The Washington weekly post., 1900-04-17
STEEL MILLS CLOSED
Operations i'm Twelve Large
Plants Cease Indefinitely.
THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES IDLE
President Lambert, of the American steet
and Wire Company, says the Demand
Has Fallen on Owins 10 Labor Troubles,
ana Large stocks Have Accumulated i'm
CsHsesuenee-Werk Not TO BE Resumed
tntii Surplus Pred1ctIs Worked on.

Chicago, April 1s-Labor troubles IN he
building trades are stated by President
John w. Lambert, OF the American Steel
anu wire Company, as the reasons for
oruers issued to-day closing down all tn,
plants OF the concern In the vicinity of
Chicago. all those at Joliet. III, excepting
the Rockdale mill. and the extensive plant
at Anderson. Ind. Twelve plants were
ordered closed Thousands OF skilled
workmen were temporarily suspended b.
the action OF the wire magnates.
President Lambert said: Labor troubles
are at the bottom OF It, Our market has
been destroyed by the stopping OF building
labor and We have had 10 shut down until
the accumulated stocks are sold"
New York. April 1S-John w. Gates, of
the American Steel and Wire Company.
was seen to-day I'm reference to Gis-
patch from the West which stated that a
number of the constituent concerns IN
the main company had suspended opera
tons. He confirmed the statement, and
said that twelve OF the mills in the con-
stituent companies have been shut down.
They are located at Pittsburg, Cleveland,
Joliet. Ill: Waukegan, H.; De Kalb, H.:
Newcastle. Ind, and Anderson, Ind.
Mr. Gates Statements.
Mr.. Gates said the cause OF the closing
down of the mills was overproductlon.
Mr.. Gates said he was unable 10 state
when the mills would resume operations.
as they first would have TO ascertain the
extent of the overproduction. When
asked as TO his view as 10 the trade sitIa-
ton and outlook Mr.. Gates stated that
the shutdown of the mills was the best
evidence of the current situation.
MI. Gates made another statement later,
In which he said that the twelve mills
which had been closed had daily ca
paeIty OF from 5000 To 40O0 tons He said
that slack business was an additional rea-
son for the suspension of operations. The
best information is that the mills will be
closed indefinitely. Ii Is said that as many
as 4ooo men. boys, and girls Will be af-
fected by the shutdown.
Steel Production in Recent Years.
Philadelphia. April 1.-THE production
OF open-hearth steel In the United states
In 1899, ascertained by tn. American Iron
and Steel Association, was 2.947, ,3le gross
tons. against 2,23O. 2s2 tons I'm 1895.
In 1898 the production OF open hearth
steel by the basic process amounted 10 l.
'ss, AZ tons. ana by the acid process 80 .
$50 tons OF the total production last year
,,oSl, i2s tons We're made by the basic pro-
Cess and scS, $50 tons were made by the
acid process.
The total production of open-hearth d.
rect steel castings In 1892 included above.
amounted to l6s.72s gross tons, of which
S'eSs tons were made by the basic process
ana l3o'OiS tons were made by the acid
trocess. In 1893 the production amounted
o lD,oS tons. of which rs. 40 tons were
made by the basic process and 80, ia tons
~ the acid process
The total production OF open-hearth Steel
ngots and castings has more than .tou-
,led since 1896. when the United States
made 1,2s8.7O0 tons. In 1899 the open-
learth production came very close to that
4 Great Britain, which was 500 l5i tons.