The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-03-07

IRON the New York Evening Post
On the eve Of what promises TO be a
finish fight In the steel industry public
attention has been directed toward the
men who lead the two opposing ele-
ments-the trust and the independents. In
each group Of the rate-war contestants
are found the steel experts and financiers
who made their leap into prominence
about a decade ago.
OF the independents. VINO have contin-
ued TO center in Pittsburg. this communi-
" has heard less than Of the trust pilots.
who since 1901 have made their head-
quarters in New York. But the indie
pendents have never been reduced TO q
subordinate place in steel activity, and
they are evidently impressed with their
ability to bring their big opponent to
terms Among them are men well quail
lied for the fight by their knowledge Of
practical financial conditions.
The term independent. as applied in the
iron and steel trade, is somewhat OF a
MISSIONER. The common application is in
reference to firms, individuals, and cor
pOrations not affiliated with the United
States Steel Corporation. The Pennsly-
vania, Cambria, Lackawanna, and Re
public Iron and Steel Companies repre-
sent combined interests Strictly speak
ing, the Jones & L.aughlin Steel Company.
the Inland Steel Company. the Pittsburg
Steel Company, the Youngstown Sheet
and Tube Company, W. P. Snyder & Co.,
the United Iron and Steel Company. NJ.
A Hanna & Co, Pickand, Mathers & Co,
Corrigon. Mckinney & Co. the Brier Hill
Coal and Iron Company, the Page Woven
Wire Company, and the Sharon Steel
Hoop Company are really independents,
in name and in fact. There are many
similar companies in different lines. but
these serve as Illustrations.
They are Genuinely Independent.
Their prominence in the trade. their fu-
ture prospects. and their ability to build
and construct mills, plants, and furnaces
are due 70 being self-contained or having
contracts over periods extending from a
few to many years with firms or corpora
tions that market their own raw mate
rails Among the Independents are some
Of the brightest, keenest, and best trained
men in the iron and steel industry. They
are Independents because Of their own
choosing. and the prosperity Of their or
CARNATIONS clearly reflects their financial.
constructive. and administrative abilities.
PittsbUrg is the acknowledged center OF
the iron and steel industry. This is not
only because of its proximity 10 raw ma
terials from which 10 distribute finished
materials, but mainly because Pittsburg
has always had ready capital for new en-
terprises; men capable Of constructing,
managing, and experimenting manufac-
turing establishments. and the skilled Ia
Dor required 70 turn out the product
There is not a department Of the industry
which would fail 20 find the labor and
capital needed TO organize and operate.
The fact that the Steel Corporation is in
effect operated and directed by Pittsburg-
ers and that Pittsburgers are almost al
ways chosen when vacancies occur goes
10 prove this assertion. The Indifferent
success Of various enterprises with work
ing headquarters away from Pittsburg is
further proof
Leading independents in Pittsburg are
the Jones & Laughlin Steel Company the
Pittsburg Steel Company, and W ,.
Snyder e. Co The Jones & Laughlin
Company's existence dates back to 1856.
OF the older generation. Willis L. King,
the vice president and general sale agent,
Is the sole representative. Maj. George
". Laughlin died a few weeks ago, and
B. F. Jones died in 1903 B. F. Jones. jr..
is the president Of the company
Mr. Jones is only fOrIy-one years OF
age graduate Of Yale. thoroughly DEM
ocratic, easy Of approach, and popular
with the thousands of employees Of the
company. Jones & Laughlin had an Op-
pOTtunity To enter the Steel Corporation.
but the senior Jones had a great pride in
his works and his organization. and, with
the hearty cooperation of his partners,
the hattering offer was declined. The
company is building a new plant on the
Ohio River, a few miles below Pittsburg,
ultimate cost Of which viii approximate
s25,O0OOO0. while the entire properties of
the company could not be duplicated for
100000 10 S50,OOO,oOO.
Dean Of Manufacturers.
Mr. King is really the dean Of American
steel manufacturers. He has been with
the Jones & Laughllns thirty-nine years,
and is. perhaps, more intimately known
by a larger proportion Of iron and steel
people than any other man in the trade.
His counsel is always sought on import
ant matters. and no conference in the
last twenty or more years has been con-
Eidered complete without his presence.
His opinions carry great weight, and he
has the respect Of all who know him.
He has often been spokesman for the iron
and steel interests after important meet
ings and conferences have been held.
Like Mr. Jones. he Is interested in a lin
tied number of outside organizations. and
is a director OF the Pittsburg Trust Com
pany.
snyder Force in The Trade.
William P. Snyder Is the directing force
In the firm Of w. P. Snyder & Co. by far
the most important independent ore and
pig iron producers. Mr. Snyder's connec-
ton with the industry dates back to 1850.
when, with J. G.. Leishman, now Ambas-
sador to Turkey. he started the firm Of
Schoenberger & Co, manufacturers OF
merchant iron and steel. Eight years la
ter Mr.. Leishman went with the Carne-
gle Steel Company. eventually rising TO
the presidency. and Mr.. Snyder organized
the firm OF ". P. Snyder & Co, which
has remained unchanged in the last TWEEN
ty-one years, and still markets iron ore,
pig iron. and coke
In the early '9Os. the Mcclure Coke
Company was organized, and Mr. Sny-
der was vice president until 1885, when
the property was solo 10 the Z. c. Frick
Coke Company With the late Henry w
oliver. he formed the OIiver-Snyder Iron
and Steel Company, operated as an inde-
pendent plant until taken over by the
steel Corporation in 1901. Mr. Oliver was
a pioneer IN developing the idea of bring
Ing ore direct from the Northwest to the
producers, instead of buying Z through
Cleveland ore merchants, and this idea
was largely responsible for the changes
in the iron and steel industry in the last
seven or eight years. Mr.. Snyder was az
fil.ated with Mr.. Oliver in developing and
perfecting his plans, and the ore hold
ings acquired were subsequently merged
into the Shenango Furnace Company. In
1902. the Clarion Steel Company erected