Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-25
OVER A MILLION LOST.
Pittsburg Manufacturers Being Pre-
vented From Making Nails.
CANNOT COMPETE WITH WHEELING.
Amalgamated Association Scale is Held Re-
Responsible.
NEW STEEL PLANT FOR M'KEESPORT

NEW olE1n IhANI run III hEEofVhT
In the course of conversation yesterday
relative to the nail industry of Pittsburg.
Mr.. Joseph j. Davis, formerly nailor in
Jones & Laughlins' factory, gave some in
teresting facts and figures. As starter, he
said that not a nail mill is now running in
Pittsburg. The capacity of the mills now
lying idle is about 625, 900 kegs per year.
At So per keg this would represent 81 ,25O,-
900 now lost to Pittsburg and going in the
Golfers largely OF Wheeling firms. Further,
over 500 men have been compelled to seek
other employment or leave Pittsburg. Con-
tinuing Mr.. Davis said:
'I claim that the Amalgamated Associa-
ton is largely to blame for this state OF al
fairs. Their scale for heating nail plates is
20 cents per ton, while the Wheeling manu-
facturers get the same plates for 30 cents
per ton-a clear discount of 100 per cent.
AS for rolling plates the Pittsburg manu-
facturer has to pay 63 cents per ton, while
IN Wheeling only As cents are paid.
DRIVING OUT TRADE.
1.-THE result of this difference in prices
is driving the trade from Pittsburg until it
is utterly impossible for Pittsburg manu-
facturer to compete with the Wheeling
firms. To prove that the Pittsburg firms
are handicapped it is only necessary to state
that they are now buying nails in Wheeling to
supply their customers, and claim, with good
grounds. that they buy them cheaper than they
can manufacture them.
1.-THE Amalgamated officials seem to ignore
this state of affairs and year after year present
the same scale. 1t is time the people OF Pitts
burg are made aware of the conditien in which
the nail industry is in this city. Outside Of the
manufacturer end of the question, comes
that of the nailors who have homes here They
other trade or work. The Amalgamated
officials may say that the mills in Wheeling
where these low prices prevail for nail plate.
heating and rolling, are black sheep mills
and are not governed by the rules or scale OF
the association, but they can't deny that the
nailors who cut the iron or steel into nails, are
members In good standing of the Amalgamated
Union. And, IL the Amalgamated union nailors
in Wheeling are allowed to cut up black-sheep
iron or steel into nails, where does the
Amalgamated Association stand on this ques-
tion Of having one uniform scale for heating
and rolling nail plate?
Jones 4 Laughlins shut down ON March 8,
and say they will not run as long as they can
buy nails cheaper than they can make them
Shoenberger's factory has not run for two
years, and G General Fitzhugh says they will not
run under the present arrangement. Neither
are Chess, Cook & COL running from the same
cause.
THE LOSS TO PITTSBURG.
Shoenberger's factory has 100 mechanics and
a capacity of 5000 kegs per week. Counting
only 90 weeks to the year makes the capacity
$50 600 kegs each year. Chess, Cook & Co. have
capacity of 1900 per week, or 2O0.0 900 per year.
per year. These added make the capacity of
the three factories 625 900 kegs per year, and
at 81 per keg represents 81, ,z5OOOO lost to Pitts
burg. And then again you must consider the
capital invested in these factories all idle now
and dead loss to the manufacturers"
Mr.. Thomas Cook, of Chess. Cook q Co., said
his firm had been practically out of the nail
business for about three years, only making
few now and then, to supply their Pitrsburg
trade which they have held for years. His
firm, after consideration OF the question, de-
other branch of the iron or steel business. He
knew nothing about the scale and said there
has been an over-production OF nails in the
country, making the business Improbable.
ONLY ONE DAYS WORK.
Mr.. Cook thought if all the factories in the
country were run for one day at their full
capacity, the output would supply the trade
for week. When the factories were running.
the result was that each got big stock on
hand and then commenced to cut prices until
there was no profit in the business. Someone
willing to step out and let their mill lie idle
rather than pursue losing policy. Why it
was that the Pirtsburg firms should be the ones
to suspend and the Wheeling firms continue at
the business, Mr.. Cook did not explain.
Whether the present scale had anything TO do
with the competition he was not able to say.
In an interview with Mr.. B. F. Jones last
night, he said: 'If the Amalganiated scale is
retained SO that the present wages will be Is to
80 per cent. more than what the non union men
receive, the manufacture of nails will be killed
IL hV,Nw
cannot pay them the large increase that they
demand. The West Virginia manufacturers
employ cheaper labor. and they could easily sell
under us and get control Of the market. 1t is
impossible now to estimate what the loss is, but
the nail industry in Pittsburg is practically de-
stroyed."
TALKS WITH OFFICIALS.
President Weihe, of the Amalgamated Asso-
citation, was seen last evening in regard to the
matter. He was disinclined to talk on the sub
ject at all until he was assured that Mr.. Davis
name was to be published as authority for the
statements previously made. He then said:
"The workmen in Wheeling do not recognize
us, and we do not recognize them. It is none
of our business what wages they get, or if they
get any at all. Previous to and during the
season or 1SS4-5 the Wheeling men were IN our
and were paid association wages,
which in that district was cents per ton more
than in Pittsburg. In other words 20 cents per
ton was paid in Pittsburg and IS in Wheeling.
After the nailers' strike. in 1885 the Wheeling
people dropped out of the association and
SINCE then have been working at less than asso-
citation prices don't know il the manufact-
urers will protest against our scale this year or
not But l do know that the scale has been
fixed and the wages asked are as low as our
men can afford to work for and live comfort
ably"
Secretary Martin was also spoken to. He
said: Heretofore the same price has been
paid for nail plate heating as for bar mill heat
ing-70 cents per ton. If our people were to
follow the rates established at Wheeling and
the same prices were paid for nail plate work
as at Wheeling, the manufacturers would want
to know why the bar mill nen should get more
than the nail plate men, when the latter has
always received the most. The adoption of the
Wheeling scale would not only take the nail
plate men down, but also the bar mill workers,
and perhaps the men in other departments
We don't propose to follow the example of dis
men and jeopardize the interests of
the majority to benefit the minority"