The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-24
HAMPERED
Dearth of Raw Mate
rial Says Mr.. Moen.
RUSH OF ORDERS,
Piling Up Faster Than They
Can Be Filled.

The production of the Washburn &
Moen mills is to be limited only by the
supply of raw material obtainable.
Just as fast as sufficient raw material
is obtainable, additional gangs of work.
men will be hired, and if at any time
within the next few months the two
local plants of the American Steel g.
Wire Company are not running at their
fullest rush capacity, it will not be
because orders are lacking, but because
of lack of material at hand with
which to make the finished product.
That was the statement made yes
terday to Spy reporter by Philip w.
Moen. The previous stories printed in
The Spy telling of the rush of orders
and the increased forces put to work,
are thus fully confirmed.
We are completely swamped with
orders, said MIR. Moen yesterday. Or
ders are coming in and piling up far
faster than they can be filled even
by the wonderful capacity of the two
local mills Night shifts are being
worked all the time. The machinery is
constantly moving. The only thing
that hampers the work is, as, before
stated, the dearth of raw material.
The general boom in the manufac-
turing world has created a demand for
iron and steel products far greater than
can be accommodated. This demand
has brought a correspondingly large
demand for pig iron, and other raw
materials. Smelling Works all over the
country have worked at their full
capacity trying TO fill orders, but the
unprecedented demand was too much
Several large concerns had trouble with
their blast furnaces and that compll-
Gated matters. What is true of iron
and steel is equally true of copper,
Another cause for the lack Of raw
material in Worcester is the great
blizzard of two weeks ago. That storm
delayed freight and traffic over wide
territory and several trainloads Of raw
material destined for Worcester are
said to have been retarded en- route.
1t must not be understood that the
shortage of raw material is serious.
There is an abundance of it to keep the
two mills running night and day, af-
fording work for an army of workers.
But the lack of material does prevent
the mills from running at quite their
greatest capacity and, therefore, brings
vexation and annoyance to the local
managers, who are naturally deslrouS
of running the mills up to the maxi
mum limit now that the orders are pill
ing in.
Just as soon as the material at hand
warrants it, additional men will be
hired How many depends on circum-
stances. Mr. Moen declines to make a
definite estimate of the number, but
thinks it will range somewhere between
one and two hundred workmen When
that number is supplied with work, the
mills will be running at full capacity.
A large force of clerks is now busily
engaged making the final arrangements
for the new wage scale which goes into
affart IN NEnrpaSthr March 1Gt The
salary of each of the many employees
who come within the provisions of the
new wage scale is being increased its
due proportion When the men draw
their pay next Tuesday, it will be for
the last time under the old scale. After
that. their pay envelopes will be 50
much the heavier and so much more
money will be put into circulation.
Never before at one time have so many
''raises" been made in Worcester as will
occur March 1st Clerks and stenog-
raphers employed in the office do not
come under the new wage scale, and
will have to work for the same wages
as before. But the prosperity of the
steel combine is so great that they feel
the time will come when they will be
sharers.
General Manager NJ. T. Palmer left
Worcester Wednesday night. Mr.. Moen
says his visit here was merely one OF
the routine duties of Mr.. Palmer's po-
sition. AS general manager, he is
forced to make frequent visits of in
spection to every plant operated by the
trust Mr. Palmers visit here re-
suited in nothing definite" said Mr.
Moen yesterday. TT was merely a
tour of inspection. OF course I talked
over ten thousand different things with
action was taken on any important
matter"