Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-12-17
} In the
} WOrIdOf L abOr.
LOCAL LABOR NEWS.

last week. No new industries have
started, and those closed down have no
encouraging news, but all the plants
now closed are expected by the work
ingmen to start up by the first of the
year. Those who are suffering most
are the. tin workers, and in the last
week about eight families of Welsh
have returned to Wales, where at pres
ent the mills are all on and back TO the
1874 scale, known as the scale of Wales.
This is prosperous time among tin
workers of Wales, as all the mills are
now being operated, and are advertis-
ing for more men. This casts gloom
over the Welshmen of this country, who
wish they were back to their native
land.
Quite a howl is being made by the
local hardware dealers of this vicinity.
Their sale of nails have dropped off
about two-thirds, as the farmer Will
allow his repairing to go until nails go
down. AS to the barb WIRE and all
fencing wire, the sale has taken such a
slump, owing to the high prices, that
the average dealer has almost given
up selling any of these goods, and
owing to these high prices the farmer
has gone back to the old rail fence, and
in the woods is heard the ring OF his
axe, telling timber to make rails and
build the old style fence, which had
nearly become extinct. If prices had
not taken such a jump, owing to the
open winter many of these goods
would have been used and the hard
ware dealers would have profited much
from salse.
Bellaire is still holding its own and
all of it's industries are running. 1t
was a set back to many of its citizens
when it was learned that the promoters
of starting up the old Aetna Glass Com
pany had failed, yet hope is not en-
tirely abandoned. To the many indus
tries in the last week was added the
corporation formed and known as the
Mcbride Carriage Factory, with a cap
ital of $4,000 The factory will en-
ploy about thirty-fve or forty men to
start with, and will soon be in oper-
alton. The three enameling works
are on in full, and have plenty OF or
ders ahead, and in this branch of trade
there is a report quite current that a
new works of this kind may be built in
the coming year.
The Bottle house and the Rodefer
Bros Glass Company are on in full,
with a good outlook for the future.
The report of the Bellaire Bottle Com
pany leaving this city is entirely with
out foundation, as the company has no
such idea.
The steel works are on In full, with
all the orders they are able to take
care Of The company recently bought
the tract of land west of the plant and
the company is now dumping all their
Stag in this low ground, filling it up,
and rumor is current that the COM
pany expects to build an addition on
this property.
The stove works and boiler works
are on in full, and no thought of closing
down, as they have plenty Of orders.
The new electric hight and power
company have their plant almost COM
pleted, and by the first of the year
expect to turn on the lights in the
city as per contract. Mr.. H. S. Sands,
of Wheeling, is at the head of the
construction.
The Improvements at the old Belmont
coal works is going on very rapidly.
The mines now are controlled by Rose
& Morgan, of Pittsburg, who have the
latest improved machinery for mining,
and when completed will be one of the
leading mines along the Ohio.
The new opera house is progressing
and it looks as if the projectors of the
same would be able to have it finished
by February. All the contracts have
been let, except the electric wiring and
gas fitting.
In Martins Ferry there still prevails
much dullness in trade, and the outlook
for bright Christmas trade has every
tinge but that of a good one, and some
dealers are considering marking down
their goods. Martins Ferry is always
unlucky in this trade, and has only one
time in its history wnen it enjoyed a
huge holiday trade, and that was during
the smallpox quarantine.
The new shovel works is fast APP
preaching completion. Already they
have commenced laying the floor, which
is a heavy double oak floor. Quite a
large space has been laid in the past
week. The building is 2eO feet long
and 100 feet wide. The slate roof is
about half completed. Nearly all of
the windows are in, and the framing
of the timbers for the machinery will
soon be finished This work will be
a great help to the city, and will employ
about 200 people when in operation.
New machinery is arriving and from
all indications will be finished by Feb
ruary.
The Beaumont Glass Company are
doing a good business, and last week
contracted for the building of new
decorating building, which is now being
built in the rear of their present plant.
This company has plenty Of orders, and
have a steady run.
The Benwood Furnace Company are
working full up, and is probably the
most profitable in the valley, as they
are able to use an ore that is of most
excellent quality, but which has proven
a failure to the ether furnaces in this
portion of the valley. 1t is now used
in the furnace to the extent of about
three-fourths, and no trouble has been
experienced, making a saving of about
20 per cent.
The West Virginia Glass Company
are on in full, with plenty OF orders.
Mann's foundry is having its usual
steady run.
The new structural iron works are
not yet fully equipped for their bust
ness. but the machine department have
all they can attend to.
The Spence, Baggs Company are
working up to their full capacity.