New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-03
LILLE LRON LNDNNTRP.

THE IRON INDUSTRP
The official statement by the Iloa and Steel
Association of the production of pig iron in
1885 shows n decrease of only GoOoo IONS III
comparison with 1854. This VIII astonlsh
MANY. and it may seem difficult to reconcile
the statement with the reports OF furnaces III
blast But it is of the first Importance u Cd
serve that the furnaces now in blast are larger
and have n larger capacity than those enllmer-
ated at the beginning of last year. Only 276 are
reported in blast, 315 out of blast, and 80 have
been abandoned during the past year, while
seven new furnaces have been erected anu
twenty. four were in the course OF erection.
Constant changes in the furnaces previously
existing. bv rebuilding and improvements, have
Largely increased their output. Hence, if the
association was right in estimating the capacity
of furnaces in existence at the close OF 1884 at
100000 net tons, the capacity OF all the
furnaces now in existence must be more tIlan
10000, 900 net tons, while the actual produc-
ton was 1929, 500 net tons. Thus less than
one-haf of the capacity Of the blast furnaces
in the country appears to have been employed.
Prices are so low that only those which can
produce at low cost can afford to work at all.
The furnaces which were in blast December 81,
included 1873 in Pennsylvania, 8 in New-JeIsey,
II in New-York, 3 In Connecticut, IN other
parts of New England, one in Maryland, and
II in Virginia in all 1872, or over half OF
the entire number of furnaces iii blast. All
these States are within immediate reach OF
foreign importations and the furnaces i'll them
would be directly affected by a change Of
duties In the same States there were l9t
fui naces not in blast, the price OF iron being
already too low for them to compete. mus
37s out of the 59l iron furnaces in the cOun-
try or about two-thIds are in these Eastern
States and are liable to be closed by the change
of duties which the e-1raders have con-
stantly threatened for years
The recent growth in production of bitumin-
ous or coke iron continues The output OF
bituminous iron was never larger than In 1888,
except in one year, 1888. when 2,GSs 600 tons
were produced, and in 1885 the production was
2.G7J.G3J tons. In 1872, thirteen years ago,
the production of bitum!nOus iron was 9St l59
tons and of anthracite lion ,3G9,9l2; now the
productiOn of anthracite iron is only ], 45l,39O,
having declined during the last year 1920
tons. and 49, 900 tons since 1888, aud nearly
COO. 600 tons since 1882. A considerable part
of the furnaces out of blast it is eI ident, are
years ago, but by the high price of that fuel
and the uncertainty OF lis cost have been prac-
lically superseded. of charcoal iron. 5OO,jS7
tons were produced in 1872, and last year only
399,Sll tons. the decline since 1852 having
been nearly 300, 900 tons. As the average out
nut of charcoal furnaces is small, the proportion
of such furnaces out Of blast is larger than OF
any other kind. The stocks remaining unsold
December 3 /, 1885, were 1862 tons against
593, 600 tons at the close Of the previous year,
n decline of l7G, 800 tons. This, added to the
production. would indicate a CONSUMPTION OF
about 4.7l6, 800 tons of domestic iron, against
only j.5Sg. 900 tons in 1854. This large in
crease has been in a measure due to the wisdom
OF those producers who have resisted an all
vance in price IL would have bccn easy to
lift the price To $40 or even more, but vastly
increased production for the time would have
resulted, with larger imports OF foreign iron
and smaller consumption. The inevitable re-
SUIT would have been disastrous to the iron IN
dustry rs a whole.
The production in Great Britain last year is
believed To have been about 7,l5O,OOO tons,
dccrca.e of 20. 600 tons compared with 1854.
The PRODUCTION of Germany is believed to have
been 1870, 900 tons more than i'll 1881. but no
record of stocks on hand shows whether the
increase in consumption in Germany was or
was not greater than in the United States.
These two countries. under protective duties,
apparently increased their consumption
22O. 600 tons, while Great Britain with free
trade increased the production Of iron 10000
tons, but increased the stocks on band $4,000
tons, if the figures of The London Economist OF
January are correct. The increase in Scotland
alone was 229,6 1913 tons, aud in West Cumber-
land 100, 900 tons. but the statement does not
account for the remaining apparent increase.