[Newspaper]
Publication: The Cincinnati Daily Gazette
Cincinnati, OH, United States
vol. 1-4, no. 47, p. 8, col. 1
MILLS OVER THE RIVER.
THE FOUNDRIES AND FACTORIES OF
COVINGTON AND NEWPORT.
What They are Doing and what They Expect
to Do — Can Not Keep Up With Their Orders
— The Effect of the Great Wheat Crop and
Expected Corn Produce.
Newport and Covington, while largely populated from the overflowings of Cincinnati, have many industries of their own, employing hundreds of men and feeding hundreds of families, and these industries have suffered with the hard times and share in the prosperity that have been and will be the fortune of this country. The most important of these are the foundries and factories owned by Cincinnati capitalists, or whose offices, at least, are in this city. A reporter of the GAZETTE has been making his rounds among the offices of these firms, and the result of his interviews may be seen in the following paragraphs. The points on which these reports agree are that there is a great increase of business over last year; that in the case of iron manufactures, especially of railroad iron and boiler plate, the rush of business is unprecedented for the summer season; that this marked increase of activity in business began about July 1, or somewhat earlier than that date, and that the fall trade promises to be good. Several with whom our reporter conversed remarked the great scarcity of labor; the difficulty not only of procuring enough of skilled labor, but of getting as many common, unskilled laborers as they need.
SWIFT’S IRON AND STEEL WORKS,
situated on the Newport bank of the Licking, had its business materially curtailed by the hard times. It is the only mill on that side of the Ohio now manufacturing railroad iron. It has been working night and day to its full capacity for several months, employing 700 hands.
The information our reporter gained at the office on Third street was to the effect that business has improved exceedingly of late, both in amount and prices. Purchasers acquiesce cordially in the increased rates, seeming to feel that the iron will enhance in value in their hands. There will be 300,000 tons more of Bessemer steel manufactured in the United States this year than last, and probably that much more than in England. The railroad business, the building of new and improvement of old lines, has given the greatest impetus to production. Many railroad companies who desired to build this year will, on account of uncertainty of obtaining supplies, defer new lines or improvements until next spring and summer, thus ensuring a good demand for next year. The fear of overproduction is without cause, for there is not ore enough available to supply furnaces for over-production. There is an annual increase in iron production, and 8 per cent, per annum would be about a normal rate of increase. This country can use over 3,000,000 tons of pig iron this year, with a gradual yearly increase. There is not sufficient pig iron nor ore, especially such as is suitable for Bessemer work, available this year — not taking into account the larger demand for all kinds of iron goods incident to the unprecedented wheat crop and prospective corn crop. The production of other finished
iron will not be larger than last year, notwithstanding the demand, as the rolling mills, finding the old rail and wrought scrap market bare, are compelled to use pig iron in their puddling furnaces for producing muck bar, instead of running scrap furnaces, thus largely reducing their output. There are not rolling mills enough in this country to catch up with the demand for twelve months.
The advance in iron first indicated itself by a slight advance or hardening of prices in November, 1878, since which time the callers have gradually taken more independent views, until a decided advance of from $2 in pig and about $4 in finished iron was noted at Philadelphia about the end of June last. Pittsburg responded promptly, and then Cincinnati took a leading part in the movement, until now it is common over the country. English prices have hardened in the last ten days in sympathy with our own. The prices to-day are a little lower than those current generally before the war, there being, however, a few periods of somewhat lower prices than the present on some iron.
Having obtained this information, the office of
MITCHELL, TRANTER & CO.
was next visited. This firm manufactures at its foundry on West Third street, Covington, almost all kinds of iron, including sheet and plate iron, tensile plate boiler iron, and shafting, especially the heavier sizes up to six inches. This firm claims to be the only one in the West which manufactures six-inch shafting. It has done a very good trade all summer. The demand for iron is increasing as the fall trade opens. The rolling mill capacity of the country has been reached, as none of the mills seem to be idle. Our informant thought the pig iron men had made a mistake in putting up the price of pig iron so soon, as too many furnaces were now going into operation. The price of pig iron may advance further, from the present scarcity, but it was thought it would be checked before next Spring. For themselves, these founders could say they were working to their utmost capacity. The demand for boiler plate has been heavy, and the firm has been behind all summer in its orders. Mitchell, Tranter & Co. are building a seven ton Siemens-Martin open hearth furnace for the manufacture of homogeneous iron and steel boiler plate, and will have it in operation next month. The annual capacity of the mills is nearly 8,000 tons.
THE LICKING ROLLING MILL.
This establishment, in the south end of Covington, employs between 300 and 400 men, and has been running double turn for several weeks. The orders for boiler plate are several months ahead of their utmost production. The proprietors have been compelled to run double turn since July 1, when their orders increased rapidly, and one of the greatest difficulties they have found has been to get hands enough.
THE HEMINGRAY GLASSWORKS
manufacture hollow ware only, and employ between 200 and 300 men. The chief indication the company has had of the improved times is in the urgency of the orders received at the office. Prices are getting lower and business is not so inspiriting as in some other trades, but the greater urgency of consumers indicate that they are beginning to feel the impulse of the times.
THE CINCINNATI & NEWPORT PIPE FOUNDRY
This foundry was formerly known as Gaylord’s. It is situated at the corner of Front street and Kilgour, Newport, employs 130 men, and has been in operation under its present management since the 1st of April. It was so fortunate as to start in time to profit by the first wave of returning prosperity, and has benefited by the rising market. It runs about 130 men, on day turn, the scarcity of labor and material preventing any further activity. A number of contracts have been awarded for water and gas pipes to the company within the last few days. There is a general improvement in the pipe trade, and this company is receiving fully $8 per ton more than in April for its goods, the increase being from $22 to $30 per ton, the present price. The complaint is made that enough men can not be procured. Another pit would be put on to day if the necessary skilled and unskilled labor could be procured. When the foundry opened last April a knot of men in search of employment might be seen at any time around the office door. Now it is rarely that any man applies for work, and he gets it as soon as he asks.
F. J. MEYERS,
who has a manufactory of wire goods on Robins street, employs seventy-six men. The activity of this summer's trade is something without precedent in his business, and orders are two months ahead of his ability to satisfy them. June was a dull month, but improvement began with July. Generally in summer Mr. Meyers has a full warehouse and a dull shop, but now his warehouse is empty and his factory busy.
There are a number of lesser industries in the two towns, which were not visited, because want of time prevented, but an idle workman is a sight hardly to be seen in all the compass of these cities, where two years ago they stood around in crowds, and were hardly thinned out a year ago.
