The Iron Age 1911-05-04: Vol 87 Iss 18

THE IRON AGE | Estadlished 1855 New York, May 4, 1911 Vou. 87: No. 18 Pubhshed Every Thursday by the DAVID WILLIAMS COMPANY 239 West 39th Street, New York Entered at the New York Post Office as Second Class Mail Matter. bscription Price, United States and Mexico, $5.00 per Annum; te Canada, oS 50 per Annum ; to Other Foreign Countries, $10.00 per Annum. Copies, 20 Cents. Cuances T. Root, - - * ~ = PRESIDENT W. H, TAYLOR, - - ‘TREASURER AND GENERAL MANAGER Haroto &. BUTTENHEIM, - - - - - SECRETARY Geo. W. Cope, - - - - - A. |. Finovey, - - ~ - - Eorrors W. W. Macon, - - - - - *) Branch Offices Philadelphia, Real Estate Trust Building Chicago, Fisher Building i Pitsburgh, Park Building Cleveland, American Trust Building Boston, Compton Building Cincinnati, 807 Andrews Building CONTENTS. Editorial : PAGE Blast Furnaces Going Out.......eeeeecvceceeccees 1053 New Steel Capacity in Germany and at Home....... 1054 The New York Machinists’ Strike............-.005: 1054 The Long Life of American Machine Tools.......... 1055 A Concentrated Advisory Board............+s+++6+ 1055 The American Workingman..........-sseseeeeeerees 1055 New Pubibemees ois vie ce.6 0 8 eae 086-05 ecco caebeweseneen 1056 Lead and Spelter Production in 1910..........0-eee-00. 1056 Steel Manufacturers Consider Welfare Work..........+-. 1056 American Iron and Steel Institute. ..........50eeseeeees 1056 The New York Barge Canale. ......ccccccsccccccsevess 1057 Manufactures in Utah... .ccccccccscccccccvctccvevveees 1057 Pig Iron Production. IRNllustrated...........2.eseeeeeees 1058 Jones & Laughlin Improvements...........++++eeeeee0> 1059 Reported Sale of Risdon Irom Works..........-++e+e+e55 1056 The Iron and Metal Market Reports.............+- 1060 to 1068 Notes OD PiCeS. .. sce eecscccceccersesseesereeseveees 1068 Iron and Industrial Stocks... 1... c ec ccc ce res eecccceses 1068 Chicago Metal Market Report........ccecsecceecesevcens 1068 A New Charcoal Blast Furnace. .......-.seseecseeseress 1069 An Air Cooling System for Sheet and Tin Plate Mills... .. 1069 Advantages of Worm Drive for Automobile.............+- 1070 Economy Tests of a Turbine-Driven Furnace Blower...... 1070 Essential Factors in the Formation of Producer Gas...... 1071 The Turin International Exposition. ...........eeesee05 1071 Ensley Rail Mill Closed DOWM........-ccccsccsesssvces 1071 Unemployment Insurance in Great Britain............++. 1072 Pereonal .. icc ob cs 00s ce U OES we 00 es UV ET Sb Ter epee 60K 1073 UBIUAEY . o os:dis chore rh hee Set es eRe AS tb Keune «0d 1073 Securing Foreign Government Contracts........++.seee++> 1074 The Essex-Merrimac Chain Bridge. ............eeee0e8: 1075 The Brooklyn Engineers’ Club’s Exhibition...........++.+. 1076 Strike of New York Machinists.........sssseceeceeeeees 1076 rhe Pittsburgh Foundrymen’s Association.............-- 1077 Pittsburgh Railway Club at the Ellwood City, Pa., Tube Plants vs <:« «9.0 wv U MOOS Mpa Cae O06: Cee 695 Cee PURE Abe 1077 Mexico Oil Developments............scececececesecees 1077 A New Charcoal Blast Furnace...........sseseseeeeees 1077 The Mechanical Engineers’ Programme............+++-- 1078 Customs DOckgQomiis sc iricc sce osc sa penn cdnctceeees sons ne 1078 Electric Steel Production at a German Works...........- 1079 Iron Ore Reserves Underestimated........+.seeseeeeeeees 1080 Chokio Water Works Bids........ EEELEEERLLIELLL EEL. The Sterling Steel Foundry Company..........+..+e+0+ 1081 Official Changes in the Steel Corporation. Portraits...... 1082 Death of Alexander FB. Brown. Portrait...... pedawedeors 10838 Right Principles in Works Management........ bwswu seer 1084 rhe Cincinnati Foundry Foremen.........«+ bk « 0 Cum © oe 1085 Iron and Steel Exports and Imports........+-.++++ e+e-- 1086 General Electric Apparatus for Dilworth, Porter & Co., Inc. 1086 Rails for the National Railway of Hayti.............-.- 1086 A Novel Application of Moter Drive to Machine Tools. INustrated. ..\5s<skeeaeeaes ea a Papa pee Be 1088 qe Sibley 24-In, Stationary Head Drilling Machine. Illus. 1089 “tee! Corporation Construction in the Birmingham District 1089 he Davis Cast Steel Car Wheel. Illustrated 1090 eee eee eeeee Th New Reed High 8 Sensitive Drills. Illustrated... 1093 Ben Machine Tool Builders’ Convention,..........-+++++- 1093 Railroad Equipment Orders:......+ caccewe somes bRMe 1093 ,.° Baily Eleetrie Furnace. Ilustrated........ Pe Lt Robinson Automatie Polishing Machine. Tiustrated.. 1097 ae Story of a Grain of Iron...... are cle oo heal bei Bail 1097 red [ron Pipe Molding. IUlustrated........... Ts cele tame 1098 The. 08d RGWNUON GU eM MMC. canes cccderrecncceesres 1100 \ 2 axson Grooved Roller Sand Mixer. Illustrated...... 1101 Ho, J crs’ and Sellers’ Bureau at Cleveland, Ohio........ 1101 The Y Canadian Rall Camtamets. «oc 6 ou wae ccs owe once os Os 1101 ny ang Sensitive Radial Drill, Ilustrated...........- 1102 pr... eam City Accident Preventor, Ilustrated......... 1103 ; ery Testing Machines at the Bureau of Standards. .... 1103 ‘Mu ders Sie Tubes. Ilastrated............-+0+++: ree : : ~ ec +e ee eevee Ths \iver-Ferguson Company's Removal, \.2....2..11.1 1407 ar Compan s . ° A ie clal Fosdick Horleental Borla, Drilling and Milling pn ne, A Na * Midland 30-Tn. Radial Drill. “Yitustrated= >>. 2° 2... The \0ols and Appliances........... Sa eile ba = aaa he Machinery Market Reports... .. 1109 .++.-1111 to 1121 Blast Furnaces Going Out A Net Loss of 19 in the Active List Business in Finished Lines Falling Off—Basic Iron Weaker Our pig iron statistics for April show that the iron trade more than retraced last month the forward steps it took in March, and the pace of recession was rapid as April closed. With 212 coke and anthracite fur- naces in blast May 1, or I9 less than one month pre- vious, the country was producing at the rate of 64,432 tons a day against 70,752 tons on April 1 and 66,562 tons on March 1. Production is now at the rate of 23,850,000 tons a year, estimating charcoal iron, whereas one month ago the yearly rate was 25,750,000 tons. In the 30 days of April the output of coke and anthracite iron was 2,065,086 tons, or 68,836 tons a day, against 2,171,111 tons in March, or 70,036 tons a day. Most of the furnaces which went out last month stopped in the second half. Steel companies show a net loss of 15 furnaces, against four for the merchant producers. One western Pennsylvania company had but two furnaces in blast May 1, against eight one The Steel Corporation now has 63 per cent. of its furnace capacity active, against 72 at the high point late in March. Several merchant fur- naces will go out in the next week or two. Pittsburgh reports that new business in finished lines has been falling off steadily. There is consider- able unevenness, however, taking the trade as a whole, one day’s total running up, to be followed by several of very meager bookings. The Steel Corporation’s new orders have been averaging 25,000 tons a day lately. No new influences have’ come into the price situation, nor is any development expected from the steel manufacturers’ conferences in New York this week. The Rock Island has bought 8000 tons of rails for its St. Paul and Des Moines line. The Florida East Coast has placed 14,000 tons with the Maryland Steel Company, which will also roll 12,000 tons for the Sea- board Air Line. A sale of 3500 tons has been made to the Guatemala Central Railway, and the rails will be rolled at Pittsburgh. The National Railway of Hayti, for which a construction company has been organized in New York, will require 26,000 tons of 48-Ib. rails. The closing down of the rail mill at Ensley, Ala., illustrates the intermittent character of railroad buy- ing. This mill will be idle in May, but has rollings scheduled for June, when the by-product coke plant and the new water system will be completed, adding to the economies of operation at the Ensley Works. The large amount of structural work pending in and about New York City will severely test fabricating prices, as well as those of plain material. For the Pennsylvania Railroad connecting bridge at Ward's and Randall’s islands specifications have just been is- month previous. sued for 35,000 tons. The Interborough Rapid Tran- sit Company is seeking to place the entire 80,000 tons So Nematic cape ut La A EOC AP ICS SA A i antieite eee ees Vee Ra Cote ta ated rhe mea a Se PNET Ss tye, eye *. a oe x ew PreaeaLtes 1054 The Continental Milliken 3rothers and the 8000 tons of steel will be in large for its extensions with one company. Fire Insurance Building was awarded to part Bethelehem shapes. Lettings of loft buildings in New York this week amounted to 5000 tons. In sheets further shading of prices is reported, particularly in the South and Southwest, and may lead to a formal reduction. Bars are lagging and agricultural buying ostensibly waits to be stimulated by a price concession. Rein- forcing bars have been quite active. The reduction in iron ore has had no effect on prices of foundry iron, but the market is halting. Sel- lers are looking to May for the beginning of another buying movement, that month having more than once brought such a turn. Deliveries have been held up in some districts, and in the East the machinists’ strike is cutting down foundry operations. Basic iron is weaker at $13.60, at Valley furnace. Small sales are reported in eastern Pennsylvania at $15, delivered. Iron ore charters on the lakes have established rates on the basis of 60c. from the head of the lakes, or Ioc. below that of 1910. Furnacemen show little interest in the ore market, and the movement in May will be unusually light. Connellsville coke output is being cut down, but meantime coke on cars that must be moved has sold as low as $1.40, as against $1.55 for May and June shipment. New Steel Capacity in Germany and at Home Attention has been called from time to time to the expanding capacity of German iron and steel works and the influence of the German Steel Works Union as a factor in this expansion. Two important new plants have been conspicuous in this connection, the works of the Gelsenkirchen Company at [sche in Luy- Physsen Works Quite as notable, however, have been emburg and the new at Hagendingen in Lorraine. the additions made to older works, in the balancing of blast furnace plants with steel works and rolling mills, or vice versa, and the entrance of established works upon the manufacture of new lines of product. All this new construction has an important bearing on the renewal of the syndicate agreement which ex pires at the end of June, 1912. It is no secret that the various companies have been getting in shape to make demands for a much larger share in the allotments under the new agreement, if one is mace. Another feature of this expansion is its relation to the prosperity the German iron and steel manufac- turers have enjoyed in recent years. Reviews of the situation recently published in Germany call attention to the fact that the iron and steel works have con- tributed not a little to the trade in their own products by the new plants they have been erecting. On the surface it would seem that the building of new iron and steel works in the United States and the expansion of old plants in the past few years are not due to any such cause as that operating in Germany There is no syndicate in this country and there are no allotments of tonnage on the German syndicate plan. It is a question, however, whether the co-operative movement among the steel manufacturers of this coun- try and the position of sponsor for the trade which the THE IRON AGE May 4 United States Steel Corporation has had t willingly or unwillingly, do not furnish som: to the German situation. , It may be said that pr the prosperity of the American iron trade 1906 and 1907 and the profitable prices ruling most of that period are responsible for the bu new works beyond the country’s needs. At time it may be questioned whether as muc would have gone into new plant but for the k: that back of the market was a powerful interest financial connections were such that it was prevent demoralization in the prices of its Undoubtedly, too, there has gatered into our st expansion of recent years the level of prices tained for semifinished steel. The policy of relatively small spread between the prices of lets and sheet bars and those of finished, product: from them has no doubt added in no small a: the open hearth steel capacity of the country The domestic situation plainly shows a pa: that in Germany in the contribution the iro: has made to its own prosperity by its own ni struction [he same may be said of our Their unparalleled purchases of steel and in the years 1905 to 1907, inclusive, involving of millions, contributed greatly to their ear through the remarkable stimulus given to all industri affected by such buying. It is quite certain that steel companies of this country will not be their own customers to any large extent through new plant co: struction in the next two or three years. It is not s certain, however, that the railroads, which alway: carry too far their abstention from the iron and st and equipment markets, will not stimulate their ow! activities through large purchases for equipment hefore the next era of steel works building. The New York Machinists’ Strike \lthough intimations had been given for some Machinists tended to put into execution a strike in New York an vicinity that the International Association of for an eight-hour day on May 1, the feeling had been quite confident that as the time approache the proposed strike would be abandoned. This beli was engendered by the fact that a decided recess! in business -had occurred since the first announcement was made that such a strike was contemplated. It ts therefore, a matter of some surprise that it has tually taken place. At this writing quite a number of machine shops in New York and vicinity have eithe been closed or have had their working forces serious!: cut down by the strike. It is quite significant that although the International Association of Machinists desires to put in effect a gen eral eight-hour day for its members, this strike is con fined to the immediate vicinity of New York. seem that this locality had been selected as ptobabl) It would presenting a weak point at which an attack could be made on proprietors of machine shops. The eight- hour day prevails in many trades in the vicinity. The building trades are, of course, prominent in this re- spect, as the eight-hour day has prevailed in this branch of industry for a number of years. Quite a number of other trades have from time to time yielded to the demand for a sherter work day. The machinists, therefore, have the backing of a very considerable gil workingmen who are now employed only rs a day, and who, of course, sympathize h the efforts of the former to secure a shorter - trade. be presumed that employers’ associations their utmost endeavors to prevent this strike successful. They have in their favor the lackness in business, which has already thrown of workmen out of employment, from among will be possible to fill the places of many who have struck. -If the contest is to be con- he vicinity of New York, the International ion of Machinists unquestionably has a stub- t on its hands, with the chances strongly in lefeat. The union leaders, of course, have talk of sympathetic strikes for the purpose of heir cause stronger. This, however, may ap her labor in the vicinity and not to any effort e a general strike. employers of labor in New York and vicinity seriously handicapped by the short hours of nent and the high rates of wages they are com o pay. In consequence of this, much work ordinarily would be done in the shops in the has been transferred to other sections of the New York and the workmen themselves in the branches lhe business interests of have shict have not had the steady employment which ve been enjoyed by them if labor conditions ew York were more nearly on an equality with se of outside localities. It is now attempted to ex- unsatisfactory condition to the machine shops. fort deserves to be defeated and to be defeated ely. The Long Life of American Machine Tools ed machinery is generally considered hard to of at advantageous prices, but of late in some the country the demand for certain classes nd-hand machine tools has been in excess of pply. This is a fair indication that the machine ndustry on the whole is not a sufferer through rproduction. However, there is another reason for ircity of used machine tools and that is the fact \merican machinery of this class seems to be endure a long period of active work and is le for use in shops where the highest state of is not an absolute necessity long after it has iscarded by some manufacturers. In certain ‘f manufacture, such, for instance, as the auto- industry, rapid production is of paramount ne . and consequently machine tools are discarded re improved machines before they have outlived usefulness. In machine shops where the tools are for making repair parts such discarded machines und satisfactory. The care used in the construc- of American machinery of this class is evidenced he readiness with which it can be sold. Kecently a good consignment of second-hand mill- machines and shapers was bought for export to 1 America by a keen purchaser who could have ined new machinery for early delivery if he had |. The buyer stated that for his wants the used hines were almost as adaptable as new equipment. ‘ine tool salesmen tell interesting experiences of encounters with shop owners who have been THE IRON AGE 1055 using the machines they sell for unusually long periods. It can be seen from this that the scarcity of second- hand American tools is not so much the result of a leaning. toward economy on the part of buyers as be- cause of the lasting usefulness of the equipment. A Concentrated Advisory Board Commissions and legislative committees which have had to do with framing bills concerning workmen's compensation complain of insufficient co-operation on the part of the manufacturing industry. met with individual They have manufacturers and occasionally a representative of some organization of manufac turers, but the assistance that they have thus received has been comparatively trifling. They urge a con- certed movement on the part of the great associations. This suggestion has been made in response to the plea that a commission be established made up of one rep resentative of each of the associations of The National Metal Trades Association, the National Machine Tool Builders’ Association, the National industrial employers. Manufacturers’ Association, the foundry men’s associations, the great representative bodies of textile trades and other similar organizations could establish a commission which would be an important adviser of those to whom the question of employers’ liability legislation is intrusted. The authorized dele- gate from each association, having the power to rep resent his fellows, in combination with others similarly selected, would concentrate the interests of employ- ers, just as the interests of labor are concentrated in its organized bodies. Probably it would not be de- sirable to mingle employers and employees in the singie commission, nor would it be wise to give representa- tion to those organizations in which the theorist is the controlling force. The commission would be,* strictly speaking, an advisory one. Each member would be picked by his association for his fitness and his ‘inter- est in the subject. Such a commission would undoubt- edly be of great assistance in molding legislation on this important subject on practical lines. The same commission could doubtless act as intelligently and effectively in connection with other forms of legislation which affect the manufacturing industry. The American Workingman Reference has already been made in these columns to the report of the commission appointed by the Brit- ish Board of Trade to investigate the condition of the American workingman. The findings of the commis- sion appointed by that department of the British Gov- ernment have naturally excited much interest on the other side of the Atlantic, as comparison made with the British workingman’s condition was so favorable to the United States. The London Economist devotes considerable space to an analysis of the report. It leads up to the higher prices paid for sundry articles in this country and concludes: Despite these high prices, there is no doubt that from the monetary point of view the position of the skilled work- man in the United States is better than that of a similar artisan in Great Britain. But the comparison is not be- tween two countries on a similar economi¢ plane. It is between cur own industrially fully developed island and the enormous extent of country forming the United States, filled with natural resources, for the most part to a great extent still undeveloped, and dependent for progress upon a ’ eee ee SL + nememg eee pe pte meas: bode “gic cari Mas oe elmer oe a> ti ali ir as Ei ) Pad is 4 ie 2 4 ti .. 2 f 8 Le 2. ae EE Ad" | « SB ate ar ede ae coe rset ——_ do nat eA TLL LN CO TELL LE TLS SRR RE Re 4 1054 THE IRON AGE May 4 for its extensions with one company. The Continental Fire Insurance Building was awarded to Milliken Brothers and the 8000 tons of steel will be in large part Bethelehem shapes. Lettings of loft buildings in New York this week amounted to 5000 tons. In sheets further shading of prices is reported, particularly in the South and Southwest, and may lead to a formal reduction. Bars are lagging and agricultural buying ostensibly waits to be stimulated by a price concession. Rein- forcing bars have been quite active. The reduction in iron ore has had no effect on prices of foundry iron, but the market is halting. Sel- lers are looking to May for the beginning of another buying movement, that month having more than once brought such a turn. Deliveries have been held up in some districts, and in the East the machinists’ strike is cutting down foundry operations. Basic iron is weaker at $13.60, at Valley furnace. Small sales are reported in eastern Pennsylvania at $15, delivered. Iron ore charters on the lakes have established rates on the basis of 60c. from the head of the lakes, or loc. below that of 1910. Furnacemen show little interest in the ore market, and the movement in May will be unusually light. Connellsville coke output is being cut down, but meantime coke on cars that must be moved has sold as low as $1.40, as against $1.55 for May and June shipment. New Steel Capacity in Germany and at Home Attention has been called from time to time to thé expanding capacity of German iron and steel works and the influence of the German Steel Works Umon as a factor in this expansion. Two important new plants have been conspicuous in this connection, the works of the Gelsenkirchen Company at Esche in Lux emburg and the new Thyssen Works at Hagendingen in Lorraine. Quite as notable, however, have been the additions made to older works, in the balancing of blast furnace plants with steel works and rolling mills, or vice versa, and the entrance of established works upon the manufacture of new lines of product. All this new construction has an important bearing on the renewal of the syndicate agreement which ex pires at the end of June, 1912. It is no secret that the various companies have been getting in shape to make demands for a much larger share in the allotments under the new agreement, if one is made. Another feature of this expansion is its relation to the prosperity the German iron and steel manufac- turers have enjoyed in recent years. Reviews of the situation recently published in Germany call attention to the fact that the iron and steel works have con tributed not a little to the trade in their own products by the new plants they have been erecting. On the surface it would seem that the building of new iron and steel works in the United States and the expansion of old plants in the past few years are not due to any such cause as that operating in Germany. There is no syndicate in this country and there are no allotments of tonnage on the German syndicate plan. It is a question, however, whether the co-operative movement among the steel manufacturers of this coun- try and the position of sponsor for the trade which the United States Steel Corporation has had to willingly or unwillingly, do not furnish some | to the German situation. It may be said that pri: the prosperity of the American iron trade 1906 and 1907 and the profitable prices ruling t most of that period are responsible for the buil new works beyond the country’s needs. At time it may be questioned whether as mucl would have gone into new plant but for the kn that back of the market was a powerful interest financial connections were such that it was h prevent demoralization in the prices of its Undoubtedly, too, there has entered into our ste: expansion of recent years the level of prices tained for semifinished steel. The policy of relatively small spread between the prices of st lets and sheet bars and those of finished, products from them has no doubt added in no small an the open hearth steel capacity of the country. The domestic situation plainly shows a para! that in Germany in the contribution the iron has made to its own prosperity by its own struction. The same may be said of our Their unparalleled purchases of steel and « in the years 1905 to 1907, inclusive, involving |] of millions, contributed greatly to their ear: through the remarkable stimulus given to all indust: affected by such buying. It is quite certain that th steel companies of this country will not be their own customers to any large extent through new plant con- struction in the next two or three years. It is not s certain, however, that the railroads, which always carry too far their abstention from the iron and steel and equipment markets, will not stimulate their own activities through large purchases for equipment before the next era of steel works building. The New York Machinists’ Strike Although intimations had been given for some ti that the International Association of Machinists tended to put into execution a strike in New York an vicinity for an eight-hour day on May 1, the feeling had been quite confident that as the time approache:! the proposed strike would be abandoned. This belief was engendered by the fact that a decided recess! in business .-had occurred since the first announcement was made that such a strike was contemplated. It ts therefore, a matter of some surprise that it has tually taken place. At this writing quite a number of machine shops in New York and vicinity have either been closed or have had their working forces serious! cut down by the strike. It is quite significant that although the Internationa! Association of Machinists desires to put in effect a gen- eral eight-hour day for its members, this strike is con- fined to the immediate vicinity of New York. It would seem that this locality had been selected as pfobably presenting a weak point at which an attack could b made on proprietors of machine shops. The eight- } TH pie hour day prevails in many trades in the vicinity. building trades are, of course, prominent in this re- spect, as the eight-hour day has prevailed in this branc of industry for a number of years. Quite a number of other trades have from time to time yielded to the demand for a sherter work day. The machinists, therefore, have the backing of a very considerable gil workingmen who are now employed only irs a day, and who, of course, sympathize th the efforts of the former to secure a shorter eir trade. be presumed that employers’ associations their utmost endeavors to prevent this strike successful. They have in their favor the lackness in business, which has already thrown of workmen out of employment, from among will be possible to fill the places of many who have struck. If the contest is to be con- the vicinity of New York, the International on of Machinists unquestionably has a stub- cht on its hands, with the chances strongly in defeat. The union leaders, of course, have talk of sympathetic strikes for the purpose of their cause stronger. This, however, may ap- her labor in the vicinity and not to any effort e a general strike. employers of labor in New York and vicinity seriously handicapped by the short hours ot ment and the high rates of wages they are com- pay. In consequence of this, much work irdinarily would be done in the shops in the has been transferred to other sections of the New York | and the workmen themselves in the branches The business interests of have ted have not had the steady employment which have been enjoyed by them if labor conditions ew York were more nearly on an equality with se of outside localities. It is now attempted to ex- is unsatisfactory condition to the machine shops. effort deserves to be defeated and to be defeated ely. The Long Life of American Machine Tools ed machinery is generally considered hard to of at advantageous prices, but of late in some the country the demand for certain classes ond-hand machine tools has been in excess of pply. ndustry on the whole is not a sufferer through roduction, This is a fair indication that the machine However, there is another reason for arcity of used machine tools and that is the fact \merican machinery of this class seems to be endure a long period of active work and is able for use in shops where the highest state of ney is not an absolute necessity long after it has liscarded by some manufacturers. In certain of manufacture, such, for instance, as the auto- industry, rapid production is of paramount ne- . and consequently machine tools are discarded ‘re improved machines before they have outlived r usefulness. In machine shops where the tools are ‘or making repair parts such discarded machines und satisfactory. The care used in the construc-" { American machinery of this class is evidenced readiness with which it can be sold, ‘ecently a good consignment of second-hand mill- achines and shapers was bought for export to \merica by a keen purchaser who could have ined new machinery for early delivery if he had (. The buyer stated that for his wants the used ‘ines were almost as adaptable as new equipment. ine tool salesmen tell interesting experiences of encounters with shop owners who have been THE IRON AGE 1055 using the machines they sell for unusually long periods. It can be seen from this that the scarcity of second- hand American tools is not so much the result of a leaning toward economy on the part of buyers as be- cause of the lasting usefulness of the equipment. A Concentrated Advisory Board Commissions and legislative committees which have had to do with framing bills concerning workmen's compensation complain of insufficient co-operation on the part of the manufacturing industry. They have met with individual manufacturers and occasionally a representative of some organization of manufac- turers, but the assistance that they have thus received has been comparatively trifling. They urge a con- certed movement on the part of the great associations. This suggestion has been made in response to the plea that a commission be established made up of one rep- resentative of each of the associations of industrial employers. The National Metal Trades Association, the National Machine Tool Builders’ Association, the National Manufacturers’ Association, the foundry- men’s associations, the great representative bodies of textile trades and other similar organizations could establish a commission which would be an important adviser of those to whom the question of employers’ liability legislation is intrusted. The authorized dele- gate from each association, having the power to rep- resent his fellows, in combination with others similarly selected, would concentrate the interests of employ- ers, just as the interests of labor are concentrated in its organized bodies. Probably it would not be de- sirable to mingle employers and employees in the singie commission, nor would it be wise to give representa- tion to those organizations in which the theorist is the controlling force. The commission would be, strictly speaking, an advisory one. Each member would be picked by his association for his fitness and his ‘inter- est in the subject. Such a commission would undoubt- edly be of great assistance in molding legislation on this important subject on practical lines. The same commission could doubtless act as intelligently and effectively in connection with other forms of legislation which affect the manufacturing industry. The American Workingman Reference has already been made in these columns to the report of the commission appointed by the Brit- ish Board of Trade to investigate the condition of the American workingman. The findings of the commis- sion appointed by that department of the British Gov- ernment have naturally excited much interest on the other side of the Atlantic, as comparison made with the British workingman’s condition was so favorable to the United States. The Londen Economist devotes considerable space to an analysis of the report. It leads up to the higher prices paid for sundry articles in this country and concludes: Despite these high prices, there is no doubt that from the monetary point of view the position of the skilled work- man in the United States is better than that of a similar artisan in Great Britain. But the comparison is not be- tween two countries on a similar economic plane. It is between our own industrially fully developed island and the enormous extent of country forming the United States, filled with natural resources, for the most part to a great extent still undeveloped, and dependent for progress upon a rapid increase in population. In comparison with coun- tries at the same stage of industrial development as our- selves, social conditions in Great Britain have been proved in every way more desirable. The previous reports for Germany, France and Belgium have shown that on the Continent wages are lower, hours are longer, while rent and cost of living are higher. But when we come to the New World it would indeed have been surprising if the comparison had been in our favor. Those who have followed recent American history cannot doubt that, but for the high tariff, we should have appeared to still greater disad- vantage. In a new country like America we must expect to find these conditions to some slight extent reversed. In- deed, it is only the retention by the United States of a high customs tariff that has prevented the distinction becom- ing even more marked. Of course, it was to be expected that the American tariff would be brought into the discussion of the sub- ject by a British journal. The tariff is evidently held responsible for our prevailing higher level of prices than those ruling in Great Britain. The tariff, how- ever, is from our viewpoint less responsible than labor conditions. Opportunities for remunerative employ- ment are much more favorable in a country of expand- ing trade like the United States. New Publications Mechanical Engineers’ Pocket-Book.—By William Kent. Eighth edition. Size, 4x 6% in.; pages, 1461; 218 il- lustrations and diagrams and numerous tables. Bound in leather. Price $5, net. Published by John Wiley & Sons, New York City. In bringing out the eighth edition of this reference book of rules, tables, data and formule for the use of engineers, mechanics and students, many chapters have been entirely rewritten to take account of the advances made in engineering practice since the seventh edition was published in 1904. In spite of all efforts to save space by the condensation and the elision of much of the old mat- ter, and resetting in a shorter form many of the tables and formule, the size of the book has been increased over 300 pages, although this change has not made the vol- ume too large to be a convenient desk reference book. In general, the arrangement of the book does not differ from the preceding editions, and a table of contents and an alphabetical index covering 44 pages render the finding of any subject an easy matter. One of the special fea- tures of the index is the use of catch letters at the top of each page to indicate the first and the last subjects on it. ——- _ o> --—— Lead and Spelter Production in 1910 The production of refined lead in the United States in 1910, as shown by an advance statement issued by the United States Geological Survey, was 470,380 net tons, an increase over the figures for 1909 of 22,268 tons. From the same source comes the information that the production of spelter in this country in 1910 was 269,184 net tons, or about 5 per cent. greater than that for 1909, also that it was greater than that of any other country, Germany coming next with 251,059 tons. The production of the United States was between one-fourth and one- third of the total world’s production for the year. —_~3>--o____- The Wolverine Supply & Mfg. Company, manufacturer of dies and stamped metal specialties, has removed its plant and offices from the Imperial Power Building, Pitts- burgh, to Irwin avenue, N. S., Pittsburgh, where it has secured a long lease on a two-story brick building that contains about doubie the former floor space. The plants of the Damascus Nickel Steel Company and of the Damascus Tool Steel Company, Hast Carnegie, near Pittsburgh, now in the hands of S. M. Wetmore, receiver, will be offered for sale at public auction, June 22, by the Trust Company of North America, trustee. 1056 THE IRON AGE May 4, tor Steel Manufacturers Consider Welfare Work The meeting of the directors of the Ameri Iron and Steel Institute, held at its offices at 30 Church street, New York, Wednesday afternoon, Apri! °2\;, was devoted almost entirely to the consideration of labor ang welfare questions, which, it is stated, will be made an increasingly important part of the work of the orgap. ization. The committee appointed last year to cousider measures for the establishment of a six-day week. go far as possible, for all iron and steel workers, presente a tentative report through its chairman, William BR. Schiller. This report will be sent to all manufacturers who are members of the institute, and they will be askeq to put into effect such of its recommendations for aboj- ishing the seven-day working week as can be made applicable to their operations. It was decided to create a standing committee of the institute on welfare work, It will consist of nine members. President E. H. Gary will be chairman and five of the members will be those now constituting the special committee—namely, William B. Schiller, E. A, S. Clarke, F. W. Wood, James A. Campbell and George G. Crawford. The three remaining members are yet to be selected. There was also some dis- cussion at the meeting of plans for the American repre- sentation at the international conference of steel manu- facturers, to be held at Brussels, Belgium, in July. In a published statement Judge Gary said that the meeting had nothing to do with prices of products. “ At present,” he said, “ we are all strongly bent upon doing something thorough and lasting for the protection of the lives and health of the men who work in the steel mills. It is all a very difficult proposition and one that has re- ceived a great deal of earnest consideration from steel manufacturers in this country. The problem of keeping down the daily hours of labor to a reasonable basis and the problem of letting each man at work in the mills have the equivalent of a Sunday off each week are very difficult in an industry many of whose processes of man- ufacture have to be carried straight through from start to finish by a single set of men. We are naturally much bound down by the compulsions found inherently in the very nature of the physical processes used in the manv- facture of steel products. However, thorough study of the problem will do much to relieve unequal strain upon the men at work.” ————--e_____ American Iron and Steel Institute.—The annual meeting of the American Iron and Steel Institute was held at its offices, 30 Church street, New York, Monday, May 1. The following were elected directors for the three-year term expiring in 1914: J. A. Farrell, BE. C. Felton, Elbert H. Gary, Charles M. Schwab and Powell Stackhouse. Mr. Farrell was elected in place of W. E. Corey. The others were re-elected. Officers will be elected at the regular meeting of the directors to be held Wednesday, May 24. ——___——__~>-@__- ---- A notice has been posted at the Carnegie Steel Com- jany’s works, at South Sharon, Pa., that hereafter D0 employee will be allowed to work more than six days 4 week. In case a man is compelled to work on Sunday, he is to get a day off in that week for rest. The order not only applies to blast furnace and steel works labor, but to all cther departments in which it is practicable to put it into effect. The New York offices of the Detroit Steel Products Company were removed May 1 from 2 Rector street to 225 Fifth avenue, the company needing better facilities to meet the growing demand for Detroit Fenestra w't dows. Raymond H. Kinnear is the manager in charge of this office. It is. reported that the Baldwin Locomotive Works has reduced its forces at its plants in Philadelphia and Eddystone,. Pa., from 16,000 to 12,000 men in the past few weeks. and many of the men now employed are 0? short time. ; M IgII The New York Barge Canals ew system of barge canals which will take the the Erie Canal, and open up a wider territory it waterway ever reached, says the Wall Street is divided into four principal sections, the ( iin, the Erie, the Oswego and the Cayuga and G, The Champlain Canal is a canalization of the H River from Albany to Fort Edward, thence in a » and by way of the canalized Wood Creek to W i] at the southern end of Lake Champlain. The Erie, Oswego and Cayuga and Seneca canals have a line ommon to all three as far as Three River Point. | the canalized Mohawk River to Rome, thence by « to Oneida Lake, thence by way of the lake and On River to Three River Point, from which place inalized Oswego River runs north to Lake Ontario. ‘rie Canal continues west from Three River Point y of the Seneca River. The Cayuga and Seneca Cc enters the Erie from the southward at a point e village of Clyde. The western division of the ntinues through Rochester, Lockport and smaller unities until it enters the Niagara River at Tona- The old Erie Canal was completed in 1825, and, in- uding its side connections, was 863 miles long. Orig- ipally, the water surface width was 40 ft.; bottom width, 28 ft.; depth, 4 ft. The locks were 90 ft. long and 15 ft. wide. The boats employed at that time were bateaux f an average carrying capacity of 70 tons. The canal was subsequently enlarged, and in the following table are given the nominal dimensions which the improvements illed for, as well as the figures showing dimensions of the new systems of barge canals: New barge Old eanals. Erie Canal. Feet. Feet. Depth ...ccscc sew ee Sse ss Ome 6 Heeine ens wictens 12 6 to7 Surface width. , . «cas iene eesti eas tee 123 70 Bottom wiGtih. . «:000c0cs0 ns 4i os bate ae 75 50 to 60 Locks: Width .....ccveb Vis cae y 2 ee eee 45 18 Length ....++«s spe sph ss site mee ee das apne 100 Depth on sill. ...s:sb «easels bie.a ee ele eee 12 7 city of barge (GBS) .+ cissess ceees 1,000 to 2,000 230 Lock lifts on the new canal vary from 6 to 41 ft., h is the lift at Little Falls, the highest direct lift in e world. Canal tolls were abolished in 18838, after having been force since the completion of the canal in 1825. At lite net revenues from the canal had exceeded by “44,000.000 the total original cost, plus cost of improve- inaintenance and repairs. At present the canal ike rate on 100 lb. of merchandise from New York Chicago is 42 cents. It is impossible to foretell what vill be enforced over the new system, but it is cer- that with the increase in size of vessel, rate of speed luproved facilities there will be a substantial reduc- s expected that the new system will be completed At present, only part of the Cham- Canal and a few places on the Oswego are open vigation. In constructing the barge canals, it has found impracticable to use any of the old works on ‘“hamplain section. On the Brie and Oswego only 15 per cent. of the old course is followed. The portion of the old. canal which will be utilized in ew system lies west of the town of Newark, which ) niles west of Albany. ‘uring the current calendar year it is estimated that 100.000 will be paid to contractors for work com- ed on the canals. The work is being pushed forward stently. Contractors who have failed in their work been replaced by others, or by their original bonds- New equipment has been provided on all important ict works and there is every reason to believe that ork, as a whole, will be completed at the time ex- d, three years from now. The Champlain Canal ve ready for use throughout its entire length within ears. Traffic on the canal averages about 4,000,000 « year, and the estimate for the current year is ‘at the same amount. n three years. \ THE IRON AGE 1057 Six years ago, on April 29, 1905, work on the new barge canal system began. The work was authorized under act of Legislature of 1903, by which $101,000,000 was appropriated. This included construction, land dam- age and all other expenditures. Estimate for contract expenditure was $75,112,547. This is exclusive of the Cayuga & Seneca Canal, the appropriation for whose construction was made by referendum in 1909. It is a noteworthy fact that the contracts actually let called for an expenditure of $72,607,700, approximately $2,500,- 000 below the estimate. Total expenditure on extra work to March 1, 1911, has amounted to only $218,245. —_~+e—_—_ Manufactures in Utah A preliminary statement of the general results of the census of manufactures for the State of Utah shows a large increase at the census of 1909 as compared with that for 1904. It is important as indicating how Western business is growing. There were 749 manufacturing establishments in 1909 and 606 in 1904, an increase of 1438, or 24 per cent. The capital invested as reported in 1909 was $52,627,000, a gain of $26,623,000 or 102 per cent. over $26,004,000 in 1904. The average capital per establishment for 1909 was approximately $70,000, and in 1904, $438,000. The cost of materials used in 1909 was $41,292,000, as against $24,940,000 in 1904, an increase of $16,352,000, or 66 per cent. The average cost of materials per establish- ment in 1909 was approximately $55,000, and in 1904, $41,000. The value of products in 1909 was $61,989,000, and $38,926,000 in 1904, an increase of $23,063,000, or 59 per cent. The average per establishment was approximately $83,000 in 1909 and $64,000 in 1904. In 1909 the value added by manufacture was $20,697,000, and in 1904 $13,- 986,000, an increase of $6,711,000, or 48 per cent. The value added by manufacture in 1909 formed 33 per cent of the total value of products, and in 1904 36 per cent. Salaries and wages in 1909 amounted to $10,376,000, and in 1904, $6,196,000, an increase of $4,180,000, or 67 per cent. In 1909 the number of salaried officials and clerks was 1660, and in 1904, 979; an increase of 681, or 70 per cent. The average number of wage earners in 1909 was 11,785, and in 1904, 8052, an increase of 8733, or 46 per cent, —_——_—.9--- The International Hygiene Exposition, which is to open at Dresden, Germany, May 6, is without official representation by the United States, it being the only important country in the world to ignore the event. Con- gress failed to make an appropriation, although request- ed to do so by the State Department. The exposition will be open until November. The Princess Royal, the largest cruiser battleship ever built for the British navy, was launched April 29 at Barrow-in-Furness, England. She has a displacement of 26,360 tons and turbine engines affording 70,000 hp. Her contract calls for a speed of 28 knots an hour. She will carry eight 13.5 in. guns, besides smaller weapons. A meeting of the committee having in charge the merger of the Southern Iron & Steel Company and the Alabama Consolidated Coal & Iron Company was held this week, and it is expected that the details of the plan will be announced in the near future. The Senate Finance Committee at Washington began this week to hold hearings on the Canadian reciprocity bill. All who desire to express their views will be heard, but the taking of testimony will be concluded May 13. The bill will probably be reported to the Senate without recommendation. The Jones & Laughlin Steel Company's three Aliquippa blast furnaces have been inactive for some weeks, but it is expected they will be started up next month. isnt Das A CT ST — 6 1058 Pig Iron Production A Substantial Falling Off in April Active Capacity May 1 Well Below the Rate at the Beginning of March Our Diast furnace statistics appear earlier through the promptness of the furnace companies in reporting. In the 30 days of April the coke and anthra- cite furnaces produced 2,065,086 tons, or 6S,S36 tons a day, against 2.171.111 tons in March, or 70,036 tons a day. Present conditions are better indicated by the fact that the month brought a net decrease of 19 in the num- ber of furnaces active, this being 212 on May 1, 231 on April 1, while the active capacity fell from 70,752 tons a day on April 1 to 64,45 May 1. The in- dusttry thus lost in April considerably more than the gain of March, the active daily capacity on March 1 hav- ing been 66,562 tons. Production is now at the rate of 23,850,000 tons a vear, estimating charcoal iron, whereas on April 1 the yearly rate was