Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-10
IRON AND LEAD ORES
METALS, AND THE MANUFACTURES
OF THE SAME.
MKINL1Y TARIFF RATES DESIRED
Development of Nickel Mines-Con-
dition of the Pig-Iron Industry
in the virginias and Elsewhere
CaIifornia's GaIena Ore.

WASHINGTON. ID. c., January g.
The hearing before the Ways and Means
Committee to-day was devoted to iron
and lead-ores. metals, and the manufac-
lures thereof
Representative Draper, of Massachu-
setts, on behalf of the manufacturers Of
machinery in New England. presented,
without comment. their request for res
toration of the Mckinley rates of duty
on their product.
w. II. Alexander. of Omaha, Neb,
suggested the following modification of
the present paragraph of the law re-
lating to lead-ores:
"All ores, of which lead is a component
part, shall be dutiable at the rate Of "a
of cent per pound on the lead contained
therein"
John d. Davis, of California, said there
were immense bodies of Galena ore in
San Bernardino county. Cal. awaiting de-
velopment. The industry had been start
ed under the Mckinley law, but had been
forced TO suspend under the present law.
Thousands of tons of this ore had been
taken from the mines and placed on the
dumps, ready for delivery; and If pro-
lection were given these mines would
again be worked. He advocated a duty
of l cent per pound on lead-ores.
ID. A. Jones Of New York, represent
ing the ST. Joseph Alo) Smelling Com
pany appealed for a duty on lead-ores,
which would preserve the industry in
this country.
Representative Herman, Of Oregon, ap-
pealed for a duty of 10 cents per pound
upon nickel. in order to allow the de-
velopment Of our niclIel-mines. Up TO
1891 it was thought that there were no
niclSel-mines in the United States Of any
value Since that time valuable mines
have been discovered in North Carolina,
Washington, Nevada. and Oregon. The
nickel now used in the United States,
especially in the manufacture Of armor,
was being imported from Canada. The
ores here were very rich and could be
produced cents per pound cheaper than
those in Canada.
PIG-IRON.
William A. Ingham. of Philadelphia, on
behalf of the Eastern P.g-Iron Associa-
ton, asked for the restoration Of the Nc
Kinley rates Of duty on pig-iron.
In the Lehigh Valley and New Jersey
districts the Hudson-River District. in
Schuylkill- River District. including the
Lebanon and the East Pennsylvania VAL
leys; the Susquehanna-Rive District,
and the Juaniata-River District, there
were lOi furnace stacks. OF these,
twenty-five were running and eighty-two
idle. Some OF these idle furnaces would
never start again without reorganization,
which means practically an absolute loss
TO the original stockholders, and that
the bondholde"s will have TO take the
properties and reorganize.
The history Of the Virginia and the
West Virginia furnaces wouid tell the
same story
The duty on pig-lron under the present
law was claimed by some to be a suffi-
cient protection, because very little for
eign pig-iron was now imported, and
some few thousand tons out Of the mil
lions made had recently been exported.
These two claims might be considered
together, and answered by the simple
staement that the market was at present
abnormal. Foreign pig-iron was abnor-
mally high abroad, and domestic pig
iron abnormally low at home.
As the present Apacity Of the fur
naces In the United States was largely in
excess Of the probable demands Of the
market for some years 10 come, there
unreasonable limit by virtue Of the re-
storation of the duty named In the Nc
Kinley bill. The putting OF idle furnaces
i'm blast would, by competition, protect
the consumers.
They further ased for a revision Of the
duties on bar-ron black sheets, and tin
plate, and that cotton ties and fence
wire be subjected 10 the same rates as
other like material. They asked this be-
cause it was for our interests that our
customers the makers of bar-iron, black
sheets. tin-plate, fence-wlre, and cotton
the committee 20 adopt as a basis for
the new tariff t. so-called Mckinley
act and not the sO-called Wilson act.
J. c. Throop, of Everett, Pa, thought
the present duty on pig-iron was adequate
now but If a fair market and fair prices
should prevail IL would attract the for
eign product, and then the duty would not
be sufficient. Competition would keep the
prices here at a normal figure, and pro-
tect the consumer.
TIN-PLATE.
w. c. Cronemeyer. OF Pittsburg a
representative of the tin-plate industry.
asked for increases OF from is to II
cent on various grades, and new
clause TO cover plates below No. 81, wlre-
gauge. which were now manufactured
here, and needed protection.
The committee adjourned until Monday,
which will be the last day of the hear
ings. Various schedules including sun
dries, and the free list will be taken up.
WOLCOTgr REACHES LONDON.