Connecticut western news., 1890-10-01
THE PIG IRON INDUSTRY,

The Census Office has issued bullet in showing the production of pig Iron in the United States for the year ending June 30, 1890. Great credit is due Dr William M. Sweet, of Philadel- phia, for this magnificent achievement in statistical work. The following points condensed by the Iron Trade Review from the report will no doubt be read with interest:
 The production of pig iron for the census year of 1890 was the largest in the history of the iron industry in this country, amounting to 9,579,779 tons of 20OO pounds, as compared with $751; O21 tons produced during the census year l 1880, and 2, ,O52, ,821 tons during the census year 1870. From 1870 to 1880 the increase in production amounted to 1, 728, 200 tons, or nearly 85 per cent, while from 1880 to 1890 the increase was 6,798, 75S tons, or over 153 per cent. ...... The pig iron industry of New Eng land has been practically stationary during the last twenty years. Pig iron is now made in twenty states and territories.
 l Pennsylvania produces about one-h half ! of all the pig iron made in the United States.
 Ohio retains second place, dropping, however from IA per cent in 1880 to l3 l per cent in 1890.
 ! Alabama advances from tenth place I in 1880 to third place in 1890. Her in- crease over 1880 is 1928 per cent. 1 Illinois, which was seventh in rank in 1880, is fourth in 1890.
 ! New York retires from third to fifth place. Virginia advances from seven teenth to sixth, and Tennessee from thirteenth to seventh.
 As showing the greater size and ca. pacity of furnaces in 1890 over those oi 1880, the fact is demonstrated that, while the production of 1890 was 5,798, 75e tons greater than that of 1880, the mum
 Der of completed furnaces actually decreased from 681 in 1880 to 562 ir 1890. In other words, the average year 1 ly capacity in 1880 was 5,552 tons, while
 the average yearly capacity of furnaces
 reported in 1890 was 17,O46 tons.
 The nine southern states produced
 only $50, ,436 tons in the census veal
 1880. In 1890 they produced l, 78O, 90!
 tons, an increase of 4O8 per cent. Kentucky alone, of all the southern
 states. shows decrease in production
 amounting to 25 per cent.
 | Six Western states, Illinois, Indiana
 Michigan, Missouri Ohio and Wiscon
 sin, produced in 1890 2,522. 35l tons
 against 995, ,335 tons in 1880, an increas'
 of 153 per cent. Indiana, alone of these
 states. reports falling off, amounting
 37 per cent.
 During the decade, the use of anthra
 cite has fallen off n per cent, while thu
 use of mixed anthracite coal and coke
 has increased 163 per cent, coke ane
 bituminous coal 343 per cent, charcoe
 51 per cent, and casting direct from thu
 furnace 135 per cent.
 f Of Ohio's product in 1879, viz. 1902, | 299 tons, the Mahoning Valley produced
 527. .164 tons, or nearly half.
 The production of Bessemer pig irol
 in the United States during the censu
 year 1890 amounted to 4,233, 272 tons
 of which Pennsylvania made 2,567, ,8l;
 tons; Illinois, GIG, ,654 tons: Ohio, 516,
 654 tons: and other states much smalle I quantities.
 Al One hundred and forty-nine thous
 and, nine hundred and fifty-nine ton
 of spiegeleisen were produced in tn census year 1890.