, 1870-03-17
pla IRON.
What Il Costs to Manufacture It--Va-
uabla Statistics
soeels, Commissioner Of Revenne Wells IN
swer to the Memorial Of the hhiga
Valley ronmfsters-


OfY1r1 ErEclAL Cox4n3uoNAA ~ ~ anx ..e1s %
wtsaISoTox, March ,, tsla.
n, ,14 f-pri4ors of tAx L<Aigh CTan* Iron Co''pa-
~, 1ue1.to,sn IIoa Conpa"y. ;. B. Ao'Fhead d
~ G1rrMazH: Snu a On tho isthof January Last, IN
reennmsa ID you1 petition to tho Congress Of
the United States (wherein the etstements OF
the H1,ecil Commissioner OF the haSanua 70"
spect;ng the cost OF 1nanufastuI'ng gaa p'S uGn ;m
a1e prunuuuccd errnneous, and IN onaA III
0uiry into the basia Of such statements - re-
Guested). the Commissioner hsd the honor TO
address you communication, u which aoun-
daut data in support Of the truth Of his asse1-
tons were voluntarily suhIltted
into posaession Of additional evidence Of valuo,
be feels under obligations TO respect your ear
nest desire for information, and 70 forthVlth
communicate it, in order especially 10 uso
sour own Iangaage) 'thzt the truth ..ssl nay 90
%aee 5aaeI ppbnae, ba s,aesta,iT saa S,, co,nfassG" %
With this view be would first ask your Attcn-
ton to the following extract OF letter ID
dressed to him By gentleman who, during
the years 1eGG-'67-'78, was in part proprietor
naco located in Durham, Bucks County, Penn-
''A'A'' January q, 1870.
SIZE: have looked over my old nnennoran-
dun books with view Of writing you, because
l am satisfied that the estimate you make OF
L10 CQa[ D1 ilUA 4ul4t A&sA CAoA6A i.
find in March, 1867, SIS tons, the cost Of
which per ton is noted as follows:
~
GoaL 1ss
II % Anrl of tho SINE vear ths1o wero pro.
| duced 625 tons, as fo1lows:
Ore. 9 r.
Ccal. -
General charges ea......................--. hSs
Tota, 81 X
Tho interest on investment does not form
any part Of tLcao expenses. Ny estimate 10
| the iron delivered in New York used to be V2e
coat Of the iteuas At different times. Ne hst
sometimes very poor coal. Then i the fur
naco worked badly, the cost would be neoes
EARLY Increased
Tho Commissioner ia also authorized b,
Mesera. John Roach 4 Sons, Of ths Morgan
tie courso Of some buAinesa negotiations car
RED on during tho past year botween them AMI
the agents Of the Reading furnace, in Penn
sylyania, the LITTER stated as evidence Of abl
ity to fulfill certain conditions Of contract. ths
tie cost Of pig iron manufactured by tho Reasl
ing furnace, AZ borne On the books Of th
company, did not exceed 425 per ton.
Again, since the presentation OF your state
ment to Congress, that the average cost Of pis
iron in tho anthracite regions OF pennsyiEanii
{without any allowance fo1 interest on capatal ~
was, for tho year 1859, s29. Is per ton; and To-
! thp first si1 months Of 1869, $23.63 per ton
the Commissioner has been called uron by
gentleman occupying high public ofdce tn th
city Of Washington, who submitted the follow
ing statement, and offered to ve1ifg tha Same
| il required, under oath, to-Wit:
During the past year. 1869, he visited tn
anthracite district Of PENNSYLVANIA, and th
furnaces Of somo Of the parties signing th
petition presented 10 Congress, and TINT IN = e
then present cost Of making pig iron: he va
freely informed that tho average Was from -
! to 425 per ton; the following stateuont c
items bcing also furniahee;
, | E1nr .........,.,. 10
1,.za tn.n. II cnal & s