The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1892-05-18
A Report on tho Tin Plate Industry.

A dispatch from Washington says
that w. A. Aver, special agent OF the
treasury department, has submitted to
| Secretary Foster an exhaustive report
on the tin plate business ofthe country,
the manufacture Of tin plate and the
growth of the industry. Mr.. Ayers re-
| port makes the following showing:
Quarter ended September 80, 1891, five
manufacturers reported Tin plates. 152,-
| 4S9 pounds: terne plates, ga, 433 pounds;
total, $50, 922 pounds.
Quarter ended December 81, eleven man
| ufacturerS reported: Tin plates, 2l5, 9ll
pounds; terne plates, 1,193,9l0 pounds;
| total, 1,409.S2l pounds.
Quarter ended March 81, 1892. nineteen
| manufacturers reported: TIN plates, 1,099,-
656 pounds; terne plates, 1,9O4, 431 pounds;
total, 3,00i,037 pounds,
These figures do not include the pro-
| duction of sheet iron or sheet ateel used
in the manufacture Of articles timed or
terne- plated, estimated at 1000 900
pounds.
Mr.. Ayers report shows that the aver
age annual imports OF tin and terne
plates for the three years ended June
80 1890, was 67S, 900, 900 pounds. In the
year ended June 30, 1891, the imports
amounted to ,05S, 900. 900 pounds. This
increase of $4,000, 900 pounds he seys
was due to larger importations to avoid
| the new duty OF 2-l0 cents pound
imposed by the Mckinley law. Mr..
| Aver says that if the importations for
the current year are made to meet only
| the actual wants of the country, they
| will not exceed 800 600, 900 pounds. Up
to February %, 1892, they amounted
only to III 900, 900 pounds. The guam
tity of tin plates imported in the
year ended June 81. 1891, which
went into the manufacture of ex-
ported articles, and upon which a
| dra Sback was paid, was loo. 900, 900
pounds. The year before it was l50,-
900, 900 pounds, and the year before
that was l66, 100000 pounds. Upon this
basis Mr.. Aver figures that the Ameri-
can manufacturer, in order to maintain
the duty on tin plates after October /,
| 1897, must produce in one of the six
| years ending at that date, $4,000, 900
pounds of tin and terne plates weighing
lighter than 63 pounds TO the square
foot. Mr., Aver says the indications
are that under existing conditions the
! production of the country before the
| close of the second fiscal year will be
| in excess of an annual rate Of 200 ,U)0,-
! 0O0 pounds.
Accompanying the reports are many
letters from manufacturers giving de-
scrlptons OF their plants and prospects
and generally expressing hope that
the law will be permitted to remain I'M
changed.
In connection with the foregoing re-
port of Mr.. Aver it will be interesting
TO note the fact that one of the largest
| Welsh tin plate manufacturers, w. III.
Edwards, has decided to close his tim
house, or finishing department, at Car
diff, and to begin at once the erection
of ten mills in this country. These
mills will be followed by others as fast
as the business may require. Mr.. Ed
wards will import his black steel plates
| from his factory at Swansea for the
present. Eventually he intends to re-
move his entire interests here.
The location of the mills has not yet
been decided upon. Mr.. Edwards will
arrive here by the Teutonic about Sat-
urday, and, after consulting with his
manager, will choose site for the
works. Mr.. Edwards is connected with
three tin plate firms in Wales, repre-
senting an invested capital Of 81 $50 600
which will undoubtedly soon be divert
ed toward this country in whole or in
part. His fathers firm, that of ID. +
Ed wards & Co., was selected by the
British Association at the time of tb ell
last visit TO Wales as the representative
house in the trade. Daniel Edwards
WAS the first man to employ steel in the
manufacture of plates. Before that time
iron was used. He has always been one
OF the chief exporters in the trade.
After Forty Years.
How many of the thousands Of mel
who hold lands in the West under
certain beneficent law know who was
the father of the homestead bill Ben
etits enjoyed are rarely eloquent of the
ones who conferred them, the mass o
mankind being content to know tha
they have thing, bothering themselve,
very little with the how and wherefore
IL the name of Galusua A. Grow were
mentioned admirably in the hearing o
nine-tenths of the homes.eaders who
owe their present good fortune to his
indefatigable zeal and convincing clio.
quence, it is very likely there would bs
occasion to answer the interrogatory
"Who is he ?'
For many years this earnest, edu
Gated, philanthropic man labored to Be-
cure free homes for free men" under
q just national measure, and finally
succeeded in creating the necessary