The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-30
ABOUT IRON ORES.
For the Times.l


The duty on iron ore in the existing
law passed by the Republicans is seventy
five cents per ton, and the Mills bil
makes no change in this respect. But i
would have been better for the owners o.
undeyeloped iron property, for the manu-
facturers, for the employees, for the con
sumers and, in fact, for the whole com
munity if it had been placed on the free
| list
The production of iron in'the United
States should be stimulated, not obstruct.
ed. for ii is certain that this is the begin.
ing Of an era which the use Of that metal
will far excel anything in the past. For
not only is it put increasingly 10 new
uses in sll old countries, but new fields
are rapidly being opened for ii in every
quarter of the world. The interior of
Africa, for which all Europe is sirug-
Cling, can only be reached commercially
by railroads. for no nayigable streams
penetrate il. England and Russia are
engaged In a gigantic and momentous
contest in Asia, and each of them is now
constructing long lines OF railroad in
regions heretofore almost unknown and
inaccessible China, Japan, Mexico,
Central and South America will, at no
distant day, make a demand for iron in
its various forms, the dimensions of
which no one can venture to gage.
With this prospect plainly before us,
and with our great fields of iron and
coal, it is the part Of wisdom to put our
selves in a position TO profit by It. But
Como Renubiipapc mill coz. al ~, -. l.
this, by manufacturing our own ores,
and NOT by importing Others" But there
is exactly where the mistake lies.
We learn from the census of 1880,
that the annual product tof from. as
will be observed, is but little in excess Of
one-half of the maximum capacity
Maximum capacity means an estimate
OF what could be produced from present
developments, with present appliances,
under the stimulus OF a pressing de-
mand." That is, we only make under
the laws now prevailing one half of what
our furnaces could turn out, so that if all
of the furnaces should work. they could
only do II half the year, or if some run
all the time, others would lie idle all the
time. Protection, therefore, while it has
enriched fabulously many of the iron
masters, has not fostered the iron In
dustry.
The same authority Informs US. that
while the gain from 1870 to 1880 in the
number OF employees has been 1l0 per
cent, in amount paid for material 1876
per cent, and in total capital PAT per
cent, the gain in the amount paid as
wages was only 80 per cent.
Much Misrepresentation prevails on the /
subject of iron ores. The general public
are not aware of the great difference in
properties, qualities and value among
hem, but think that iron can be made
out OF any ore. On this point an expert
writes; According to the nature
ana amount Of the advanced substances.
ne value OF the ores varies largely. The
presence OF certain impurities. notably
)hosphofous, in more than minute auan-
lty prevents the use Of certain ores for
particular purposes, and thus reduces
nelr value; ;he admiXture OF particular
Kinds OF gangue in other cases renders
he ores unsuitable for working in the J
anne Kind OF way, that would otherwise
'e advantageous; In smelling such ores
" means OF blast furnace different /
.inds and amounts of hues for the earth :
y impurities are requisite in different |
asses, thus affecting the cost of produc- 5
ION, SO that, In fine, the value of an ore /
by no means necessarily proportionate I
Tie amount Of actual iron present d
herein" :
Many OF The American ores. unfortu. a
ately, are strongly charged with pbos- \
norus or sulphur, and are therefore al. {
lost most valueless unless some means "
al oe iouno OF making good iron out of c
iem without the expense and trouble of h
arifying them with foreign substances n
has been found that mixing certain Il
-her ores which have not as yet beer as. II
rlained 10 exist in this country. cor. (,
cts these injurious qualities and enables il
EN- 10 make good iron without add. Sc
onal expense. These ores come mainly o.
ON spain and North Africa, and are cs
llported for The purpose Of mixing with 80
her ores here which would be other. m
se OF no value, and not, as many sun. m
sc, TO be made into iron by themselves N
le ores are mixed in about the pronor. IN
% OF TWO parts native TO one of foreign as
0 .hen good iron, making an excellent in
amy OF bessemer steel. IS produced rr
ana this fact constitutes a conclusive be
'son why The ores should be admitted ov
~ free. Jouv w rous n..'e" "