Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-17
TN ] IN Z TsTVO y LIE
Information Given to the Industrial
Commission.
some RESULTS OF COMBINATION
Stimulating Effect Of the
Tariff.
REDUCTION IN PRICES

capitol today. Inc frSt witness was Mr..
Daniel G. Reid of Chicago, president of the
company.
Prof. jerks led in the examination of the
witness Mr.. Reid said the American Tin
Plate Company was Incorporated in the
state of New Jersey, where it's books have
been kept except on occasions when they
We're taken to other cities. Stock has been
transferred in Chicago, New York and at
Orange, N. j., where the company has it's
New Jersey office.
Why the Trust Was Formed.
The combination of the tin plate compa-
MES, he said, was brought about because
the competition to which the mills We're
subject was so severe it was driving the
companies into bankruptcy. There were at
that time thirty-nine mills, and many of
them would soon have been closed down if
the trust had not been formed.
Judge Moore had been appealed to to
bring about the combination, and ne bought
up all the mills and then formed the Amer
l @re FIT I'll t Plate COMPANY to which they
had S1S,00OOOO preferred and sos, 600 900
common stock, the additional $40, 1000, 900 of
common stock having been given to Judge
the combination. This stock was put in his
hands to do with as he saw proper
MI Reid declared that just before the
computation was effected tin sold at $3.50
per pound. He said that wages of unskill-
ed laborers had been advanced 20 per cent
anu skilled wages 10 per cent since the
compinatlon was organized This increase
had begun July 1.
Good Results of the Trust
The American Tin Plate Company now
employs 1000 more men than were en-
ployed When the organization was formed
and they pay out $4,000 per annun more
ban
an agreement with its workmen until
July 1 next. If prices of steel and other
things used in the tin industry should go
up to the figures that some people have
thought would be the case he did not see
how the Tin Plate Company could continue
to operate, except by cutting the wages of
the men. 1t could get little more out of
the consumer perhaps under such condi-
tlons OF increased price, but that would not
be sufficient to prevent the cutting of
wages.
1t has sold it's tin plate to any jobbers
who have good credit, though certain deal
ers nad thelr special brands of tin, which
could not be handled by any one else.
Agreement With the Mills.
The American Tin Plate Company has an
agreement with two-thirds of the manu-
facturers of rolls for tin plate work, by
which the former agrees to take all the
rolls for tin plate work. and that as this
rolls to any one else for rolling tin. About
one-third of the manufacturers of such
roiis IN the country have not contracts with
the American, and are at liberty to sell
rolls to any one they want
Since the combination in the tin plate In
dustry twelve or thirteen mills had been
shut down, because of their Isolation and
the impossbility of operating them to adj
vantage. On the other hand, twenty-five
new mills In different parts of the country
had been opened.
Where the Trust Saved.
The combination had been profitable NV
saving something in the office forces Of the
thirty-nine mills taken into the organiza-
uon' but had not saved on labor in the
shops. There were some office sinecures
mat mad been wiped out but as a rule the
men relieved from duty in the offices who
were valuable workers had been trans
1erred to one of the principal offices of the
company in New York or Chicago Then
the combination was a very large, buyer of
steel and probably got 1t or 8 cents a
pound less than small buyer would paw
1t had not saved much by dtspensing with
the services of travelling men, for the rea-
son that very few of them had been en-
ployed. As rule one of the proprietors
OF mill would look after any big order
that could not be settled by mail and thew
did not depend on travelling nen AS a
rule the former Independent proprietors of
mills had been retained in salaried posi-
LloIS dS ltltfldSeES. ms was done in
ly all cases.
Mr.: Reid explained the effect of the
tariff ON the tin plate industry He had
been stockholder in the tin plate COM
pany since 1871, and actively in the BUSH
ness since 1895 He said there could be no
tin plate industry without the tariff To
begin business the American company en-
ployed all WeishTnen, and now about 80
per cent of them are Welshmen
Tin is today S465 box and the price
could be run up 80 cents a box higher
without meeting foreign competition. There
Is no importation of tin except for the pur-
pose OF exporting 1t again.
Mill Hands and Their Pay.
Their annual pay roll is now $4,000, 600 a
year, and some of the rollers make as much
as $40 day. There is one roller In each
mill at each turn. He considered them bet
ter paid than any other mill employees The
roller IS a skilled man, and If he IS clever
he can learn the business in three years.
The work is under a high temperature,
and is quite arduous but he did not
consider 1t unhealthy. A timer today,
working his turn, wifi make from $3.50
to 81 a day. Timers could hardly be called
skilled. They We're usually farm boys and
boys around towns who are taught the
business in three months. Day laborers
are paid by them $1.+0 a day. Women earn
about 81 2o a day, and that was the lowest
ployes in the ten mills. he thought,
would average $3.50 a day. He thought
roller IN the mills of Wales got not higher
than $3.50 day, against $40 day in this
country. The tin made In this country had
kept S350oo,000 here, instead of sending it
abroad for foreign-made tin.
Drop in Price of Tin.
Tin is now sold for S1.50 to 81 a box less
than it was before tin was manufactured
in this country.
Mr.. Reid thought the present high prices
Of tin and products from which It is made
will run through the present year, and
during six months of next year.
He did not think the tariff had anything
to do with the formation of the American
Tin Company as a combination Of various
mills
1t was the desire of all big companies to
get the price of the product down, and he
hoped to see the day when the American
Tin Plate Company could ship tin out of the
country. He thought the time when he
could ship tin in competition with England
was long. way off. The great difficulty to
be overcome, he said, was the difference IN
the price Of labor.
Consumption of Tin.
OF the worlds product of tin plate Mr..
Reid said. this country consumes this year
100000 boxes. which would be tw6-thirds
of all the tin plate made. England has 400
v,iltS oTA