New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-13
PROGRESS ~ IRON.

The IRON industry starts upward again ana
while the increase shown by its reports to The
American Manufacturer" of Pittsburg Is bnt
moderate II ia quite enough 10 indicate more
satisfactory condition Of business II was
shown month ago that the only decrease in
the manufacture Of pig was tho result Of mn
organized closing of few furnaces I'm IN"
Mahoning and ShcnnnGo valleys for the de-
clared purpose Of securing better price for
Rcssemer pig Now that This price ~ iltts.
burg has been for some time steadily main
tanned nj $40 80 and so Is said 10 he the low
est price IN the valleys. some ~ the furnaces
have resumed aud others nre expected TO ro'
sumo soon The weekly output September l.
according 10 The American Manufacturer,
was Dr. 1GS tons. against DOES tons August
!, and ls4.o5S tons n year ago.
When one considers how greatly this indus
try has developed and in how many directions
with astonishing success and progress It seems
strange that any have doubted the value and
efficiency 81 the American industrial policy
II "a hut few years since the opponents or
that policy were asserting that, In N" single
matter Of steel rails. II was rohhing the whole
country md every part Of the country OF count
less millions every year FOR the benent or
few rich manufacturers. The fact thar the
aforesaid manufacturers were putting every
dollar they conld get OF tho countless mill
ions aforesaid or otherwise. into new works.
new machines. new mines and better facilities
for transportation was generally ignored In
thoac days or bv few held ny to public con
dcmnnflon ~ IN illustration Of the nsatiahly
graspng spirit ~ monopolles. Yet there Is not
n single one ~ the works or mines upon which
the profit per ton has not been substantially
cut in two since those days. rs n the manu-
facturer had built new works and opened new
mines for no other purpose than 70 compete
with himself. and In the fight had killed half
his own profits
The steel rail combination was the pet aver
sion Of multltudes for twenty years or more.
but the rails which used to cost Sill In 1858
dropped below so In 1877. and below S3o In
1857. and below $50 in 1889. and below $40 In
1873 The material from which rails are man
ufacturcd has not been reduced in the same
proportion. ana yet has been reduced In cost
for the Besscmer piG N Pittshurg has dropped
from SO 20 early IN 1857 10 50 20 in July OF
last year-a price from which some recovery
was necessary I'm the present state OF the man
ufacture Yet with such progress ms has been
seen In reducing the cost OF ore aud freights.
OF pig and rails the prices which mr." quit" out
of place to-day because they spell no profit for
the works. no expansion of the Industry no
steady labor or satisfactory compensation for
the mon, may soon become the normal and
everyday quotation.
This great Industry has been tho favorte
hunting ground Of the organizers Of trusts and
combinations. which have helped and hurt
about as much IN this ne In any other branch
Of the manufacture. Sometimes they have
hlndcrpd reductions In prices. AS In steel beams
for years AT So 80 and again ut 81 10. but pros
emily came the pressure Of competition and the
smash. and the price went down 10 81 last
summer. The wirc-nail makers have tried the
experiment more than once. aud held th" price
above So I'm 1887, above 81 In 1890 and part
Of 1881. and then saw It drop 10 s. cents per
100 mounds IN MAY lS95. They lifted II again
70 81 -, IN 1876. and then saw II drop 10 81 -
In 1897 All sorts Of combinations have been
fried. ms several are IN progress now. but It
does not appear that any ono Of them
has prevented the progress of the Indus
fry. Considering TINT the profits made, whether
/ l,rse or small Go into additional works. bet
/ ter machinery mere perfect plants, and
thus operate exactly ns II the manufact-
rrcr were using his own profits 10 compete
/ with himself IN" consumer appears +" he the
/ srrcst gamer. There ie never year In which
NIL sorts Of manufactured products Of iron and
steel are in demand 10 tho full extent OF their
production throughout tho whole year But
| that means n fight for whatever business can
no done. and the fight brings progress as Low
/ oil said: "Clvillzation sometimes does get for
rad on a powdrr-cart"