The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-08-22 00:00:00

THE IRON TRADE

[From the Philadelphia Commercial List.]
No State in the Union is so vitally interested in the Iron
trade as Pennsylvania. Iron, in all its different varieties,
forms one of the chief sources of State wealth. The ore
abounds in several sections of this Commonwealth, whilst
furnaces dot the hill-sides and yanks, giving employment
to numerous labourers, and producing thousands of tons of
iron, which are transported to other States, and serve to
enrich all who are interested in its manufacture. Each
year science applies iron to more of the common uses of
every-day life. It supplies the material for ships—enters
largely into the construction of houses—forms the principal
part of all the new and improved agricultural implements,
and thus becomes a rival to timber in the mechanical de-
partment of our country. This increasing consumption, of
course, must increase the demand in a parallel degree, and
if Congress will but legislate wisely, and in favour of home
labour and capital, as exhibited in the Iron trade, it must
prosper in the future. It is surely the policy of our country
to foster this branch of her productive industry. It is by
wise, judicious legislation, that comparatively young coun-
tries are enabled to compete with older and more practised
ones, when capital is abundant and labour cheap.
Since the commencement of the present year, the Iron
market of this country has been marked by peculiar circum-
stances. East of the Allegheny mountains the preduction
of Pig Iron exceeds the quantity manufactured during the
same period of any previous season. A still greater increase
is also looked for during the remaining months. There is
now on hand a considerable quantity of the stock of 187,5,
accumulated in consequence of the severity of the winter
preventing Iron from being delivered when ordered. But
a singular fact is, that with all these apparent drawbacks,
the prices steadily and firmly advanced to the highest quota-
tion, and sales have been greater in the early months of this,
than in the same months of any other year. More than
60,000 tons were contracted for in this city, in the month
of April, to he delivered during the year. This is a very
heavy business to be perfected so early in the season, and
since then the quantity has been swelled much higher.
Importations of Pig Iron, especially Scotch, has been
decreasing for the past year or eighteen months. During
the six months ending December 31st, 1855, the importa-
tion of Pig Iron from all foreign ports only reached 29,839
tons. This is less than one-third of the amount imported
during the previous twelve months. This is a cheering
indication, and the decrease in the importation of foreign
Pig Iron will give a fresh impetus to our home manufacture.
The long and severe winter prevented shipments of Bar
Iron from Pittsburg in the usual quantities, consequently
there has been a heavy accumulation of that particular stock
at that place. It was estimated that in the month of April,
there was 35,000 tons of Bar Iron waiting sale and tran-
sportation at Pittsburg. In despite of these facts, however,
the various mills are in full operation, depending upon the
heavy trade to carry them through the season. The general
prosperity of all the Western interests must keep up the
demand for Iron, and if so the stock will not be too heavy.
It is computed that 280,000 tons of Pig Iron will be pro-
duced in the West during the present year—this, of course,
includes Western Pennsylvania. From the districts of
Allegheny, Hanging Rock, and Clerkesville, about 200,000
tons will be sent to market. There will be a decrease of
Charcoal Pig in the present year, when compared with the
production of 1855, of 55,000 tons. The product of new
coke and raw bituminous coal furnaces will, however, make
good at least 15,000 tons of this deficit. The amount of
Anthracite Pig consumed in the West in 1855, was 33,000
tons. There will be an increased amount needed during
the present year, if we may judge from the contracts made.
We give below an interesting article from the " Iron
Masters' Review," showing the amount of Pig Iron con-
sumed in the places named in the West; and also the
quantity and value of Railroad Iron imported into the
United States, from the 30th June, 1839, to the 30th June,
1855. It is well worthy an attentive perusal by all those
who are interested in the iron trade of the United States.
CONSUMPTION OF PIG IRON IN 1855.

Cincinnati
Covington and Newport

Pomeroy. ....•
Ironton and Hanging Rock
Portsmouth ..
Dayton

Louisville and New Albany
Wheeling
Pittsburg.... ..

40,000 tons
B,iloo

.. 5,ti00
- 13,000
.. 10,000
.. 4,000

. 12.000
. 80,000 „
. 120,00 ~

In the lower part of the Susquehanna district, the furnaces
have mostly produced for the western market. There has
been considerable irregularity in their operations, partly on
account of deficiency of coal and the late opening of navi-
gation. The new furnaces—Dudley, Keystone, No, 2
Cornwall, and several furnaces which worked little if any
in 1855, will probably increase the product of the district
this year by 25,000 tons. Circumstances do not admit of a
comprehensive survey of the product of this district, nor of
the demands that may come from the West.

In the Lehigh district, at this date, the stock of pig iron,
which is nearly all No. 1, amounts to 34,150 tons. The
contracts already made, for iron of this district for this
year's delivery, approximate to 37,600 tons. There are
seventeen furnaces now in blast, one to be put in blast by
the middle of May, and one in July. The seventeen fur-
naces are producing weekly an average of 2,100 tons,
making for the remaining thirty-seven and a half weeks of
1856, 78,750 tons ; which, added to the present stock, gives
an aggregate of 112,900 tens. In this estimate we omit
the product of the two furnaces soon going into b'ast, to
make up for the possible deficiencies that may result from
accidents. If we allow for next year's market the produc-
tion in four weeks of December, during which the product
may be closed in by winter, we have 104,500 tons for the
market for this year, less than already contracted 37,600
tons ; leaving unsold for this year's delivery 66,900 tons.
In these estimates no account is taken of the small sales in
the district, nor of a few small shipments by railroad, made
in 1856 prior to this date. The sales of iron from this
district in 1855, approximated to 105,000—equal to a
reduction of stocks, of 19,000 tons. The stocks on the Ist
of January last approximated to 20,700 tons, and on the Ist
of January, 1855, to 39,000 tons. The total production in
this district in the year 1856, will approximate to 106,000
tons; assuming as a basis the data above given, which will
prove reliable save as it may be affected by accidents in
manufacturing, or by a change in the market. The pro-
duction in the fourteen weeks past, has not averaged 2,100
tons—several furnaces having but recently been put in
blast.

The consumption of rails within the past nine months
has greatly increased over the average of the pevious year.
The importation in the six months ending December 31,
1855, amounted to 89,8a-1 tons; or fifty per cent. more
than in the average of the previous twelve months, In the
six months named, American mills produced about 70,000
tons. As the returns of last year's harvest are now exerting
their greatest influence upon the general prosperity of the

interior, railroad enterprises are much encouraged. If the
promised peace of Europe is fully re-inaugurated, there is ne
doubt that with an average harvest in the present year, our
railroad extensions will be greater than in any period here-
tofore. In addition to the requirements for new roads and
extensions, the older roads are progressively needing a,
greater amount of rails for renewals, where in most instaueeg
heavier rails are put down. It is worthy of note, that
large proportion of the old rails taken up is used in other
manufactures, to which this description of iron is regarded
by many as being better adapted. The increasing amount
of this stock, which comes in competition with pig, is worthy
of special consideration.

The product of American rails this year promises to be
at least 145,000 tons, and may possibly reach 175,000 tons.
Brady's bend works have commenced full operations ; Cam"
bria and the Lackawanna have added considerably to their
puddling capacities.
By reports from sixty-one railroads, it is ascertained that
they have an aggregate length between termini, of 5,840
miles, and of sidings and second tracks, 974 miles ; making
a total of 6,814 miles of track. These roads are to have an
addition in 1856, of 873 miles, of which 300 miles is for
renewals ; the remainder, 573 miles, is for additional sidings
and extensions. These sixty-one roads are laid with rails
having an average weight of 913,157 tons per mile, or
58.11 pounds per yard.

The weight of the whole of the old track 6,814
miles, is
The weight of the track to be laid this year, 873

622,225 tong.

miles, is. 79 718 0
The weight of old rails to be renewed, 310 miles, is 27,394 o
If we estimate comparative figures from the aggrogife
miles of railway which were in operation in the United
States, December 31, 1855, by the figures accuraL4 oh'
tained and given above, we have the following results :
Total number of miles of distance between termini. 21,440 mites
Miles of sidings and second track 3,749 o
Total number of miles of track.
Extensions, renewals, and additional sidings, to be

l yid in 1856
Renewals of track in 1856

Tot,' weight of rails in 25,1,9 miles of track, 91.3
tons per mile
Weight of rails required for 3,361 miles, In 1856
Weight of old rails from 1,159 miles ..

3,361
1,155

2,299,75 tonth
306,959 ~
105,561 ,r

STATEMENT

Exhibiting the Quantity and Value of Railroad Ire°,
imported into the United States, from the 30th day 01
June, 1839, to the 30th day of June, 1855:
Years ending Cwt. Value. Tons. Cwt.
June 30, 1840 581,838 do! 1,569,844 29,0'1 18.

1841 465,0,;9 1,064.96') 23 253 9
1842 499 40,) 1,493,079 24 40 0
1843 193,093 358.921 9,654 18
1844 311,544 446,732 15,577 4
1845 434.249 637,518 21,812 9
1846 117 943 281 077 5:897 3
1847 270.733 680,438 13.536 13
1848 589,789 1,219,185 29,489 9
184 g 1,3-3 265 2,252 246 69.163 5
1850 2.84(1733 3,738,034 142 03 i 13
1851 3,772,516 4 901,452 188,625 16
1852 4.912,510 6,228,794 245 625 0
1853 5,979,954 10,426,037 298 995* 4
1834 5,657,339 12 020,309 282 865 19
1855 2,550,327 3,995,910 127,516 7

- -
Total, 16 years.... 30,562,257 50,912,513 1,528,1 I 2 17
AsseFsed value per ton, and average cost per year :
June 30, 1810.... dole 53 96 June 30, 1848.... dols 41 38
1841........45 80 1849.. 32 56
1842 43 77 1850....., „26 32
1843 3718 185!........36 03
1844 1.43 68 1852........ 25 36
1845 29 27 1853 - 4 87
1846 47 66 I 1554........ 42 49
1847 51 01 1855 31 32
Average cost of the whole per t0n.... dols. 32 66

TRADE REPORT.-THURSDAY