Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-10
ALABAMA REALLY AHEAD.
The Iron Ore Figures Exclusively Given in
The Dispatch Months Ago Correct
Pennsylvania Leads in the Number of
Mines, and Its Product Is More Valu-
obIo rI.o.. That oF +I,a Sou4H,


bama had produced more iron ore during
| the census year than Pennsylvania. This
statement was Immediately contradicted
and even laughed at in many quarters. Mr.
| Porter's report is now out, and THE DIS
PATCH prediction Is found to be fully verified
The following are some quotations from the
| official document:
| During the year ended December 81, 1889
| the production of iron ore amounted to
14,5ls0 04l long tons, which was contributed by
26 States and two Territories, and this out
| put represented value on cars or carts at
the mines of $50, 35l ,975 an average of 81 &c
| per toIl. The stock of ore on hand at the
commencement of the census year was l.
966,S24 long tons, while at it's close this
amount was augmented to 1856 973 tons, an
| increase for the entire countryof 290 l49 tons,
| or nearly 10 per cent. The stock of iron ore
| carried over is equivalent to 1886 per cent OF
| the production for the census year, but the
| increased stock, that is the amount OF ore
| mined but not consumed, represents but
per cent of the total output for 1889. Owing
| to the fact that the census year for mining
| oorresponded with the calendar year 1889
| the stocks of iron ore on hand at the COM
mencement and end OF the year represented
| a larger amount than would have been the
case a few months earlier, the practice OF
a market by means of water transportation
encouraging IL depletion of stock at the
mines during the shipping season and an
augmentation during the winter months,
when navigation.is is suspended.
Michigan First and Alabama Second.
-"Michiga1 was by far the largest prod
ucer of iron ore in the census year 1885, total
of 1856, 169 long tons having been mined, the
vail of u1Ni n min
an average of 50 20 per ton. The tonnage
from Michigan therefore represents 40.34 per
cent of the total, while the aggregate value
is 47.3S per cent of that of the entire country.
The credit of holding second rank lies be-
tween the States of Alabama and Pennsyl-
vania. the former, from the figures collected,
having apparently slightly greater output
than the latter. This uncertainty is owing
to the fact that the reports obtained from
two of the larger Alabama mines covered
operations commencing May l, 1882 and
ending May /, 1890, and no detailed record of
the amount of ore produced and labor en-
poyed during the three months of 1890 was
oDtainable. The position of Pennsylvania
is also affected by the refusal of one large
producer to supply absolute figures. but 1t
will be noted that in the shipments OF ap-
parent consumption of iron ores Pennsyl-
vania takes precedence of Alabama.
Alabama is therefore placed second as
producer of iron ore with ,570,3 ,3l9 long tons,
valued at Sl5ll Gil, an average of 96 cents
per ton. These figures represent 1O.S2 and
4.53 per cent, respectively, of the total out
put and value. Pennsylvania closely fol-
lows Alabama, its output being 1,5G0, ,234 long
tons, valued at s. 063, 534, an average of 81 96
per ton, and TO- Is and 9. 10 per cent, respect
lvelv, of the total output and value.
"The other State which produced over
l,OOO,OOO tons i'll the present census year was
New York, which is credited with 1,247, ,537
long tons, valued at SO, 100, zig, an average of
s. 40 per ton. the figures representing, re-
spectively, $50 and $50 per cent of the total
output and value. These four States there
fore produced total of l0, 234 259 long tons,
7O.49 per cent of the entire output of the iron
ore mines of the United States. while the
value of the ore aggregates $23 AIS, ,SS2, or 1888
per cent of the total valuation"
Pennsylvania's Valuation Shows Up Well.
1t will be seen by these figures that
while Alabama produced more material,
the value of the Pennsylvania product was
much larger, though Michigan and New
York are both ahead of the Keystone State
even in this feature. This also corresponds
exactly with the advance announcement in
THE DISPATCH, which explicitly said that
while the Southern State would show the
largest output, our Commonwealth would
still distance it in the quality and desirable
ness of the article. Pennsylvania also
leads in the number of mines, as will be
seen by the following extracts from the re-
port:
Placing the States in the order of the
number of producing mines in 1889, the rank
for the larger producers is as follows: The
number of active mining operations (lS9)
places Pennsylvania first, while the State
ranks third in the amount OF ore produced.
Michigan, which had by far the largest out
put OF iron ore for the year 1899. had for it's
prod"Ct but Il compare lively small number
of mines. viz, 73, many of which, however,
were large operations. Ohio follows next,
with 20 producing mines, but as a producer
it occupied eleventh position. The fourth
place is taken by Alabama, with As mines,
while the State occupied second position rs
to the amount of ore won, the average out
put of the mines being large. Virginia and
West Virginia combined, with IS mines, come
next, and stand seventh as to the amount of
ore won. New York ranks sixth in regard to
the number of mines, viz, 35, many OF which
are large operations, and contributed to
place the State in fourth place as producer
New Jersey follows with "a mines, while its
1889 output gave it ninth rank. Minnesota
reports but four active mines, and occupies
a low rank in this respect. 1t, however was
fifth in the amount of ore produced ind-
eating large mines. Colorado produced but
a small amount of ore during the year 1889,
holding thirteenth position in this respect
and had Is active iron ore mines. showing
which held a high rank as a producer, had
but Is mines, most of which were large opera
tionS.
Produce Four Kinds of Ore.