New-York tribune., 1885-02-13
THE IRON AND COAL TRADES.

STATISTICS OF THE IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION
CONDITION OF THE COAL TRADE.
ipRoa AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE
PHILADELPHIA, Feb 1O-The production OF iron in
1884 as shown by the official reports of the Iron and
Steel Association amounted to 45S9613 tons of 1000
Ibs or 4,O97 S6S gross tons. 1t was expected that
Oh account of the efforts made by the manufacturers 10
curtan the production. the make OF iron last year
would fail below that of 1881, the year of the great
BOOM But the difference it appears, was quite small
only 5I951 TONS In States and districts there
was notable increase in the output, notwithstanding
the reduction elsewhere and the low prices prevailing
Thus in Illinois the output for 1884 S9,911 TONS
or SO Der cent more than in 1888 and in the lower
Susauehanna district of Pennsylvania the increase
81 1920 tons. or "a per cent. There also an
increase of 40 306 TONS 16 cenn the output OF
misce llaneous coke furnaces in Pennsylvania, and
small increase, even 1888 in the output OF the
Mahonng Valley, Ohio In Alabama the output was
17199 tons, 10 per cent larger than In 1888. and
in Virginia 4,576 tons. or per cent larger. While
these districts and States increased production In spite
of all embarrassnents a decrease appears in com
parison with 1883 Of 144,000 tons in the Lehigh
Valley 1856 tons in Allegheny County, $4,000
tons in schuylkii County, and $4,000 tons in the
Shenandoah Valley. There was also decrease of
nearly 900 tons IN the miscellaneous coke production
of Ohio. The consumption in 1884 was considerably
above the general estimate and only 59, 200 net tons
Of domestic iron hand at the close of 1884 IN
excess Of the quantity at tie beginning OF that year.
There is a decided improvement in the anthracite
coal trade and frmness in prices than has been
felt at any time for many months 1t is observed how
ever that the improe is mainly In domestic sizes
for which the demand Ia large and from year TO year
increasing. while the competition with bItumncus coal
tends from year to year to reduce the quantity
snmed for steam purposes. As usual the shield has
two sides, and those either side OF the dispute
are in part right The btuminous competition does
secure Iyaar by year larger share of the msDuactr
ing trade, cutting down the consumption of anthracite
IN that direction But it is also true If the published
statistics may be trusted that the increase in coDsump
ton for domestic purposes and in consumption at the
West, than compensstes for the loss Ia manufact
uring is stated that the interior trade far
exceeds the tonnage to tide-water and of the tide
water tonnage large and rapidly increasing portion is
OF domestic sizes that the competition with soft coal
for steam purposes Is growing each year less important
TO the anthracite producers.
These the views entertained by parties interested
IN the production and transportation Of anthracite and
they are supported by such statistics of last years
trade a. have been compiled II expected that the
output this year will show an increase the last
year and bile the stocks at shipping ports are
being rapidly reduced. There Is much better state of
feeling than has been in the trade at any previous
time since the collapse of the iron manufacture in the
Eastern districts