New-York tribune., 1874-12-01
THE IRON INDUSTRY.

TIE RELATIVE PROGRESS MADE IN THE EAST AND
WEST IN SMELLING AND ROLLING IRoN-THE
Production or PIG-IRON GREATLY IN EXCESS
OF TIE CONSUMPTION.
TO the EditOF Of he Tribune
SIR: The following information, derived from
Nhe best fail TO be OF interest 10 the
trade. In my calculation divide the history Of the
American iron industry into two periods-One dating
from It's shment in I7O0 the end of the year
1902 the extending from 1868 10 the end OF 1879
The first period OF gradual growth; the second
was which the industry was first stimulated
by the war and then by railroad building on the most
extensive scale ind that in the Uated States at the
Beginning Of 1868 the capacity Of the blast furnaces TO
produce pig-iron 65 per cent greater than that
Of the rolling mills TO make II into bars or
rails This dispropOrtion continred TO increase,
and at the commencement Of this year was
great 75 per cent. Some allowance must
be made the hand for the pig iron used in foun-
actual product OF the rOllingPills and their full
paeity. the latter having been made The basis % nv
calculation 1t snould however, be borne in mn1 that
while it is the interest and purpose OF ,e furnace
Qwper 10 keep producing all ne can to proprietor OF
Tong-mil has 20 contend with .eays and difficulties
which render it practically impossible for him to keep
dis machinery eup',yed at all times 10 the fullest
extent cOnciEue from the foregoing statistics that
the production OF M iron Is greatly IN excess OF the
Examp .ne the relative progress made in the East and
West hnd that at the beginning of 1868 the relative
capacity OF the blast furnaces east OF the Aeghanes
strawing lnc from north to south and including
lIeOrg1al thaD tnat or the roll
gnis, while OF the Alleghanies ii but "a In
fs4 after lapse of eleven years the excess III the East
Oo per cent, while that IN the West had
advanced g. This shows very undesrable dlsprO-
portion In East, while IN the West the relative
Capacities branches have not been much dis
turDed.
The increase the capacity Of the different kinds OF
furnaces il also noting. In the eleven years from
1874 the Increase the capacity OF the charcoal
furnaces in the East was 50 per cent? in the West 49,
while In that the duthracte all situated IN the East,
90 cent The capacity OF the btuminOus coal
and coke furnaces xsting only IN the West, increased
An tue period as Der cent.
furtD. hnd the second period 1883 to 1879.
the capacity for producing iron in the East was 50 per
cent and In West $50 per cent greater than II was IN
the first period O0 1892 The capacity OF the rolling
mills Increased second period % per cent IN he
East, and $50 Der the West. This shows that
while the capacity for producing pig iron
IN East cent the facilities In that section
for rolling Increased only 68 per cent In the
West the Otaer hand bOth branches OF the irOnln-
lustry kept pace wtu each other, and made greater
strides than elsewhere. confidently believe that Tor
general purposes these figures are correct Ihe lessons
they teach dScerned by all engaged III the iron
business, and they lead 10 further inyesugatlon the
Ynrnosa or tbs communication realized. j.
PttIs6tR0h, NOv. Il, 1874