Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-27
The steel boom.

The reports that reach us from the
southern ports show very plainly thdt we
are building up an immense export trade
I'm iron and steel. Some so tons OF steel
rails are 10 be shipped at once from
| SparrOws Point to Glasgow. ide irst
shipment of American rails, 1t Is claimed,
shipment of American rails, u is claimed,
that has ever been sent 10 ScOtldnd. y
be made 10y the next steamer. TWO SAIL
ing Vessels are loading steel rails Tor
Australia. and a steamer is soon TO take
5000 tons 10 Melbourne. part oI "a snip
ment of $500 tons. The furnace opera
tors are working 10 their capacity, and
Vet the supply of southern iron IL not
equal 10 the demand. The large snip
building yards are hampered by lack
Of metal, and in many cases they are
practically running the carloads as they
come from the rolling mills right IN 10
the bending slabs TO be worked into the
frames Immediately.
Perhaps the best feature Of this steel
boom is the fact that IN most cases the
employees are reaping their share or the
benefit that accrues from the increased de-
mand In many Of The mines a sliding
scale Of wages is I'm force, and as the price
of iron is forced mp the wages also ad-
vance. In the rOlling-mills good men are
at a premium, and in the ship-buldinS
yards there has been "a better market for
the labor Of metal-WOrkers than for years.
Aside from shp-building, steel is 50 large
Is used i'm construction now that the iron
their labor, and the increased competition
for this labor has stinened The rates Of
wages paid I'm many of the Woodworking
industries. With American steel under
selling the British article i'm iis home
market, there seems 90 be very ili 'o doubt
that before long there Will D. decided
movement toward the build steel
ships for the ocean-carrylng g. ln this
country As IT is now. they can doubtless
BE- built on the lakes for figures as low
roll lttH If-I an
whether with reason or not, there is quite
a prejudice i'm many quarters against the
lake-built shp-a prejudice that extends
so far that ii has been said TO have stood
in the way Of their registry at Lloyds.
ChiIdren's Mistakes.
Mr. c. Stanley Ellis, in the Cornhil
Magazine, under "CrOss-Q Questions and
Pointed Answers gives some amusing
mistakes of school children. 'In many
schools which are well taught and equip
ped children make mistakes" Mr.. Ellis
SAYS. (which are most absurd unlil
thought out. when they often show a rea-
soning power far greater than might
course of reading the word martyr was
met. What is martyr asked the in
spectOr. a water-cart' \ water cart%
Yes sir The inspector was puzzled.
But he afterwards remembered that he
was i'm the parish Of ST. George the Mar
tyr. This parish does it's own contracting.
and the boy has seen st. George the
MARTYR painted on the water-carts. More
simple was the reply TO the same ques-
ton. Them red things wot they sells on
barrels
Girls" Mr. Ellis points out. sometimes
mix their religion with their cookery les-
sons. diocesan Inspector VINO asked,
why did Elijah pour water on the sacrl-
hceY was answered, To make the gravy,
sir The early Roman CHRISTIANS were
SAID 10 have frequepted the 'Capscums,'
and "A famous Dore picture was described
as Christ leaving the Petroleum., In
Croydon a board inspector was trying 10
elicit the name Of the weapon with which
Samson killed the Philistines. The chill
dren were dense What Is thisy he sug-
gested. laying his hand on his cheek.
They caught on in moment The jaw
bone Of an ass. sir
Some ludicrOus answers result from dla-
lect \ boy I'm the West was reading
Her mate Eat beZide her an gang zweet
gong" Now. what Is the subject OF the
sentence?' "Xider. zir." In THE Battle
OF Blenheim." the reading led 10 the line,
THE plOughshare turns them out.
Turns what Out?" 1.-THE skulls zir"
"What are skulls?" Bones Of the ed !
without the mate on n. zir." Apronos !
of the cuckoo: What do you know about |
the cuckOO?" Please, sir, ii doesn't |
lay its own eggs. sir"
A marrage-license was issued in Wash
ngtOn yesterday % Mr.. James Cum |
bingham and Miss Rose T.. Gibbs, both Of |
this city.