iinlstanc, Dab tons. At $0.Sl4 per ton ... st;
Coke, Lib tons, at ~. I46 per ton .......... 32A
Total cost OF all materials . Sl0372
Labor .,,,,.--...-...........,. .$1.4o+
Officials and clerks. .-.--..... .lJ9
Supplies and repalr~. .....,.4.i..-. 4G1
iaSea. f.,.,a,t, .-....s,....t 02J
-2.GJ2
Total Of costs per ton. Sc 4a4
The remotencss Of the source of ore is a
conspicuous feature Of the showing made
by this furnace. To be sure, the orc il
rich and is therefore able To stand long
transportation. but il nevertheless more
expensive than the leaner ores of the
South upon which there il short trans
p0rtation. The Northern furnace cnjeys
the advantage Of cheaper coke, although
paving higher frcights by more than 50
per cent. Here lies one Of the greatest
obstacles with which Pennsyivania iron
makers have to contend, namely, high rail
freights. II Is not necessary to look be-
rond the tables given above far conclu-
siye evidence Of this Here is Southern
furnace that pays SIS cents per ton for d
El20-miic haul on It's coke, while The
Northern lpresumsbiy Rennsylyamia) fur-
mace pays 81 ,35 for d, hand of la5 milcs.
There are numberless other deduction
that can be drawn from the great raass Sf
figures which Mr.. Wright has prcscnted
in, his eliminary report, and ID soodsy
Volume might he filed Without iiifScuify
in an Snsleavor to- make Ar, exAa1s va
anal the statistiss. Deep ita The
tedious xork that III nees "a 81
bic the various elements of cost fEItl Ia
given k,,Cs d IS r. x III I,i,.s
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15

An analysis of the cost totals for the
twenty-five Southern establishments gives
the cost of materials AZ below:
The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15
re.aI Of all cos. per .on - IS:

After such n statement of extreme low
cost in the South, it is but fair that
similar showing should be made of the
elements in the highest cost of production
by Southern plant. The highest cost
given is $l2.9l3 per ton for the furnace
designated as No. - This is a much
smaller stack, measuring 81 feet in height
by III, fc9t bo-h. and having an aver
age daily output oi about IS gross tons.
This furnace ran ON a lean brown hrma-
tite-about -H.300 per cent, metallic IRON
mined within mile of the furnace. Coke
was used exclusively, paving freight
charge OF ~ cents per ton for haul of
l20 miles. The elements in the cost of
this iron may be stated thus:
Ore, 2:iI0 tons, Al $l.7T2 per tom. ......H 2lj
Limestone, .1S0 tons. at @.745 per ton $50. g6l
Coke, l.i2l TONS At $3.791 per ton. ........ 5397
T"til cost IT all materials $lO51,
Labor -....--,...., ,-,..e.. .$l+A
Officials and clerks .............-.. liz
supplies ai'l repairs .... 6ll
iaNcS -...------- ---......-- 1910