The San Francisco call., 1896-04-22
FIRED FOR ECONOMY ONLY
Pacific Rolling.Mills Prepared to
Meet the Keen Compe-
tition.
Belief That the Mills Did Not Get
What Was Its Due in
Reciprocity.

The Potrero is still in ferment over the
changes that have been made in the heads
of departments during the past week in
the Pacific Rolling mills. The resignation
of Manager Charles M. Keeney. follow ed
few days later by the retirement of Mas
ter Mechanic Bedford A. Tingley and of
Assistant Mechanic Henry Wynne, caused
the widest rumors to prevail.
The fact that several of the heads of de-
partments were interested in other iron
concerns, notably the Pacific Axle Works
and the Atlas and the Etna works, was a
prominent factor in the gossip. 1t was re-
ported that those small concerns, while
receiving from the Pacific Rolling-mills
work on iron castings, had not recipro.
Gated by ordering steel rails from the
mills, but had got them from the East.
On these points President Coleman was
very reticent. He gave it out that the
designations and removals had been made
solely with view to economy III order to
meet the competition of Eastern goods
made with cheaper coal than can be had
in San Francisco.
He was asked last night by CALL re-
porter whether there was any truth in the
report thatlarge quantities of material had
been missing from the storeroom, and he
replied that there was no foundation for
the story and that he was at a loss to un-
derstand how such a rumor could have
been started.
Then the question was asked whether
any 1urther removals were in contempla-
ton. Mr.. Coleman, after pause, said the
directors had not yet got settled down to
the new order of things, but that when the
consultations In departments had had an
opportunity to be tested he had no doubt
that other removals and consultations
would be made
When asked as to whether the directors
were dissatisfied with the manner in which
employees OF the mills had handled the
work given out to the smaller establish
ments already mentioned, Mr.. Coleman
SAID that, of course, the persons who had
control OF the giving out of that work
could make point for the smaller con-
Germs. Beyond this, however, Mr.. Cole
man declined to commit himself.
Patrick Noble, the superintendent, was
at ms post In the Market-street office yes
terday. He said that the statements al
ready published were erroneous and had
gone all the parties concerned an injustice.
de emphatically denied that there was
any reason other than economy for the
changes already made, and fatty declined
to talk upon the probability of others in
the future
an air OF mystery hung over the Potrero
IKE log on Mount Tamalpais last night.
The hotel men, saloon-keepers and others
who derive much of their support from the
men working in the rolling-mills and the
Ioundrles were as reticent as Potrero
ciamS as to expressing an opinion. There
was an oppressive stagnation in the air
that seemed to forebode some kind of an
earthquake, and reporters were avoided
with as much assidu uity as though they
were tax-collectors or importunate credi-
tors.
The preparation of the big castings re-
quired for THE CALLS new building will
keep the mill going for many months to
come. There are also many big orders on
the books for railroad iron. The material
Ior the tracks of the Folsom street cleo
trlc road is big order in itself, and the
work will require master machinist.
In the meanwhile the Potrero is in sus-
pense waiting for the next move on the
Industrial chesshnard