New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-07-10

Before that the pudders throughout the ter
ritory named getting 81, and nowhere more
than 81 25 a ton. The puddler is an important
factor In determining the rate Of wages, and ali
other classes Of employees In the same departments
receive in exact proportion as the scale by which
he is paid rises or falls. Thus, while there may
be only 50 to 100 puddlers in a mill, yet the wages
Of 300 TO 400 other employees affected when their
earnings disturbed Since then all the hrns
have increased the wages of the puddlers at least
four times. and many five times. The raise has
been at the rate Of % and 80 cents ton. and the
puddlers scale throughout Eastern Pennsylvania
to-day is everywhere 50 rs ton the highest paid
since the early eighties and 1t is believed that the
end is yet but that puddlers will soon be work
ing for 81 ton.
In the days Of the last Democratic Administra-
ton the same puddler was working in some
Schuylkill Valley mills for 81 so and 81 a ton. Work
was uncertain Many mills shut down. 1t
was a season Of depression, and everywhere the
prediction made that the trade of the puddler
was doomed; that steel was taking the price or
iron; that pudding mills would soon be relegaed
to the rear just the FORCES compelled to
go out Of the business Prosperous times have
changed all this The puddler is no longer obliged
to go from place place seeking work. He
is sought after everywhere In Reading. Potts
town. Lebanon. Harrisburg, Blandon, Gibraltar,
Steeton, Allentown. Catasauqua Phpnixville. Lam
caster, Birdsboro, Coumbia-in fact wherever
there is a pudding mill-he can get the prevailing
scale Of wages.
CHANGE FROM DEMOCRATIC TIMES.
number of the plants in Eastern Pennsyl-
vania are to-day short handed in iron workers and
especially in puddlers. When Grover Cleveland
began his second Administration hundreds OF men
we're forced out. either by the low wages paid or
the irregular working of the mills and their in
ability TO make a living. The fact that wages
,, have now been increased has not entirely helped
matters. Some of the mills have secured a num-
Der Of men, but they have not all the skilled iron
workers they want 1t is fact that now they
have agents out visiting different towns. with the
view Of Increasing their force. This has
before been heard of. and is the greatest feature
OF the iron business in Eastern Pennsylvania.
The newspapers contain advertisements Of firms
which want puddlers and other skilled hands IL
Is certainly in great contrast to the times of a few
years ago. when these men were going about hope
essly seeking work when there was general
stagnation in the iron trade. when mills were
closed in all sections Of the State. and not few
towns almost deserted. The supply OF pud-
dlers and other skilled iro1 workers is enough
and such a wave Of prosperity has now struck
the eastern section OF the State as has not been
known for a great many years
The trade OF TIE pudder Is especially referred to
at length because for nearly half a century he has
borne such a conspicuous part in the life OF the
| IRON towns. The productions OF John Smith, the
| puddler poet" have appeared in the newspapers
and the converted puddier is Oiten heard at re-
! vval meetings
| u4NERAL INCREASE OF WAGES
| The increase of wages. though in such
| large proportion, has been general and there are
few Industries bearing the remotest relation
to iron, and this includes all the principal plants
| In Eastern Pennsylvania. that have not made a
voluntary advance, and If there is to-day idle
| mill within fifty miles Of Reading At to 20 into
! operation its location Is not known. Men who
| haVe he hat In
| territory where less than $1,000 iron workers had
| irregular employment year ago, fully 900 are
! now earning good wages good time. Even the
| laborers around the mills who were working for
| IS and 80 cents q day are hardly anywhere getting
| less than 81 20 Every man who wants work can
| get 1t.
plants which use iron are enjoying the fruits OF
| the good times the furnaces are in the midst OF
| unusual season OF prosperity. During the last
month the last OF the anthracite blast furnaces
| in this region, which were In condition for i'm
| mediate resumption. have gone into operation. In
| the Lehgh Valley there are tweny-six stacks and
| fourteen running: in the Schuylki Valley twelve.
and nine In operation. and In the Lebanon Valley
eleven OF it's twelve big furnaces going at full
| blast. The situation beyond this territory is
| equally promising II Is for this reason that such
great money value is to-day attached 10 the fur
naces. These properties have risen 800 per cent in
| few months. New-York people several months
! which could have been purchased at a COMPARE
! lively reasonable price only few years ago One
was idle for long time. but to-day more money
can be made in turning out pig iron than digging
| for gold IN the Klondke.
PROFIT IN THE BUSINESS
The figures speak for themselves Two years
ago the prevailing price Tor pig iron was s. and 50
| ton. Many iron masters declared that they were
merely keeping the furnaces running to give their