The Norfolk weekly news., 1900-11-01
Taking No Chances on the Possi-
bility of the Election of
the Nebraskan.
Several Plants Shut Down and 9th
ers Will Be in the Event of
Such Calamity.
Large Buyers Awaiting Result of the
Election Before Placing
Orders.

That the election OF Mr.. Bryan
would be followed by panic and a
period of fearful business depression
the orders that are being received by
manufacturing institutions of the
country. Nearly all OF the larger or
ders have inserted in them clauses to
the effect that the order is to be
cancelled in the event of Bryans
election. Instances without number
can be given where these Bryan
clauses have been accepted by the pro-
ducing classes, because buyers are in
no mood to take chances on the con
ditions that would exist after the 9th
of November if the Nebraskan is sue
cessful.
In this line reference is made to two
or three contracts of the sort named
in different sections of the country,
showing that the feeling is not local
by any means, but is widespread.
The consti uction of big rolling
mill to be established at Hammond,
Ind, is being held up until after elec-
tion by John d. Briggs, president of
the Ohio Rolling Mill company, and
George A. Carney, of Find.ay, o. The
mill is to cost about $500, ,OGU, and Mr..
Carney is now in Pittsburgh buying
the necessary machinery, but in all of
his machinery contracts the Bryan
clause" is inserted. In other words,
no mill will be erected should Bryan
succeed.
Then there is the Marion flint glass
works at Marion, Ind, which is about
finishing up the orders that it has in
hand, and Will close down should Bry-
an be elected, being unable to get any
orders free from that clause.
At Pittsburgh the largest iron and
steel working concerns have heavy
conditional orders, among them Jones
e. Laughlin, Chalfant & Co., Morehead
Bros, Sable iron works. National tube
works and the various Carnegie plants.
These immense concerns Will all close
down or work on short time if Bryan
is elected. as they are unable to get
orders to carry them along.
Katz Bros, the wealthy brewers of
Paterson, N. j., are negotiating for
the purchase of the Rogers locomotive
works, Mr.. Rogers having announced
come time ago that he had made
enough money and would retire. The
sale would have been made months
ago but for the fear of Organism.
Studebaker Bros, the wagon max
ers, whose business extends all over
the country, have placed an order for
million feet of hardwood with w. NJ.
Ritter, of Columbus, O. The wagon
men will take a hundred thousand feet
on the 1st of November, but the other
100000 feet are not to be delivered in
case Mr.. Bryan is elected. A furni-
ture manufacturer of Grand Rapids,
Mich, has placed an order with the
same dealer, but the lumber is only to
be delivered in case Mr.. Mckinley is
reelected.
The Bessemer steel plant and the
rail mill of the Illinois steel works at
South Chicago have been closed down
for repairs and an overhauling. The
mills employ about $500 men, and
President Burlington, Of the company,
says: 1--WE have few orders ahead and
none for immediate delivery. The
time for reopening will depend entire
ly on how the orders for rails come
in. The steel trade in general has
been hesitating for the past few
weeks. Often at this season of the
year we have orders ahead to keep us
busy for seven or eight months. but
this year it is very different. Our
largest customers in all lines tell us
that they don't care to place any or
ders until they know what the result
of the election will be-"
T. A. Gillespie and other Pittsburgh
capitalists have a project on foot to
install an electric power plant at Mas
'sena, N. Y, that will develop $50, 900
horse power. They will not go ahead
unless Mr.. Bryan is defeated. For the
present the proposition is held up.