The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1892-03-04
A "ittsburg Wall.
Chattanooga Tradesman. |

= lie lOllOwInS from review OF the pig
iron market, we find in late issue of the
Pittsburg Chronicle-T Telegraph:
Some years ago and before the South
became factor i'll the pig iron situation
the furnaces Of the North produced fully
enough and were capable of producing
great deal more iron than the entire coun-
try could consume even during Il period Of
extraordinary activity. Then the won
deriui advantages and artificial resources
OF that section attracted Northern capitat
with the result that throughout that entire
section when there were visible outcrop-
pings of ore, coal and limestone and stuff
cient level land for u town site, blast fur
mace was erected to serve as dumb but
none the less persuasive land agent Of
town lots. 1t has even been ascertained
hat such companies actually sold the pro-
duct OF their furnaces at less than cost in
order to help the sale Of their land, and
when the latter was all disposed of and
their heavily bonded plant 90 unloaded
on unsuspecting Nulthcrners the company
would pull up stakes and renew the opera
ZION elsewhere. The success of such ras-
cally schemes became so widespread that
it was overdonc in Il few years and it IS
during these few years that the South has
made the pretend ii hea WAY in the iron
industry This is The policy that has re-
duceL til. industry 70 50 Improbable q ie
We. the counir. over, and lis evil effects
axe being visited first upon The heads o. its
originators. The iron trade is bad in the
North, but it has sunk to the last rtagX
Ut desperation and unprohta in thc
South. Their condition is much dissimi-
Jar to ours here III the North, for they
have no consumptivc field 70 rely upon for
the use Of their output; they are simply
producers, and their Onesidcd aspect rem
lcrs it necessary for them to look TO the
North for field or dumping ground for
their inferior products, ana this is VIII,
the iron industry is so dull and prices 50
depressed IL was this continued compe-
li;ion between these two sections 'aat
made the Valley f'Irnncencn utter the cry
OF almost absolute despair in the inauGn-
ration and persistent enforcement OF the
famous ehutdown movement Of last spring.
Il is this ruthless strife that has reduced
the trade in the East to such 4 amentahle
state, and it is this same commercial war
that now reaches out throngh the tar
Northwest, and bids fair TO take that Sec
ton too, under its strong grasp. All this
has il. dcsuairing South done, and more,
ov. for while it has neycr visited this dis
tlict, with its dark cloud of cnt-shroat
,omn.ti,inn, it has 50 reduced The industry
On both sides If us tin' We are c4nN'
shartr. IL he le p:rssirn. .'mst so micn
is overwhelmingly is lhc cause OF ali tie
evil that Il; vrercm: cunir"n:s rs, JUS! 80
much will it require the ainc!l"ratinn 81
his evil TO once again piacc the Industry
ON Il sound footing; to remove me elect
,I,c cause must be thoroughly cradicatcd
and it is dulih:. the enforcement OF fh's
priuciple more than ever that the
condition is most scri us. association
or ether amicahle means can restrict
he production; it is only accomplished
by competition of such bitterness that the
weakest and most unhtiest pants Will h'
,orccd oat of existence, and this wcedlnf
mt process will he carried on until TIT
i.rench existing between the opposing 80
tors. consumption and production, ~ Tor
yer closed over. How near We arc 80 Tor
.rtual cu,dtiol: i, hard I" tcicsn'.ne. cist
ING we are uuitc s,i:, 81 and that - thai
:ompe;iri0n still reiSn~ lierccl'."
The readers OF Tho Tradesman must
excuse oar INJECTING on them tins lons
ludicrously untruthCul, spitctul, silly IT,
radc. We reprint it solely as a specimen
Of the transformation, imperfect assump-
tion and reckless dishonesty Of numbeI
of Pennsylvania alleged newspapers
These never miss an opportunity to mlsre
present the South in general and its III
.iustrial condition, progress and prospects
IN narti,ulur. Tnev act aud tl'H As If thu
very ponderous f.ct Of 1900, Oo0 gross ION
OF Southern mad. pig iron could be OBJ
liberated By a puff OF dcanncintion, or
Whit Of talschood.
T,e whine, to the effect that the North
having furnace capacity to make all Tn!
iron the country needed, hence the South
in becoming an iron maker was guilty OF
aich commercial crime, is characterist'l
OF the class oil Journals Of which the Chron
iclc Telegraph is q sample.
The old chestnut to the effect thai tne
Sor,h's iron trade has been cfeate'
through the influence Of real estate, towt
To-, booms, is rather amusing On account
of the stupidity Of those who reItcrafe IL
than exasperating. TIE. man who is 100
enough to believe that IL Development be
ginning at nothing in 1850 and rounding
nm in lS9O-'9l with y product OF 2,ooo,Uo'
gross tons for each year, had tor ltS ioun'
dation . series Of swindles, is clearly fe'
stupid to instruct the public, or he lie h"'
honest enough to tell the truth. we want
in this connection TO say to the fittspurs
editor. that no industry IN this lana nae
been more legitimatcly, honestly or care
tuHy brought out than the oentherh iron
trade. Not one in ten OF the furnaces
buiIt. whether in boom periods or III Times
when business WAS normal, had for its ID
spiring motive any other than legitimate
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