New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-04
CONDITION or THE ROy INDUSTRY.

STATISTICS OF LAST YEARS PRODUCTION.
A FAIR DEGREE OF ACTIVITY INDIcArED-lN-
CREASED PRODUCTION IN TWELVE srATrS-
MORE THAN HALE TIE FURNACES IDLE LAST
FEBRUARY
tYROM TIE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRIBUSE'I
PHILADELPHIA, June 3.--The Secretary OF
go American Iron and steel Association. Sir James u.
su lnk o this city, has just competod accurate stdtis-
tics OF the production OF psiron in tho United Suites
during the year 1874. The figures hc gives viii surpfLe
~, pnDc aud starl- the irOnnastcTs themselves. fr
they show production almost large that Oi pros
porous years, and contradict Ito universally received
opinion that the trade Is Ut 80 low an cbb ~ tn he on ITO
brink OF ruin Mr. svank's statistic made mp from
full reports from AL the furnaces IN iAe country and
must accepted conclusive. The total production o1
p,s metal in Is7i 2.6-3 Alb ne, ons. against $685.
79 ne tons IN 1873 and 2S5i jj8 net tOs in 1872.
showing a decrease OF I7s 500 tuns compared with
1873 and OF emily l65.lj6 toug compared with tie
prosperous year 1872. The following states made
iron in 1874 than in 1873: Maine, Vermont Maeachi-
sotts, scy-York. Virginia, Gen-lii. Alabama, Texas.
West Virginia Tennessee. Ohio AMI Michigan The fol
lowing ~tares made nse iron in 1874 than 1878 Con
n,cticut Scw-Jersey. Pennsylvania, haryarf North
Carolina. kentucky. Indiana. Illinois, Wscoisin and
Missouri Tho district showing tito greatest inorece
during 1874 tDc DminOui coL and COKE dAircs IN
Ohio 1he district showing tie greatest decrease during
1874 was the Lehigh anthracite district IN PcnnsylTana
II IL singular fact that in tbs face OF depression in tho
txndr Thought by ironmasters to be disastrous,
81 now stacks were erected Last year. against 80
In 1873 and al IN lS72 and there are aG now stacks ~
ported rs begun since Jan. l. 1879
Mr. Swank estimates the stock OF iron hard at the
o.e OF 1874 st 100000 tons. which ID about double
,e stock carried Vhe there L. good market
Making allowance however for this tho sales u
the year are still far greater than anticipated Ils
re,,ot does not show the actual consumption OF tbo
wears 1873 and 1874 but this he ascerained from
statistics in Tie possession Of tho Association, by the AID
~ which have made up the following table. using rOund
numbers and emitting the hundrets The statement of
the amount OF metal hand at the beginning OF 1878
and 1874 Il estimated from partial returns. but aro
approximately correct: - 49,,
rors on hand Jan l, Zach year. 100000 100000
81 sdo during the year. -oS3uO
Imprte.l 1JiOOO GlUo0
Total. SoOO o,-~)V'VoV
Do.iuct stock hand Jan l, III - ..
1874 and lS75..-..-......".--..--. C""V' I""'"
Consumption 2,2oOOOO
II viii be seen from this table that the falling of In the
onsump ion OF iron In 1874. compared with that VI the
former YEAR was but J.2 900 tons Less than Oeih
a the total production OF 1873 THIS indicates that tho
6ep,sOIt lat year nos ~ ~oilOls us Il commonly
SUPPOSED.
Asao.rrion "A Ia the number OF furnace stacks in AMI
out nf blast Feb l. when OF 7O sttcks, 3O3
Ia and 3gS out. Among those working nearly
e The LARGE furnacrs II Is not believed however, that
the product OF the pre@ent year VIII elua t VI last