Rensselaer Republican, Volume 28, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 December 1896 — IN GENERAL. [ARTICLE]

IN GENERAL.

The Dupont Fowiler Mills are working night and day to fill large orders for the United, States Government. As a result of the investightion made into the fur seal question by British and American experts, it .is expected by of’ lit-ktis of. the Ktate and-Treasury Depart* ■wents that -Great—Britain—'wiß--be more willing, to agree to dfanges in the award regulation's having ill view the better protection of seal fisheries. The Bessemer Steel Associatioh, better known as the steel billet jiool, is still intact, reports to . the contrary notwi'thstandiiig. On<» of the leading Pittsburg nunuber-s_ of_-the - organization, who has returned from the meeting in New York, said; “The 'sessions were secret and some misleading information has been put" before, the palilir. -1 can, -state:, positively that the pool, as the newspapers . call it. is still in existence that it has not been dissolved. The only firms out of the combination are the Bellaire Steel Company, which withdrew, the Shoep--bergee-Steel t'ompany, -w'nicli never went in and a small concern in: Indiana. A .coßiniitfee of three was apjiointed to look into the situatiop and it will .make a report within two weeks,, when another meeting will be called. Meantime, the market will be open and prices will he anything that Aianufacturers can get for their product.” Another manufacturer said as to prices; that billets were being sold as low as $15.50 a ton, ant] he believed some makers were putting; billets on lhe market at even a lower rate. This price is ridiculously low when it is considered that the price fixed after the organization of tlie, pool was $20.25 pe? ton at the maker's mill. He.also said that some of the members, of the pool are now selling billets at*aiV actual loss.