Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-26
A YEARS PIG IRON.
The Production forS I0O-A Large Increase
Compared With 1889.

Ane PRODUCTION forS 10O-A Large Increase
Compared With 1889.
The following interesting statistics are from
the bulletin of the American Iron and Steel
Association:
The American Iron and Steel Associa ton has
received from the manufacturers complete re-
turns of the production of pig iron in the
United States in 1890 and also complete returns
of the stocks of unsold pig iron in the hands of
makers or their agents at the close of the year.
The total production Of pig iron in 1890 was
10 307, OPS net tons of 1000 pounds or .202, 703
gross tons of 2,240 pounds, against 1905, 6i2
gross tons in lss9an increase of ,599. 06l gross
tons, or over q per cent. The production
in 1889 was over II per cent greater than
that of 1888. The joint increase in the last
two years has therefore been over IS
per cent. Our production in 1890 was about
/. 200 600 gross tons larger than that of Great
Britain in 1882. which was its year of greatest
production. Our production of pig iron in
1890 was larger for the first time than that of
our European rival. Our production of pig
iron in the first half of 1890 T. $50 5l3 gross
tons, and in the second half of 1880 it was
4.642 100 gross tons, an increase of 81, 1877 tons
in the second half.
EFFECT OF THE STRIKES.
The increase in the second half would have
been much larger but for the blowing out OF
many furnaces in December caused by the
strike of the Alabama coal miners and by the
financial stringency. The check in production
which occurred in December has been con.
tinued since the beginning of the new year
The number Of furnaces in blast on the Both OF
June, 1890, was 339 and on the 3lst of Decem-
Der the number in blast was 31l. Since the Isl
of January at least 70 more furnaces have
blown ont.
The increased production in 1890 over 1888
was well distributed throughout the leading
pig iron producing states. although the in
crease in Pennsy lvania was exceptionally large.
amounting to 1887 net tons. The next
largest increase in Illinois. with 1874 204 net
tons, followed by Ohio with liz, 59S tons. Mary
land with I3l, 7l2 tons, Alabama with 23.5lj
tons, Wisconsin with 81. SOB tons. Virginia with
1856 tons Michigan with 4.105 tons, West
Virginia with ~ go tons. Colorado with ~, $40
tons and Missouri with IA, 3G0 tons.
INSTANCES OF SMALL INCREASE.
Some other states made small increases in
their production. The production of Maine,
Massachusetts and Connecticut declined and
Washington made no pig iron in 1890. The
production Of pig iron in Alabama in 1880
shows a very much smaller increase, both alb
solutely and relatively, than in either Of the
two preceding years. Tennessee, Kentucky.
Georgia and North Carolina made only nomi-
nal progress in 1890, but Maryland, Virginia
and West Virginia contributed handsomely IL
q grand total of 1853, i59 net tons for the
southern states in 1890, against ], 5G6, 702 net
tons in 1SS9-a gain of 1856, 757 tons.
There was a large increase in the production
of spiege-leisen and ferr-magnaneese in 1880,
the production being las, l62 net tons, against
So. 1913 tons in 1889, 54,769 tons in 1888, and
Al, 59S tons in 1887.
The stocks Of pig iron which were unsold in
the hands of makers and their agents on De-
cember 81 last and which were not intended for
the consumption of the manufacturers
amounted to 6S1 1892 net tons, or COS, 92l gross
tons. against 1888. 2i4 net tons on June 80 last.
277, 4O1 tons on December 81, 1882 and SIS, 2S6
tons on June 80. 1889. In addition to these
unsold stocks at the close Of 1890 there were at
that date in storage warrant yards SO. 2S9 net
tons, making a total of TAI ,2Sl net tons Of pig
iron then on the market.