The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-08-28
AMERICAN TIN PLATE.
The First Shipment Arrives i'm
Cincinnati.
1t IL of Superior Quality and Cheaper than
the Observation-Disclosures is Made
that America viii supply the
Home Market.

Home Market.
A correspondent in Troy, Ohio,
writes the commercial Gazette asking
whether plate tin. or any kind of tin, is
now made in the United States, and if
so, where?
By ane of those everyday coinci-
dences the same mail brought the Com
mercial Gazette two letters giving the
very information desired. One from
c. w. Mackelfresh, manufacturer of
tin and sheet-iron work, on West Sixth
street, says:
II wish through your widely circu-
lated paper. to call the attention of the
Mugwump, the free-trader and the tin
plate liar TO the fact that if they want
to see some American tin plate. by call
ing at my shop will be happy to show
it to them"
A call at Mr.. Mackelfresh's place of
business failed to find that gentleman
in, but the American tin plate was
there and was being fashioned by ex-
pert workmen into drums for furnaces
The second letter referred to was from
Mr.. III. B. Wells, of the Cincinnati Tin
and Japan company, and read:
Knowing you are very much inter
ested in the manufacture of tin plate in
this country. we wish to state to YOU
that Mr.. L. C.. Williams, of Pittsburg.
Is now in this market, Offering purely
American terene plate of quality that
he guarantees to BE- equal to Taylor's
old style or Gilberton's old method
terens at over one dollar per box less
than the English manufactured pate is
selling for. We have samples of the
said plate left by him at our office. the
quality of which we think is equal TO
the best terne plates made. Mr. Will
liams also states that that there are
other parties in and about Pittsburg
who are fast completing their plants
for making both bright tin and terne
plates
A call upon Mr. Wells found that
gentleman ready and anxious to talk
upon the glowing prospects of this
American industry. The terne plate,
to which his letter referred. is for roof
ing purposes. As is of fine rolled steel.
with five per cent. plating Of tin. ana
is sold at SlS.25 a box. whereas the very
lowest figure at which the English or
Welsh manufactured plate is Sl9.2j.
This particular plate is from Fleming n
Hamilton. OF Pittsburg. the rolled steel
and iron therefore having been manu-
featured by MOOrehead. McIeanC * Co.
of the same CITY. Mr.. Wells saws there
are dozen other concerns in America
preparing to put the plate ON the mark
ct. but that this is the first brought to
Cincinnati.
Asked where the tin for this particu-
lar plate came from. Mr.. Wells said
the tin itself was imported, but that
was only small consideration. 1t was
the accomplishing of what the tin plate
liars have said could never be done in
America-the making OF American tin
plate. That was the point. The min
ing of tin in this country, Mr.. Wells.
who Is fully informed. says, is thing
of the future. 1t is fact that tin Is
being taken from the Temescal mines
in California. but -" great deposits of
the metal are in the canOns of the
Black Hills, and cannot become accessi-
BILE to commerce until railroads are
built to them. To build these are feats
which only time is required for,
and in a much less period than was re-
quired for the manufacture of Ameri-
can steel rails and American galvanized
iron after the placing of a stringent tar
if thereon. Mr.. Wells is of the Opin-
ion that this country will not only be
making its own tin plate, but will be
mining all the tin necessary therefor.
Away back in 1867 Mr.. Wells was en-
gagged in railroadIng when steel rails
cost 500 ton imported from Europe.
1t was believed that they could be made
in America. and to foster the industry
tariff of something like 90 pr cent
was put on them. The result is that
they were manufactured here, and bet
ter steel NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
were ever imported from abroad
are selling to-day at s27 ton. So
with galvanized iron. When a tar
if of y cents pound was put on it the
cry went up that this would be ruiTOus
to the building interests of the country.
yet to-day Mr.. Wells says better quail
ity is made in America and sold at less
than the tariff.
Mr.. Wells, who has made the tariff a
close study, cited other articles-Brus-
sells carpets for instance-all telling the
same tale. and ventured the prediction,
that, with Ydnkee ingenuity, history
would repeat itself within three years
as far as tin plate is concentrations
mercial Gazette.