The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-06-08
CONDITION OF THE IRON IN.
DUSTRY.

Statistics OF Last Years Pro-
ducIiOnS.-A Fair DegFee!Ot Acc
lVlty Indieated..IncFenSed Pro-
ductiOn In Twelve StateS-'MOre
Than Half the Furnaces Idle
Last FEBRUARY.
The Secretary OF the American Iron
and Steel Association, has just completed
accurate statistics OF the production oil
pig iron in the United States during the
year 1874. The figures he gives will sur
prise the public and startlO the ironmas-
tcrs themselves, for they show produc-
ton almost Us large as that ofprOsperous
years, and contradict the universally re-
ceiyed opinion that the trade is atso low
an ebb as to be on the brink Of ruin. Mr.,
Swank's statistics are made up from full
reports from all the furnaces in the cOun'
try, and must be accepted as conclusive
The production Of pig metal in 18Th was
2,GS9,4l3 net tons, against 9,SGs,27s net
tons in 1873, and 5,Sj4,5jS net tons in
1872, showing decrease OF l7S,S65 tons
as compared with 1873, and Of only 1885,
1856 tons as compared with the prosperous
year 1872. The following States made
more iron in 1874 than in 1878; Maine
Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Nir'
GINA, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, West
Virginia, Tennessee, Ohio and Michigan
The following States made less iron in 1874
than in 1873: Connecticut, New Jersey
Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina
Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Missouri
The district showing the greatest increase
during IVA was the bituminons coal and
coke district in Ohio. The district show
ing the greatest decrease during 1874 wa'
tho Lehigh anthracite district in Penn
sylvania. Its a singular fact that in the
face OF q depression in the trade thought
by most irOnmasters to DO disastrous, 3s
new stacks were erected last year, against
80 in 1873 and II in 1872, and there arc
40 new stacks reported as begun since
January lst, 1875.
Mr.. Swank estimates the stock OF iron
on hand at the close Of 1874 At 100000
tons, whichis about double the stock car
ricd in times when there is a good market
Making allowance, however, for this ex'
cess, the sales Of the year are still iaE
greater than was anticipated. Tho re-
port does not show the actual COnsump
ton of tho years 1873 and 1874, but thi'
can DO ascertaincd from statistics in tho
possession of the Association, by the aid
Of which haze made up the following
table, using round numbers and emitting
the hundreds. The statement OF The
amount Of metal on hand at the begin
ming Of 1878 and 1874 is estimated from
partial returns, but are approximate!
correct:
Tons on hand Jan. each year. 2D,OOO 6OO,OW
Made during tho yCar,""."".,!,sGS,OW 2,OS9, M
Imported .,,.",",,,,",n,""'''''' lol'OOO OI'VV
Total ,,.............. 3?7!,OOO 3,9OO1
Deduct stock on hand Jan. In $1,000,
1874 AMI ls1j.",.,"..","".."", bW,Om l,OO,OW
Consumption ."...,..,...."..."9, $4,000 2,2jOOU
1t will DO seen from this table that thu
falling off in the consumption Of iron il
1874, compared with that Of the former
year, was but $4,000 tons, or less thai
onc.fith Of the total production Of 1873
This indicates that the depression las
year was not as serious rs Is CommonI!
supposed.