The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-28

This table shows that just as rapidly as
tin plate mills We're constructed in this
country the imports decreased. dropping
from the normal average of about 700, 600 600
pounds in 1889 and 1890 to 171e00,OOO pounds
this year. These figures are from recent
report of the United States Bureau of Sta
tistics. In 1891, before the Mckinley law
went INTO effect, every available vessel was
engaged TO bring foreign goods to this
country, which explains the reason of the
enormous amount of tin plate imported in
that year, and the corresponding decrease
the next year. Mr.. Stewart manager of the
glshman, and in 1891 was connected with
this same company's plant in Wales. He
says that In that year the manufacturers
iron that had been dipped in tin to this
country regardless of quality. They asked
no questions as to purcha sers but simply
sent their tin plates and stored them 1t
will also be noticed by the table that the
buyers here paid 4 cent more pound than
in any other year. All were anxious to get
a big stock, so to defeat the purpose of
the new tariff law.
The imports this year (year ending June
30, 1899 were cut down to 1852 345 pounds
at % cents pound Practically all of this
was exported again and the import duty
repaid to the importers. The Standard Oil
Company used most of it, The tariff law
provides that when any article is imported
into this country and then exported the inn
those doing business with foreign countries
to take advantage of the cheaper made for
eign material, when to use the home
product would shut them out of the foreign
market entirely. This importation will
probably continue until the plants in this
country can make tin plates as cheaply as
Wales.
Many people claim that this immense tin
industry has grown up at the expense Of
the consumer. and few years ago the
"wOrkingmanS dinner DaiP story was in
dustriously worked by the Democrats. The
following present prices of tin plate the
figures being for American tin are taken
al
Plate Review of Oct /, 1898:
Coke tins, /. c. 14x20. Scarce:
Bessemer steel, 107 lbs...................$3.0 5
Bessemer steel, 100 Observation-Disclosures. 2.95
Bessemer Steel IS bs.................... 290
Bessemer steel 80 bs..............-..... 2S11z
Stamping tins
Bessemer j. c., 100 lbs. ................... 3.15
+. o. b., Pittsburg district
j. B. grade coke tins, /. c. 14x20 and
J. B. grade coke tins, 100 lbs. 14x2o.. 275m2.5O
j. B. grade coke tins, 80 lbs, l4x20.. 2.1Od265
j. b. grade coke tins. 80 lbs. l4x2O.. 2.65q260
These figures show that only stamping tin
is now worth more than cents a pound,
while other grades range from 2.95 cents
down to go cents. In 1889 all tin plates
Cterne plates included which are worth g
tc IS cent less on the pound than tin piate)
imported into this country averaged 20
cents a pound, 81 cents in 1880 and 35 cents
in 1891 all before the passage Of the Nc
Kinley law. AS far back as | have the
record there is not year before the advent
of American tin when the WOrkingman'S
dinner pail was made of tin that cost as lit
tie as the present American-made tin. On
the market price, Tin and Terne" of Sept.
% says: while the prices at which sales
of tin plate have been recently made are
considered very low, they mark a decided
advance over former rates. and the market
has really improved to a noticeable extent
The quotation of $40 for 100-pound plates
for the earlier months of next year is fire.
quently made, but is not accepted actual
sales being at a shade under this figure
But how does this AFFECT the wOrkingman?
Mr. Stewart. of the Morewood Company
says a tin plate plant requires an average
of about sixty-tiye employees for each mill
in operation, which shows that the mills of
this country. 240 in number, employ about
Is 800 persons. Mr.. Stewart also saws the
average rate OF pay is nearly 81 a day
which would mean about $50. 900 day, for
300 days i'm the year. 81 100000 a year which
goes TO the employees of the tin plate mills
this year will be 640.O00.000 pounds valued
at $4,000. 900. This will require approx
mately about 10000 long tons OF steel bill
lets, worth SIS ton. or 81. 100 900. of which
fully 50 per cent. represents labor making
a total of $12. 100 that will be paid to the
workingmen of this country this year on ac-
count of the tin Dlate industry.
Indiana has six of the thirty-nine plants
in this country and employs about 3. 500 per-
number in the country. and will pay In
wages TO tin plate workers approximately
s.. 100000 this year That Is how 1t has
helped Indiana. And still tin dinner pals
cost no more than they did before the pass
age of the Mckinley bill; In fact, they cost
fraction less. WALTER A. ROYSE.