New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-09
THE CARNEGIES' NEW PLANT.
THEIR FORMER ARMOR-MAkING MA
CHINEEY \ FAILURE.
THE RECENT ADDITIONS" To THE WORKS
WERE REALLY y RENEWAL or TIE EsTAB
LIsHMENT-A COSTLY EXPERIME%r

W T-ltE kE.Alsi.l y If--NfN Al Or lli L. NJ
LIsrMENT-A COSTLY EXPERIMENT.
P,ttsburg. March (specl2D.-The statement pub
!lshcl to-day that The new armor pant Of the
Carnegie Company has just been completed at
a cost Of more than 100000 does not tell
the whole story. according those who are fully
conyer.lnt with the affairs of that company. This
immenee sum. AMI probably several hundred thou
sand more ii is said, marks the cost OF over
confident experiments in armor-makins II means
practically the renewal of the entire machinery Of
the Carnegie armor-making plant Il also means
hat most Of the first plant has not come up to the
expectations. and that the Carnegie Company IS a
loser in this branch of the business. practically 20
The cXten, of their first investment.
i Is said that Mr.. Frick chairman OF the com
pany did not hesitate at the time the Mckinley
bill passed 10 declare even in the presence Of
the committee that the Carnegie Company cared
nothing for Protection. Its machinery was 50 new
ard costly. havirg been imported especially. and
made a; such enormous cost that rival could hope
to compete with the establishment Owing to these
facilities and its great concentration Of capital. il
could underbid Its rivals and always be busy.
whether its competitors were not IT Inattorcd
not to the Carnegie Company whether there a
duty whether il free. Mr. Frick was
confident. the company was confident and armor-
making began Even the Bethlehem Iron Company.
the successful armor- making concern in the United
States was to be dstancel.
II wasn't long before there trouble In com
petition with the Bethlehem Company the Carnegie
Company came out second great deal OF work
had be done over again. Something was the
matter with the plant, and the result of IL al was
that the machinery had TO be renewed the plant
abandoned. This work has been going for many
months.
Ii is not known what effec; this has had upon MIR.
Tricks views OF Protection II is known that the
company has had 20 pa; ont more than $1,000
which they never contemplated spending. and that
the new Harvcyizing pant IS not actually an
addition to the works. but a renewal Of the works.
Another story in connection with the armor-plate
charges has made its appearance. Tho story i'm
picates Manager Charles NJ Schwab and supern-
tendent Corey of the Carnegie steel Company. Linn
tied. The story is that Edward S!ll. clerk in the
Homestead office of the Carnegie Company. discov-
cred in January. 1898, that the armorpate records
were being changed. These records show the pro.
gress of the plates from start to finish and were
entered bv Sill in passbooks The hooks were turnod
over by Sill To Manager Schwab and Superintend-
ent Corey who in turn entered thcm officially on
the books of the company for transmission to Wash
ngton. sill one day received order from Man
aeer Schwab destroy all the passbooks in his
care relating to the armor plate This Sill pre-
tended 10 do. but instead he took the books home
cial value was secured 1t was found that plates
were being tempered only at the ends and that the
been entirely disregarde1 only the ends of plates
were tested by Government inspectors
An effort made to-day to interview James II.
Smith. Esq. the senior counsel IN the armor plate
sensation. lie would only talk in a general way.
II can simply say that the newspaper reports of
The affair have been all at sea. the lawyer said.
Even the story published to-day. though some
what more tangible than the others. Is badly
gar5led. The fact Of the matter is the whole story
has not Yet been told. 1t VIII be. however. and II
the proper authorities do not lay the facts before
the public shall he forced TO make clear and
specific statement myself"
Washington March s. When questioned
about the Ilttsburg report charging collu-
sion Of naval inspectors in the matter
OF the Carnegie plates. Representative Cum
mingS. chairman Of the Committee on NAva! AZ
fairs. today said The reports from Plttsburg
about COLLISION of Government officers in the
ufactuTe Of armOr Incorrect The investigation
developed nothing Of the kind. There were certain
Irregularities that were by w0TkWrn In two
Departments at Homestead. These Workmcn IN
formed the Secretary OF .hc Navy Of the fact. and
an investigation proved that irregularities existed
The Carnegie Company denied all knowledge "f
them but were afterwarl convinced that such
was the case. They fined about Sli1Wr.
Twenty-Five per cent of this went 10 the wOrknef.
who gave the Information. and the remainder was
withheld in payments due the Carnegie Company
for under the contract. The Investigation
reflects the greatest credit on the Navy Depart
ment'