New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-23
EMERY AND CORUNDUM.
PLEA FOR SENATOR PRITcHARDs TARIFF
AMENDMENT


AMENDMENT.
To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: II Is proposed by Senator ]. c. Pritchard or
North Carolina 10 offer amendment TO the tariff
relating TO emery products which has been adopted
by the Finance Committee. This amendment I'M
poses q duty of ~ cents per pound on emery ana
corundum ore now admitted free, and also in
creases the present duty upon emery manufactured
products. The object OF this amendment Is to pro-
tsct all engaged in this industry who are strictly
American producers or manufacturers.
We have In this country mines of emery and
corundum, but unable to operate them at a
profit IN competition with Turkey and Greece
Labor in these countries Is worth from 10 10 cents
per day and emery is shipped ballast or at
merely nominal prices 10 New-York and Boston,
and can be delivered at these ports at an average
prices Of less than $50 per long to or less than one
cent per pound The only emery mines in the
United States now in operation are at Peekskil,
n Y and Chester Mass Neither can mine
st less than $50 per short ton consequently they can
tell no ore to the trade at proht Inc nrst-ren-
toned company manufacture their ore IN their
own mills making whee.s and other products or
emery and thus live. doing business In small way
The latter are also manufacturers Of grain emery,
and make profit of cent per pound In the
manufacture of the small amount of ore they pro-
duce But their larger profit Is derived from Tor
egn ore OF which they import from one thousand to
two thousand tons annually. The Chester ore has
IS greater efnciency ana economy ina amp
foreign ore a grinding and cutting agent.
Corundum has twice the efficiency OF the Chester
ore and is found in North Carolina and Georgia.
and nowhere else in tho world. in commercial guam
ty. The price Of corundum Is governed entirely
by the price of emery but with emery at 81 cents
per pound. the present prices all sizes corundum
cannot be sold at profit. The worlds production
OF emery s 1885 about 5000 tons, of which
1000 used in the United States and of this amount
$3.50 tons is imported. There Is a present demand
In the United States alone for $500 tons OF corun-
DUN and this production would not dlsplace a
pound OF our domestic emery. This production Of
oorundum In wheel form represents about s. 100000
Of undeveoped wealth in North Carolina and
Georgia alone There is a foreign market at least
as large which We would soon be able 10 obtain
were this amendment to become law. The pres
ent reduction processes, expensive than
those employed In the reduction of emery ore would
be cheapened transportation facilities would be
rapidly introduced, ana competition extending
over six hundred square miles OF corunduYn territory
IN these States would rapidly bring down the price
VI Inc raw material
obtained abroad, the greater efficiency and economy
o. our wheel product Sould soon be manifest and
me result would be that our wheel makers would
enormously increase their present production. Com
nent would during the next three years result in
~ increased production In the different branches OF
ms INDUSTRY OF So 1000 thereafter annually
GsT }iipVJOO has been invested ~ mines and mills
~ tsoiiih Caroina and Georgia, These have been
ffnursy abandoned through lack OF this needed pro-
w sestion The mining and reduction OF corundum
49, give Immediate employment TO over thou
'1 'o'e men, and ultimately 10 many thousands in