New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-30
OUTLOOK FOR IRON MAKING.
REVIEW OF THE TRADE FOR A YEAR.
THE ONE CLOUD on THE UoRIzoN-coMPARAri'E |
putCrs AND STATISTICS,


PRICES AND sTATIs1ICs'
purr ,nr1PufA Dec. GA reyicT OF tho ron
trade OF 1855 has just been prepared by James A.
Swank. general manager Of the American iron 'ii
Steel Association. The beginning OF inc yea. vas
l.d bo sors nv a continuation of the depression OF
1884. There was a steady sagging OF prices lIo"'
January TO July except for steel rails quotations LOT
which improved a tribe in May. In July ana August
all prices stiened, aud in September sght uIanoo
was established steel rails taking the iead an" con-
,ipuipc TO advance until December. Quotations Tor
four leading staples for each month OF the year wiz
show that prices at tt close of the year were mneh
o forsb. than at fho close of the first half OF the
YEAR comparison of prices shows that pig iron was
s1S in January $17 70 in July and }1S 20 in De
cember. Steel rails were S27 in January $ZO IN
Anril and So 30 in December. Bar iron was
$40 30 in January G3S OS IN July, and 80 ~ IN
December Cut nails were 81 10 in January, - 10
in August and So 60 in December. These quotations
are monthly averages for No. anthracite louhusy
Do iron and beat refined bar iron per gross ton at Fh
adclphia for cut nails per keg wholesale at Phiade-
pha and for steel rails per gross ton at PennsyNaa
mills Steel rails however, show the advance III price
during the last half Cf 1889. Saes were made carly
in the year at Pennsylvania mills at S0 and 80 oo'
and ~ few sales said TO have been made NJ the aS
tonisbiuply low priee of SO 80. These prices were
at Atlantic ports at the same date il entirely Tree OF
duty. In MAY quotations advanced 20 TZ|, ana the
pr7ce TINS established was substantially maintained
until the last of August when further advance took
place in consequence of an ement among the mani
f,ctur,r, TO limit and disrbuc the output for lSSb'
which was fixed at 10 goo TONS bat no restriction
was placed upon the price, each manufactures oehg
permtted to make bis own price. Tho regulation Oh
the output was found to be absolutely necessary to
prevent the further forcing OF rails on the market at
prices below the cost of manufacture. Even the ran
road companies did not desire this state Of affairs 10
continue From Augns to Noyenl or the plce ''tanly
advanced result partly oi the restriction Oh itp-
ductiou which had been Determined upon dhd par ~
of the general improvement when hau l'hgl p'"Or ~
the business Of tic country, and III the a.t nHh9u
month and in Deem her Sal"A were ml' ~ - III
December the manufacturers enlarged the limit OF pro
ducticn for 1856 to l.0OO,oOO tons. ..,
II ever = trade combination was lnstihabr' says
Mr Syank this steel rail combination Is cntiiI'd 10
lie most iayoraby .ardcd. IL not only gave 20 inc
Observation-Disclosures living uriccs instead OF losing prices
but II helped wonderfully ~ restoring he"linl ,'h'
IN all busiucss similar Tbna!iou has existed Inr
about two years among European steel raj hahu"c'-
ru, prices Of pig IRON bar iron, nails steel rails
and other loiIr1 ct .on and steel could not have al
vanced in the last bali OF $50 il Their had not been
an Increasing domaud Tor these Pr'dnc'S Al'rt @'p-
tenll cr this Increased Ccraand became everywhere
noticeable, and u has continued without interruption
TO the present time. h b., alter all, tie most gtaliJ
ing feature Of the revival IN our IRON ana steel Hds-
tries High prices aIc less 10 be desired tLAh stead
ily increasing demand. "
T" Tie increased demand for ron and steel winch oc-
CURED in the last half OF 1872 and which was one 81
the incl lcuis OF general improvement In t' business
OF the country might eohId'nliy nt '"'",' Oh ''h-
tiuuc throughout the whole o the new -ar hut I" one
little c'ond uppu The horizon. J. There were u" iir'
TO-DAY o tariff revision the promise OF N0b Womb be
h,iabi indeed Not {, borrow trouhic. however. II can
most pusvcl; hc said that feeling "I confidence 40
thr future OF business now prevails Throughout lht en-
tire country. We La'" e"i'ri' Itt"N',", il''" '"r