The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-09-02
Imports of Iron Ore and Pig Iron
at Baltimore.

Baltimore, against only 5S.27n tons for the cor
time last year. OF pig iron, the I'M
ports since January l have footed up little
over $4,000 TONS while for the corresponding
time in 1885 the imports were less than GOO tons
Mr. Joseph r. Foard, OF this city, who Is en-
gagged in the Importation of ore and iron and
chartering steamers for this trade. has just re-
turned from trip to Europe, and reports to
the JOURNAL OF COMMERCE that one lot OF $4,000
tons of pig iron has been sold for sphiment from
Barrow England, to Baltimore. A part of this
immense lot of iron is now on the way here.
The Indications lie says, point to large Ship
ments of ore and iron to this port for some time
to come. A few years ago nearly III the foreign
iron ore brought to the United States was used
by two or three large steel works in Pennsyl-
vania. soflate, however, number of furnaces
located near enough to the coast to receive
their'ore from Baltimore, Philadelphia or New
York at d. low, freight have commenced using
10 or Is miles from baltimore, has lately been
leased hythe. Pennsy1ra mia Steel Works and is
now running on foreign ore. turning out .Bes-
semer pig The Chester Rolling Mills are also
using foreign ore in their furnaces and a good
many other furnaces are adopting the same
MATERIAL ss i:srzz szE s@s - k5-4s
The Juragna Iron Co., composed OF American
capitalist, whoafe deFeI oping a vast iron ore
minein Cuba. are preparing to enlarge their
output from u .O tons per onth to 20, 600 TONS
All of ths.ore, comes to this country ;hereto1bre
it has, been imported through Philadelphia. but
arrangements have now been made for bring
ing alarge part oft to Baltimore for shipment
to the steel works in Pennsyl vania, One steam
er is now In port flischarging 1900 tons and two
more have been chartered to bring ore here
shortly. The owners OF this mine propose to
push, its Development to the utmost extent 1t
is claimed that they have the largest bed Of iron
ore ever discovered in the world. -c5s
/ There is "a very suggestive lesson in the
above statement taken from the Baltimore
,Jouandt Of Commerce, Aug. Is, 1856 The
increase in the importation of pig iron and
of iron ores, shows that notwithstanding
the tariff Of So a ton on pig iron and OF IS
cents on iron ores. the European product
is coming in at rapid rate, displaclng
that much of the American product OF
both articles. There is not pound of this
iron or of this ore. brought from foreign
countries, which could not have been
produced in this country. and to that ex-
tent benefited American labor, and as
sisted in developing and utilizing Amer
lean minerals. Had the original Morrison
tar iii bill, which was supported by a large
majority of Democratic congressman, been
adopted, as it would have been but For the
united opposition Of the Republicans in
Congress, our ports would have been open
for the free ingress Of the cheap labor ores
of Cuba, Algiers and Spain, and the entire
mining interests of this country des-
troyed. AS the customs law now is. we
see that the foreign product is invading
our market, and that to accommodate the
importation iron and steel plants are being
erected near the coast, to avoid inland
tran sportation. These ores and this iron
are shipped at the lowest possible cost Of
transportation, and in many instances as
ballast, to compensate for our tariff
charges and thus, even under the present
laws, we are threatened with an inunda-
ton Of foreign products. We ask the in
telligent people of Virginia to look at this
matter in the light of self and State in
terests, and to determine for themselves
whether they can afford to support par
ty which supports policy that would be
ruinous to the material welfare of the
Commonwealth Virginia abounds in all
the essential material for the manufac.
ture Of steel, We have the best OF iron
and steel ores I'VE have unlimited deposits
of manganese and Goals, and labor that
can be had for living prices. But we can
not compete with the cheap labor of Eng
land and Spain and Cuba, and unless the
legislation of the Nation is shaped to pro-
tect the industries and labor of this coun
try. all the industries connected with the
iron and steel business must collapse. =
Under the Morrison bill, as originally in
troduced and supported by majority OF
the Democrats, the furnaces in this district,
now employing largely over thousand
hands furnishing a local market for the
farmer and truckman, and paying out
more than million dollars a year, would
speedily blow out, and deso1ation reign
where now are thrift and comfort and
growth and prosperity. This is matter
which comes directly home to every citi-
zen. 4 1t affects the farmer, the merchant,
the mechanic, the laborer, and every RAM
ifcation of trade and enterprise 1t ap-
peals to all classes and warns them against
the fatal policy Of the Democratic party
as indicated and sustained by their plat
form, their votes and their theories 4 4
It's possible to manufacture iron on
the sea coast out of foreign ores, mined
by convict labor and brought in as ballast.
and make a profit on it, at present prices,
but when it comes to the interior sections,
such as the localities where the minerals
are found in this State, and in this Con-
gressionai district. it would be impossible
to find market for either the ores OF the
metals at remunerative prices. 1t is q
vital question for the people of Virginia
to consider and they ought to consider it,
independent, and in defiance OF party
names and partizan influence, Tor their n.
welfare is involved in it. Ice ..a ,i2.1 - !.