The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-08

! and steel works OF the lnlteu ''"''' ''H'a''
a good deal of new information rs 70 tho
growth Of the iron and steel industries OF TINS
country in 1890 and 1891 In 1890 the produc-
ton Of MIG iron. rolled iron and steel ingots
was the largest that has ever been recorded IN
our history. but there was sharp REACTION III
these industries in 1921 in sympathy win ine
reduc.jon in the volume Of every class OF
manufactured product. Many OF the IRON
and steel works that were erected III INC
/ booming times of 1890. more especially ID lne
Southern States. were either abandoned alto
rether or temporarily closed for financial
reasons in 1891 with marked effect upon tue
amount If the general output In iron ana
steel -
The influences that in 1891 crippled the
operation OF works already IN existence. us
couraged large expenditure Of capital IN the
erection Of new works. although. as STATISTICS
show, these influences did not lead 70 CON-
plete cessation in this line Of investment
At the close of 1899 there were 800 blast
furnaces either in active operation or hNeiF
20 become active. At the close oil 1871 the'0
were $50 furnaces in operation, or SIX furnaces
less than at tho close of 1889. THESE oo'
furnaces include the fifty-two furnaces when
have been erected since 1889, but DO not H.
clude the fifty-eight which have either been
wrecked or abandoned in that period Of time
OF tho new furnaces. twenty-six have been
put I'D in the South, and there are new IN
the course of erection in this section eie'en
new furnaces. while the foundation OF Only
one has been laid in the North in the years
1880 and 1891 there was a very remarKaOle
falling of in the building OF new furnaces IN
Alabama. while in Virginia, on the other
hand there was a very remarkable progress.
For instance. for the two years ehdihs WIN
1899. ONLY two new furnaces were erected III
VIRGINIA and three were abandoned. but IN lS~
and 1891. seven new furnaces were built and
six are now in the course Of erection. Inc
progress Of Virginia in the erection and pro
lection Of new furnaces exceeded during the
same length Of time that Of any other State IN
the Union
The 500 furnaces in operation IN the United
States at the present time have an aggregate
annual capacity of 16,296,793 net tons or an
average Of 2s.GH net tons annually for each
furnace-a remarkable indication. as core
spending statistics for previous years will
show. Of the growth in the aggregate and IN
dividunl capacity Of American furnaces.
The Iron and Steel Directory for 1880 and
1891 enunerates 400 completed roliins-milis
and steel-works in this country This repre-
SCENTS fortv-three new mills and works, while
twenty-e.ght old establishments have been
abandoned. the net increase in the period
mentioned being fifteen In January. 1882.
there were eighteen rolling-nills and steel
plants in the courseof erection against tota.
of eleven works in the course OF erection at
the close Of 1889.
The pudding furnaces. in the two years
ending with November 1889 increased from
Asp to 1914. and from this date to January
1892. there was a further increase 10 5,lZO
During the first two years the Bessemer stee.
industry of the United States. already the
largest in the world. has been further de-
veloped The open-hearth steel industry has
in the same length Of time made greater
progress than the Bessemer steel Basic
steel. on the other hand. has not risen 10 any
importance except at two or three works
in PENNSYLVANIA. There are twenty establish
ments which are either prepared or will soon
be prepared to make tin plate under the pro
visions of the Mckinley law.
There are also in the nited States twenty
one locomotive works, not including works
operated by railroad companies thiriy-one
wrought-iron pipe works forty-three cast
iron pipe works; sixty-nine car-axle works,
not including works operated by railroad
companies one hundred and nine car-wheel
works and one hundred and FIVE car works,
not including railroad works.