Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-10-15
Looking for Tiu-Plate.

reported, summer before last, that the |
manufacture of this article had passed
Beyond the experimental stage in this
fcounty. The Post has also been trying |
oil this time to buy, at regular market
rates, ton or two of American pig tin |
or commercial quantity Of home made |
tin-plate, but hitherto in vain. When
the Philadelphia high tariff papers a
few days ago reported the discovery of
o real American tin-plate works in that
city, the Nelos naturally took up the
trail. 1t sent its Philadelphia man out
with Instructions to find any of that tin
plate, if it was in the market. He went
TO N. & G.. Taylor's place, at No. 303
Branch street, where the tin-plate was
said to be manufactured. He saw both
members of the firm, but they "refused
absolutely to talk for publication
With dealers in tin and tin-plate he had
better luck. His first call was upon
Merchant s. Co., on Arch street above
Fifth, with the head of which firm he
held the following interview;
"Have you secured any of the product of
the famous Temescal tin mines%' | asked
of Mr. Merchant, the head of the firm.
aNo," he replied positively, II never
have heard of IT,"
"But, according to the Press and h,qntisr,
n. g. G.. Taylor have been receiving large
quantities Of it,"
Mr.. Merchants eyes twinkled, He did
1 not reply at once, but seemed to be laugh
ing inwardly Then he said:
i az dnnit Know ANYTHING ahoi1t the Tnv-
! Tors. Their business is not mine; but do
know that never heard of the remescal
mines except through the newspapers and
that | never bought any pig-tin from
them"
"Would you be likely to have heard of
this mine if it was a large producerg'
"Certainly; we are next to the biggest
importers of tin plate in the city. We i'm
| port about 400 tons year, and that means
about S170,0o0 worth. Don't you think if
there was pig-tin-mining industry in
California we should be informed Of it?
Don't you think our trade would be so
licited, and that agents would call upon us
TO quote prices? Nothing of this kind ever
has been done"
do you think, then, tin ore is mined in
California 2'
sOh, there may be some triiiing mining
going on, but not enough to speak Of com
fmeroially, seriously. | suppose there has
been ton or so taken out and worked up
for campaign purposes; but us for the idea
of the trade being supplied from the west
that is ridiculous. Besides, it would not
make any difference in the cost of tin
plate if it were true. Pig-tin is free, and it
would be cheaper to get it from the other
side than from California"
"How are prices of tin-plate affected by
these alleged American manufactured"
prices are about 10 per cent higher than
they were before the new tariff law. They
II
duty, because Just before the new law went
into operation the dealers secured large
supplies of tin-plate, and thus. in
measure, overcame the effects of the Me-
Kinley BILL
DO you think tin mining and tin-plate
manufacturing will ever amount to much
in this country? ?"
"They may in time, in a good long time.
Until then prices will remain high as long
as the present tariff is in operation, and
they must go higher soon. Ihave become
disguised with some of the newspapers for
the stuff they have printed on such sub
jects of late. They do not seem to be re-
strained by truth or common sense"
The Eeening Pos. man saw also Mr..
Nathan Trotter, of Nathan Trotter &
Co., No. 36 North Third street; Mr..
Porter of @. B. Porter & Co., Of No.
1928 North Second street; Mr.. Hall, Of
Hall G. Carpenter, No. 700 Market street;
Mr.. J. Hall Rohrman, Of j. Hall Rohr-
man & Son, No. 1855 North Front street,
and Mr.. Spering, of Dummy, Spering q
Co., No. 1923 Market street. They all
told the same story They were ready
and anxious to get hold of American
tin-plate or pig tin if there was any in
the market, and they were the men who
would be called on to handle il in the
regular way of business. But Mr..
Trotter had not seen any Temescal pig
tin and was very confident that, ii any
is being mined, it is only ''for campaign
purposes-not enough for commercial
USE" Mr.. Porter had never heard nor
seen, commercially, the California pig
tin" but "would like to hear from the
western people if they have anything to
SELL" Mr. Spering remarked that II was
"nonsense" to say that tin-plate is being
manufactured in Philadelphia or
vicinity. Part Of the interview with
Mr.. Spering ran as follows:
~ have seen the exhibition of 'Ameri.
can tin in the faqairer window, bit that
does not amount p anything. Ii is vcry
easy to get up a few samples like that
Taylor " Co. some time ago sent lis 4
sample sheet of what they called Ameri.
can-made tin, but what do IL few sheets
amount tor"
"Do YOU think there Is any tin-plate
manufacturing going on III this citv9
mo; not what | call tim plate making.
do not think II making tin-plate to simply
DIP the block sheets ia the tin aud coat
them. Tin-plate making would be making
the sheet il its entirety. Pig tin Is frc(
of duty and it is easy to dip the block
sheets in the molten metal. That is what
Taylor 4 Co. are doing
40 You suppose they use American pig
tin for their purpose ~
No; do not Mr. Hall laughed
"Why, there has not been enough IN
mined in this country % make more thai
very few boxes The idea is absurd
But, il tin-plate were being manufac
tured in commercial quantities in
dozen American cities, this would no
go one foot towards disproying the &c
that the Mckinley tariff taxes tile CON
eumers of tin, who are numbered b,
the million, sl5,oO0,0Q0 Per year NOR
slan they ought to be required to pay
and that 1t would be cheaper 10 pa
10000 tin-plate workers good wages al
the year round for doing absolltel,
nothing than to pour this heavy tax
wrung from the whole people, into tn
pockets Of a few speculative manufac
turers who, like Niedringhaus, will sem
abroad for workmen rather than pa,
American wages and who. If home com