Worcester daily spy., 1872-07-12
The Manufacture of Iron in california

Pic iron in the San Francisco market, has
within eighteen months, advanced from S35 to
S75 ton, and every manufactured article of
iron has advanced in corresponding ratio In
wood and wool manufactures California has
made considerable progress, but beyond the
work done by the Pacific rolling mills no effort
has been made either to make pic iron or to
manufacture any article into which iron enters,
either wholly or in part. This failure does not
arise from the scarcity of iron ore, for of that
there is a well developed belt in the western
slopes of the Sierra, extending almost the entire
length Of the state. Distance from rapid means
of transportation may have something to do
with the failure to develop our native iron de-
posts, but we have at least two well defined
beds of iron ore contiguous TO railroad lines;
one at Latrobe, on the Sacramento Valley rail
road, and one at Clipper Gap, above Auburn, in
Placer county, on the Central Pacific railroad.
There is also "a well defined bed of iron ore at
Eko, in the state of Nevada,
There is at this late date, no reason why we
should import all our crude and manufactured
articles of iron, while we have rich and con-
Venient deposits, ready TO be worked at home
The consumption of railroad iron, nails, bolts,
sheet iron and hardware is increasing with great
rapidity all over the Pacific coast; and why we
should import all these goods-irom the manu-
lactnre of which other states have grown and
are growing rich-is unaccountable. In addi-
ton to the rapidly increasing demand for ar
t1cleS OF iron manufacture, it must be remem-
bered that the rails on all our older railroad
lines must soon tie gradually replaced by the re-
rolling of old or the purchase OF new ones. This
will add very largely to the home consumption
of iron. Vermont has grown rich in the manu-
faGture of pic iron, Charcoal, because it con,
tains larger amount of carbon than ordinary
coal, is the best kind of fuel for pudding pur-
poses. 1t is worth, even in Vermont eighteen
cents bushcl; il can be produced in tins state
for even less we believe, and certainly at price
not exceeding that amount
Those who are familiar with the amount OF
iron consumed and the prices paid for it here
feel certain that there IS profitable opening for
the manufacture Of pig iron here. IL the smelt-
ing of crude articles were commenced the
growth OF other branches of iron manufacture
would quickly radiate from it, L. b. Banchly,
MIR. ID. oCOnnor, Geo. G, Johnson ana about Il
dozen other merchants here are either large i'm.
porters or consumers of iron in its crude or
manufactured shape Probably all that is
requisite to have beginning made In the smelt-
ing Of our native iron ore here is to call their
attention TO what are believed to be unequaed
opportunities lOr the establishment Of a prOfita-
bic and much needed addition to our list of
home industries. We believe steps have been
taken TO organize company for the extraction
and working OF the iron ore found near Latrobe
A company was organized to work deposit of
IRON IN Sierra county, but it relied upon Il state
subsidy and congressional land grant for the
means required, and has done little else during
some years past than make vain applications for
these aids. There is promise enough in tue en-,
terpflse itself 10 warrant Investment of private
capital, especially when deposits can be found
contiguous to railway lines, The first iron mine
properly opened in California will be bigger
property than the AmadOr or Crown Point
San Francisco Bulletin