Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-08-25
TWO MILLS TO START.
THE BENwOOD WILL RESUME OPERATIONS
AND RUN DAY AND NIGHT,
Giving Employment to Over Three Hundred Men.
Excessive Improvements Being Made at
The Wheeling Steel Plant-Ths
Settled at Bsllairs.

In these days OF idleness In industrial
plants, and dizziness In business circles,
/ it is encouraging to note that the men
who have their money invested in the
different mills are takiug advantage Of
the temporary suspension Of operations
to enlarge and improve the factories
in which they are interested. This
would seem TO indicate that there is no
lack OF confidence, and that manufac-
turers are of the opinion that when the
reaction comes it will bring with 1t 90
| increased business activity. At any
rate, nearly all the mills about Wheel
ing will start up again with their equip
ments in better order than at any time
| for years.
Asa matter Of fact the situation is
already showing signs OF Improvement,
and well informed persons predict that
the first Of the year will seeeVery work
ingman in the vicinity employed. Dur
| ing the past week or ten days there has
| been partial resum ptions OF work in the
| Etna-Standard and LaBelle mills. The
| Belmont is another mill which has
started to work in one or two depart
ments during the past few days, and al
though but a small proportion OF the
whole number OF men employed Ia the
mill, are at work, 1t Is nevertheless
good indication.
Yesterday the population OF Benwood
was made happy by the announcement
that the Benwood mill Of the wheeling
Steel and Iron Company is about to start
up. This plant has been shut down Tor
about five weeks, and with the idieness
| In the other mills Ia Benwood, II caused
a period OF depression which has not
been felt for years. 1t is officially an
nounced that the entire plant Will De
again in operation on September third.
| A number Of the men have been ordered
| to report for work next Monday morn
ing, to get everything in readiness for
starting up. On Thursday the puddlers
will return to work, and on the follow
ing Monday the skelp mill
will resume operations. Inc
recent improvements at this mill nave
made its equipment second to none In
the Ohio Valley. The resumption OF
work will give employment TO about
three hundred men, most OF whom live
in Benwood. The plant will run on
| double turn.
Among the industrial plants which
have been undergoing extensive I'm
movements during the summer is the
steel plant OF the Wheeling Steel and
Iron Company, in Benwood. 1t Will re-
ouire several weeks yet to complete the
! changes, and when the mill resumes IL
will be with an equipment which Will
be practically new. The improvements
! include two new modern automatic
cranes. much larger than the present
ones. The rolls have been widened
! from 10 10 &c inches, and new table
rolls of the latest pattern have oeen
placed Ia position. The new soaking
I pits are also well under way.
The changes will increase the capaci-
ty Of the steel plant fully IS per cent.
The news leaked out yesterday after
noon that the Bellaire nail works man
agement and the Wage Committee, VINO
have been in conference for three days
mast. had finally reached an agreement
on the wage question. 1t is said that
the reductions agreed TO amount in some
instances to 80 per cent. from last years
| scale, but conform to the scale already
signed by number Of leading mills.
The conference was still in session last
evening on the question OF reinstating
some employees who have been given
other positions, and the wage scale as
agreed upon has not yet been signed
1t is not a pleasant task to note reduc-
tion in wages, but 1t will be cheerful
news to many that the wage scale mas
been agreed to and that the steel plaot
will resume operations in short time,
distributing $780, coo per month In wages.