New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-31
COMPETITION HNDERED ~ IRON WORK.

couprTtTION HTNDFRED ~ IRON WORK.
The American Tin Plate Company 1t Is
stotod has again raised the price Of plate OF
standard quality. II by 20 inches in size, ana lOo
mounds TO the box. 27l4, cents per box to 81 to.
Tho last advance was I'm March, % cents per
hov bnt since that time Besscmer pig iron has
risen IS 30 per ton steel billets So per ton, and
tbe black sheets from which the tlnplates are
made have risen 80 cents per 100 pounds While
nlg tin has advanced over : cents per pound.
These are advances i'm quotations which,
however. have. in iron products, been for more
than n month subject to the proviso, IF any
can bc bought at ALL" or else, For future do
'livery time uncertain, and indefinite premiums
paid to get any quantity speedily" The con
dltions prevailing I'm all departments Of the
iron and steel industry must in fairness be con-
sdcrcd in any effort to judge whether an adj
vance i'm prices is reasonable. II men have to
contract for sheets nj So per 100 pounds instead
Of 50 20. with much uncertainty when they can
get the supply. and also have to pay 17l2 cents
more for 2l2 pounds Of tin used in making n
box Of plates and have moreover 10 pay higher
wages under sliding scale. rising with the
price of the roduct. it does not appear that
the two advances of S7la cents per 100 pounds
There is naturally much strong talk about
new competition. and without doubt there would
he tinplato mills by the score starting up If it
were not for the altogether abnormal state OF
things in the iron and steel industry, which
makes It n difficult and doubtful matter, even
more for now concerns than for those working
under contracts made months ago. 10 obtain
supplies Of material When vessels being butt
for the United States Government are stopped.
and others being built for Russia, because re-
qnirod material cannot be obtained as 1t Is neces-
sary. and when some Of the largest and most
powerful steel works have been obliged to run
some Of their machinery only part time for the
same reasons. the conditions do not greatly favor
the starting Of new mills in n competitive
venture Whenever supplies Of material can be
obtained with certainty and prompness, it IS
safe 10 say that competitive tinplate works Will
quickly appear unless selling prices are so re-
duced as 10 offer small chances Of profit
Tntl that dime It Is probable that in this. as
In some other manufactures Of iron, new com
petition will he delayed, and the people will
have 10 rely upon their other remedy, refusal
10 buy when prices seem too high. There Is
even now 4 fight In progress against the steel
md wire interest, and il has powerful backing
and the direction Of men whose large experience
has been full OF success; but the problem as TO
supplies Of material Is likely TO be most prom
inent there also In other lines Of manufacture
II is known that new corporations have to meet
strong competition as soon as adequate sup
Plies Of material can be relied upon. But the
iron Industry all over the world Is in peculiar
and almost unprecedented conditions, so vast
has been the demand for new buildings ma
chinory. vessels rails. cars. docks, hoistlng APP
paratus, and all the appliances required by
sudden and enormous Increase in that part or
the worlds business which depends on mining,
transportation and manufacture. Because it
falls upon the iron industry 10 do the work for
all the others, IN sense, it Is crowded beyond
all expectations.