The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-04-23
WOOL INDUSTRY IN OHIO.

Il
Mr.. G. A. Hamburger, of Lancaster,
Ohio, one Of the best informed men in
Ohio on the wool industry, in an inter
view in Toledo yesterday, says:
"The Mckinley bill has acted as a
general extinguisher on the business.
1t has administered the finishing blow
to the formerly splendid industry, and
has completed what was not accom-.
plished by the tariff of 1867. The pass
age of the bill was the absolute ruina
tion of woolen manufactures though
out the country, and of course the ruin
alton of sheep husbandry at the same
time. l am of this opinion because /
have given the business a lifelong
study. The business has been ruined
for the reason that the farmers cannot
produce wool to sell at prices regulated
by nOn-competition and light demand,
and the factories, not being able to OBJ
tain the kind of wool they desire at fair
prices, cannot afford to do business. /
am practical manufacturer and have
noticed in the manufacture of wooden
goods from the coarsest to the finest,
that the amount of wool raised in this
country is only within fraction of one
sixth of the entire amount used in the
mills of the country at present. The
price is so low that the farmers cannot
produce it at fair profit. 1t has been
demonstrated beyond contradiction
that previous to the enactment of the
high tariff of '67, for period of forty
years, the average price paid the far
mer for his wool was fraction over 30
cents per pound. The average under
this high tariff, or since 1867, has been
a fraction over 33 cents per pound
showing conclusively that the farmer
received more for his clip under the
low tariff than under the high. The
demand for wool would be treble with |
the duty off, as mills would spring up
all over the country, and give employ
ment to thousands.
"To illustrate, l will say that during
the low tariff period 2S mills existed in
a district of which Lancaster was the
center, and this district was not 80
miles wide. Of these mills, but three
are in operation at this time. They
were all doing a prosperous business,
and the industry was considered one of
the finest in Ohio. Three are left, the
others have been crushed to the wall
and driven out of existence by the high
tariff on wool. To be explicit, the fol-
lowing prominent mills were in exist
ence in the district mentioned in 1867 |
"Dare Mills, Zanesvslle.
Putnam Mills, GAINESVILLE.
"Kenmiller Mills, GAINESVILLE.
Lancaster Mills, Lancaster.
logan Mills, Logan.
Somerset Mills, Somerset.
Newark Mills, Newark.
New Lexington Mills, New Lexing-
ton.
"Hemlock Mills, Hemlock.
Winchester Mills, Winchester.
Two mills at Rock Mills, o.
Hamburg Mills, Hamburg.
Columbus Woolen Mills, Columbus. |
1.-TWO large mills at Circleville.
"Chillicothe Mills, Chillicothe.
Jacksonville Mills, NelsonVille.
1.-TWO mills at Athens,
"Of all these mills but three are in ex-
istence to-day-the Putnam Mills,
which run five or six months during the
year; the Lancaster Mills, only running
during the summer, and the Logan
Mills, which run to third of their
capacity six months of the year. If the
orotectionist can explain why this
splendid industry has been ruined and
hese mills driven out of existence
Iince the tariff of '67 was enacted, they
,an have the floor.
"In 1870 set the machinery in a mill
or Gladhill IL Co. at Mansfield, a splen-
lid two set mill. 1t did big and prof
table business for year and then quit.
To-day the splendid building is being
lsed for planning mill and the machin-
ry has been sold for old iron.
"Can Senator John Sherman explain
Why this mill quit business, located
light at his home, in the midst of a
prosperous wool growing district, of
Which Richland county was the center"