Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-09-27
Business in Iron Brisk With Go0d
Prices and Steady Markets.
THE UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND
For Finished Material Keeps the Factories
Going Full Speed.
A REVIEW OF INDUSTRIAL MATTERS

the lowest accepted for lot during the
week. Gray forge ruled at S15. The ad-
vance deemed likely to occur just now may
have been built on the expectation that
stocks would have shown considerable
falling of. Taking the whole of the Bessemer
district there is diminition in the amount
on hand at the 1st of the month as compared
with the stock of the 1st of August, of &c, :
423 tons, but the decrease is chiefly in the
Illinois and Missouri regions, and is but very
slight in the Pittsburg and Shenango valley,
while the Mahoning Valley totals remain
undisturbed. The figures are: Stock on
hand on 1st September, Pittsburg, 81, 400
tons; Shenango Valley, 35 6S2; Mahoning
Valley, 45, 533; Illinois and Missouri, 81, :
344. On the 1st of August PIttsburg had
81, 474 tons; Shenango Valley, sc, 1858; Ma
honing Valley, 1926, and Illinois and
Missouri, 80, 906 tons. A difference of only
5000 tons in the first three regious-one
weeks output for a furnace-was not, as
markets show, sufficient to send up prices.
CONTINUED ACTIVITY.
Muck bar was in even better demand and
sold at $50 80 and S31. Reports from mills
are in the line of continuance of the pres
ent activity, and the demand for muck bar
will likely remain for some time. Finished
iron sells like hot cakes, and the demand is
reported as unprecedentedly large. Steel
blooms, billets and slabs show no cha nge at
$50 80 and S31.
In response to the invitation of the
American Institute of Mining Engineers
and American iron men in general, the
British Iron and Steel Institute will hold
its annual sessions this year in the United
States. This will be the first visit Of that
body to this country. The fact that it has
elected to hold meeting in the United States
on this occasion cannot be otherwise regard
ed than as a tacit recognition by Great
Britain of the fact that this country is
regarded as being of some importance in the
iron producing countries of the world.
Americans would be likely to urge that the
States now lead the world in their produc-
ton of iron and steel. Already some of
the visiting iron men have arrived, and
the rest are due to-day and to-
morrow. The proceedings will commence
City, with the session of the American
Institute. The first joint international
session of both bodies will be held on Thurs
day, the 9th of October, in Carnegie Hall.
The visitors will spend four days here.
To-day Mr.. William Martin, who has
been so long identified with the interests of
the Amalgamated Association OF Iron and
Steel Workers, winds up the business of his
Office as Secretary of that organization. His
term expires on the 1st of next month.
NOT IN THEIR FAVOR.
The Penthouse Mill strike has not result
ed favorably to the men. They complained
of the quality of the iron, which was 'hard,"
and also as to the shortage OF gas. The firm,
instead of replacing the mix with softer iron,
it is said, put in still harder metal, and the
men, without waiting for the regular action
of the association, went out. The firm ad-
vertised for other puddlers, but it is hoped
that the old men will be all reinstated. Com
plants on the score of hard iron have been
heard from other mills. but conservative
action will rule in regulating these differ
ences.
The unlocked for and early rise in the
river was not at all welcomed by the opera
tors. 1t destroyed the chances of the stock
at the Southern ports being reduced to
point where an advance in the market
would naturally follow. AS it is the coal
at the midway ports has been moved down
to New Orleans and adjacent points, and
prices are not at the figures they were ex-
pected to rise to. Last year there was no
coal shipped from this harbor from the 21st
of July to the 29th of October, but this
year operators are already a month ahead of
their fall shipments. In short the prospects
of the river men are not fattering.
In very great contrast is the condition of
the railroad business. Trade is brisk as the
operators can desire 1t, and they are well
content with the ruling prices, in which a
sharp advance has taken place within the
last two weeks. The outlook is for con-
tinued good business and equally good
prices, due, in large measure, to the short
age of cars which restricts the supply to
Lake points. Stocks at the ports are re-
ported as bare.
MUST HAVE MORE CARS.
The coke trade shows no change over the
conditions referred to in The DISPATCH
last week. The demand is steadily on the
increase, but shipments are, as usual, re-
tarded by the shortage in the supply
of cars. During the week two solid specials
were sent on right through to Cleveland, in
an attempt to relieve the congestion some
what, But still furnacemen are complain
ing, and it is said that serious loss will
result if the supply cannot be improved.
Several furnaces in the Mahoning valley
have banked up for want of coke.
Business in window glass is quiet Stocks
are lighter than at this time last year, due,
in a measure, to the tact that the annual
shut down lasted month longer this year
than last season. Western jobbers are re-
ported as being fairly we'll stocked, and they
are probably holding out of the market to
see what may come of the often talked about
combination.
Stocks of green and flint goods are scanty
while trade is reported as good. The minia-
ture flint house in the Exposition is the
greatest point of attraction there and when
moved to the Columbian Fair will show our |
Windy City neighDors what Pittsburg glass |
house operatives can do at their trade,
In labor circles proper most prominence |
during the week was the war by the painters |
of the rival organizations. This war of the |
Brotherhood men against their fellow
craftsmen of the knights of Labor, though |
indorsed by the Building Trades Council is
OF purely local origin, and amounts to an
attempt to !orce the 30 or 100 Knights into
the Brotherhood whether they will or not.
NOT AT ALL IMPOSSIBLE.
AS before pointed out, the American
Federation of Labor is in nowise responsi-
BILE for this matter, and has absolutely no
control over the Brotherhood as lar as such
actions as this is concerned. There seems to
be a desire to fix the origin of this fight
on the Federation, but it has nothing to do
with it.
Efforts are being made to organize the
Edgar Thomson employees. Both the
Knights and Amalgamated Association are
at work. Notice will be given by the EN-.
ployes of a termination or the existing
scale, and another will be presented to /,