Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-14
HELPED By A STRIKE.
Labor Troubles at Carnegie Mills
Make Money for Other Firms.
STRUCTURAL STEEL PRICES JUMP.
idle Works Started Up to Meet the Demands
of Contractors.
NEW ANALGAMATED LODGE ORGANIZED

The old adase that SITS an i'll wind blows
nobody good" is we'll illustrated in the con-
dition of the structural steel market as a
result of the labor difficulties of the Car
negie Company. Every steel manufactur-
ing company in this part of the country has
been largely benefited by the big firms dis
tress. Mills that practically stood idle for
several years prior to August have since
that time been gradually getting into line,
and all are now working double time on
structural steel.
A heavy increase in rates has produced
this result. Before the Homestead strike
the Carnegie Company practically had a
monopoly of the structural steel product of
the country. By reason of its wonderful
facilities the firm could and did produce
The material at prices which other manu-
facturers could not touch.
Pushed Up the Prices.
The Carnegie prices were l. so and l. IS
cents a pound. 1t is authoritatiyely stated
that their rates were even down to 1.65 on
some contracts taken. Other manufactur-
ers could not begin to compete after the
rate was cut below 100. because even at .
cents even their profits were hardly large
enough to justify them in competing for
contracts.
But with the Carnegie troubles there has
come q change in prices Builders and con-
tractors who had taken big jobs at the old
rates were compelled to 60 to other manu-
1acturers to get their material, proceed with
their work and avoid the penalty clause of
their agreements. The other manufactur-
ers refused to furnish the product at the
market prices and held out till an advance
was offered. Gradually the price went up
and structural steel is now commanding 2. %
cents pound. At that price any manufac-
turer who has plant in which it can be
turned out has good safe profit. All are
hustling for orders and all are getting them.
Starting Up Big Plant
Several of the largest mills in this section
which had been driven to other specialties
by the market rates are turning out more
structural steel now than anything else
An illustration which applies to number
of other concerns is furnished by the Spang
Steel and Iron Works at Sharpsburg.
When the boom of 1880 came this works, |
which had been built before the panic OF |
1872 and had never been operated on ac-
count of it, was started up by the present |
owners, the late Senator McNeill being |
the principal stakeholder Structural |
steel was then the best money-making |
branch of the business. The company put |
in a universal mill to make 1t one of the
largest and most complete then in existence.
A little over four years ago structural
steel had SO fallen In price that the firm had
to practically abandon that part of their
plant and devote their attention to the other
branches. But after four years of idleness
The mill is again in operation, night and
day, with orders ahead and all departments
contributing as far as it is possible in the
production of structural STEEL In fact a
number of important changes have been
made in the big plant to facilitate their get
ting out orders.