Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-22
Monongehela Valley Aglow with the Fire
Of Furnaces,
THOUSANDS OF MEN GO TO WORK
Increasing Industrial Activity
throughout the Country-Thou-
sands of Toiicrs ProGting by
Defeat of Free silver.

settlement OF the financial issue being set
to work, Restored confidence manifested
itself at all Industrial eenters 1t was
particularly strong in the Monongahcla val
ley, the greatest iron and steel center in the
United States. IN that region furnace fires
were lighted last Monday morning and by
nightfall the sky was aglow with the red
lights from rolling mills and millions OF
sparks from steel oonyorters and blast fur
naces. Such sight had not been witnessed
in that region for many months.
The three great steel plants of the Carue-
gle Steel company in the vicinity of Brad
dock, Pa Joined the long list OF industrial
concerns which have set wheels going since
the election.
the brightest sight comes from across tho
river from the Homestead steel works, whose
ponderous machinery began to move at 6
| o'clock Monday evening. Twenty-Five hun
| dred men went to work al that hour and
$500 more took their places Tuesday morn
| ing
There are seventeen mills at the famous
Homestead plant. and each manufactures
products distinct from any Of the others
| Fourteen of these mills have orders to run
night and day henceforth. ard the three rn-
naming mills, which include the lS3-nch
ll9. and 1l2-inch beam mills operated single
turn during the week and this week will 90
on full with the others. The armor- plate
| rolling mills and armor machine shops are
| included in the mills that are running to
| their capacity.
The Homestead plant, because of the great
variety of its finished product has Jared
better than any Of the other Carnegie plants
during the last season of business stagna-
ton. The converting mill, girder mill,
| armor press shops and the two structural
| mills have been operating to about half
| their capacity. The other departments would
| run for two or three days at time and
then suspend for several weeks.
The indications are that the Homestead
| mills will run all winter, barring any dis
| turbance of the annual wage scale, which
is altogether improbable this year.
The Edgar Thompson steel works en-
| ployes, who started to work Monday night
| after summers practical idleness have
| visions Of steady work all through the com
| ing winter. Orders began to arrive slowly
| for steel rails the week after election and
| heavy orders have been placed for shipment
| next spring. The old steel rail plant which
manufacturing train rails and others OF
| shorter and lighter grades, resumed with
| 500 men. The plant manufactures regula-
| tion railroad rails and employs / 200 hands
| Six of the Carnegie company's nine blast
| furnaces at Braddock are in blast and the
remaining three are ready to go on at any
| time. With pig iron down to bedrock prices
all summer, these furnaces have been off
since April and May.
The Duquesne steel works of the Carnegie
company at Duquesne, which also started
Monday night, employees ], 500 skilled hands,
and 400 at the new blast furnaces, which
| Rave just been blown in, and are said to be
second in production capacity only to f and
| G of the Braddock furnace plant, the heav-
lest producers in America. The Duquesno
mills make steel slabs and steel billets, the
billet mill being the largest and best
equipped in the world.
A prominent official says the company's
books are full of orders, and double time
throughout the winter will be the order.
The wage scales in force at all the Carne- |
gle works mentioned above terminate on |
December 81 next, and the IL 900 employees |
all expect a satisfactory settlement of the |
scales to be operative next year.
The New York and Cleveland Gas Coal |
company has all its mines at Turtle Creek,
Sandy Creek and Plum Creek sending out
coal. Two pits at Turtle Creek and three at
Sandy Creek are the last to start.
While the coal miners are not dependent |
upon the general industrial conditions for
operation, the resumption of this company's
mines. with 1,100 men. is due to the settle
ment of the wage scale, resultant from the
election. The company has held out against
all tho other operators in the district since
last spring.
The Braddock wire works of the Consol-
idated Steel and Wire company have taken
on $50 men. The nail and wire mills started
on the 11th. The rod mills resumed at
Tuesday morning. The galvanized depart
ment was opened Monday hight, and an
additional force of men was put at the pits
1t will work double turn. and every Sun
day night hereafter. to allow the company
to keep abreast of it's orders for galvanized
wire
The other mills and factories in the vi
clnity of Braddock which are still idle win
all resume within the coming fortnight.
The Carnegie company has ar order from
Japan for 5000 tons of '"r" rails, which are
to be used in level country districts for
light traffic. Horses will draw the cars.
The rails will be laid fiat on the ground,
being held together merely by clamps The
order, when filled, will be shipped by water.
These rails are not half the weight OF a rail-
road rail.
An order for 10000 tons Of railroad rails
has been received by the company from
China, since Ii Hung Chang returned home
The first shipment of this order will be made |
the last of this week. 1t Will go by water
also, on vessel leaving New York thus |
saving eXorbtant freight rates across the
American continent. 1t is said the freight
rates to the Pacific would be more than the
cost of the order.
The Hartford Trunk company OF Racine,
Wis has resumed business with 100 men,
Stillwagon's stock food factory at Hills
boro, ILL.,, started running on full time last
week.
The work of improving the New York and
Erie canal viii begin this winter, giving
employment to 1000 men. BY a direct vote
the people Of New York authorized the ex-
pendlture OF $9,O0O,000 on the canals of the
state, The Erie canal will be deepened to
nine feet. This addition of two feet to the 4
present depth will admit boats sixteen feet
longer, with freight capacity enlarged one
half.
The four Chicago factories OF the National
Linseed company, which have been closed a
since spring, will resume operations De-
cember l. n
The revival of industrial operations has
been steady and constant ever since the N
people decreed the death of the free silver
heresy. as is shown by the daily record. %
Since November 375.000 toilers have either
work or have had their time in b
creased
The following tables show just what has a
been accomplished: r.
MILLS REsUMING AFTER SHUTDOWN.
IRON ana steel.....,ll7 Cotton goods. ........ I2 M
............ 7Clothing ..............
and lum- Carpets ............... I2
Der '....'.'.':'''''.' 20 BOOTS ana shoes..,.,.
Glassware and pot cordage .........,,...
terry IL hltcelIaneOus 81
NOOlen goods. 22
Total q
INCREASE IN FORCE OR INCREASED OUT
PUT.
ron and steel. % Cotton go0ds......... 81
mary