New-York tribune., 1879-05-06

rate of increase be maintained in 1879 we ave no
doubt 1t will be- the production in this year will equal
that OF either OF the exceptionally productive years
1872 and 1873 while much less rate Of increase will
carry production in 1850 above 100000 tons.
Joined TO the reduction stocks of pig iron which took
place 1877 S7S fact fully established that
the consumption pig iron In this country has greatly
Increased since 1876 This increased consumption is
not wholly by the growth in the past two
years of the Bessemer branch OF steel industry
idly II has been develOped and IL is 90 be noted also
that the production Of rails all forms Of rolled
iron less in 1877 than in 1876 and but little greater
in 1878 than in 1876 The inference is therefore clear
that although the increased consumption of pig iron In
the last years due partly TO the activity in our
steel works. it also party due to Improvement
In the business OF the fOundes and machine shops OF
the country and but slightly due to the rail mills
and other iron rolling mills Prices have not, however
shown any Improvement On the contrary they de
clined steadily in 1873 they had previously since
1872 The decline from 1872 to 1873 64 per cent
The highest quoted price in 1872 S53 S7i9 and the
lowest In 1873 $40 90 in November. Since then there
has been slight advance.
OF the total production in 1873 of 257736l net tons
OF pig irOn C92 $40 made with anthracite
COAL 1.191, ,O02 tons were made with bitumnogs coal
and coke. and 293,399 tons were made with charcoal
published showing that the production OF an
thrace pig steadily declined from ,369s12 net
tons in 1872 to 70i57S tons 1876, but Of the
production OF 1S76. The production Of btuminous pig
iron was remtrkabiy uniform from 1872 to 1876 AZ
fraction less than 900 tons annually but IN 1877
this exceeded and in 1873 there was still
farther The production of charcoal pig iron
increased from about 100000 tons in 1872 10 about
$4,000 in each OF the years 1878 and 1874, bu
since TIE latter year it has steadily declined until in
1873 only 293390 tons We're made. Less than fifty
years ago all pig produced in this country was
made with charcoal; in 1878 less than II per cent of
theyears product was made with It,
STATES THAT HAVE INCREASED AND STATES THAT
HAVE DECREASED THEIR PRODUCTION
The States which increased their production Of pig
iron in 1878 we're Vermont, Connecticut. New-York,
New-Jersoy, Pounsyyauia, Virginia Georgia, Alabama,
West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee Ohio, Illinois Wis
conslu ana Oregon Those which decreased their
ducton Maine, AIassachuctts, Maryland, Mtchi-
gan and Missouri North Carolina Texas and Indiana
made pic icon n 1877, but made none iu 1873. None Of
the Territories made any pig iron in 1877 1878 The
increased production in ISIS 1877 262776 net
tons of this increase the share OF Pcnnsy
1927 TONS II per cent Ohio increased her pro
duct0n 575 over S77 only about 10000 tols. OF
the total product OF 2577361 tons in 1873, Pennsyvs
uiG made 1872 633 tons, or just 52 per cent TINS state
has but exceeded her production Of big iron tu
1s7s; nis was done III 1SI2, when l4Ol l49| tons were
OF the three states which made pc-iron in 1877 and
made IN 1873 the case OF Indiana Is remarkable
Unt recently THIS state had eghl furnaces and u pro
duccd 5922l tons Of pig IRON in 1872 falling to 1900
furnaces commenced, and in 1873 it was continued, and
l. to b. st further continued during the present year.
The Plluct Furnace, at Harmony, was torn down in
down in Is7s Tais wear the igo furnaces of the West
Iron Company al Kuightsve are TO be removed 10
In 1871 and again in 1876. there were twentythree
States ANA Territory of Utah engaged in the produc
tion Of iron in le77 OREGON and Ctah made no pig
Utah made none. 0gly twenty sta es therefore made
lglrSn ln ~ NO new lIoa-na.ng tolTtCry , tsS S
Hooking Valley. m ONO. Tnc number OF furnaces IN
blast at ,he close Of 1873 was 265 out OF blast 427
AT the close OF ls77 the nuuocr ia Dast was 20 out
of blasi, 446 A. the prediction OF p!Siron was 262
776 net tOus greater In ISIS than In lsII II s oe2r
from comparison of the mum Of furnaces in blast in
each Of these years that furnace practice greatly
Production or IRON AND STEEL RAILS.
The production of raj Of all kinds in the United
States 1873 GS5 net tons. This product has
been bur twice exceeded in the history OF the country,
in 1872 ana 1873. The increased production in 1873
over 1877 1l7076 tons. The product Of 1873 was
composed Of 55O30s tons Of Bcssemer steel rails 322
$50 ions Of iron rails; and 1887 tons Of Openhearh
steel The production OF Bessemer steel rails was
11s229 tons greater in ISIS than in 1875 Willie that
OF iron rails was 600 tons less Openhearth steel rails
appear in the statistics OF years rail production for
the frs, time In 1879 we will probably produce as
many rails as IN 1872 when we made 1:0OO,OOO Ions.
Nineteen states and The Territory Of Wyoming made
rails ~ 1878 ~ 81 Nichgal cropped Out OF me iiSJ
o ralln1ug states, and in 1873 Colorado eDl cred tie
list. Iu March OF that year NIL for rer0lng ron
rails, wiicn had been removed from DauFlile' Penn,
was pu operation Pueblo but the close OF the
]
seyersi years ago az Oed N City Uah Territory
is now stated that will TINS year be ready TO rerOll
All the rails made IN tie United States and Illinois made
almost ouo-hait as many rails as Pennsylyana. lii-
nOls alone made as many rails IN 1875 as the Whole
United states made many one year prior 10 isGO .,-
country was in 1868, when few tons were imported
from En- gland aud $3.50 a ton were paid for them IN
JesSerer Sieei rails 10 an orders the price OF English
steel rails fell in markets 10 Sis neold. As re-
suit tae domestic competition in tne manufacture OF
stecl rails which WAS established ia that year The price
OF these rails has since declined with great regularity
unfi 1877 American Besseuer rails were sold rs low
sac with an average for the year OF so 90;
while ia ISIS the average fen TO 2 20 which IS about
The co Of Steel rails less than half the price Of
iron rails at 50 recent a period as 1872
PRODUCTION OF ROLLED IRON AND NAILS.
The production Of all kinds of rolled and nails in
the United states in 1873 including iron rails
$50 SIC net tons which increase Of 7s.sl7 tons
over the production OF 1877 The production Of iron
rails reached its maximum IN 1872. aud II has annually
declined that yesr, the decline in 1873, as com
pared with Is77, being, however only 1850 tons. The
production o. all other OF rolled iron reached its
.snaximun IN 1878. when sS,467 more tons pro
duced than ia 1877, and I563lS more tons than In
1873 the year OF the panic TEe production ofa rolled
irOn exclusive of rails moro than doubled from 1868 to
1873
The production Of bar, angle, bolt rod. skelp, and
hoop iron in 1873 s37 net tons, against 720531
tons In ST. G6s 956 tons in 1876. G6s,755 tons in
1875 Gs7 $50 tons IN 1871 snd 705.96l tons in 1878
The production Of plate aud sheet iron in 1878. not In
cuding nail plate. 2O42 net tone. against 1S2
242 tons in ST. l65 255 in 1876 i92769 tons in
1875 176 1888 tons in 1s74'and l69169 tons in 1873
The production OF cut nails and spikes in 1873 was
4,396 1870 Gags of 100 pounds each, against 4s2s91s
Gags in 1877, 4157 s14 Gags In 1876. 4726ssl in
1872 49l2. .1sO Gags in 1874, and 4,O247O4 Gags in
1873 The tonnage OF rolled iron converted into cot
nails and spikes in 1873 sDd previous fol-
lows 1873. 9,S07 net tons 1877 241448 tons;
1876 POT $50 IONS 1879 236 343 tons 1874. 245,609
tons 1873, POI 235 II Will he observed tha the
number OF OF cut nails ana spikes manufactured III
1873 1872 7S5 less than In 1877 This reduction In
or nv A.