The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-11
MEXICo's IRON RESOURCES.
Yankee Genius Likely to Develop Them
During the Next Decade.

valuable article on Mexico as an Iron
producing Country" appears in the current
number Of the Engineering Magazine from
the pen Of Robert T. Hill After giving
statistics Of MexicO's iron and steel imports
the writer says:
The enormous increase of tepfold in the
imports In fourteen years is largely due to
the fact that within that period Mexico has
undergone her greatest era Of Industrial
progress and railway construction. This
epoch Of railway building is now being fol-
lowed by the introduction Ct iron machn-
cry, agricultural Implements. and the use of
iron In a thousand methods hitherto IN.
known IN the republic "a consumpti0n
which Will show even a greater increase
within the next ten years, for in every part
OF me republic American engineers are in
Producing the use Of iron in numerous fac
torres, mining enterprises and public WORKS
win improved transportation and an
abundance Of Inc best quality Of easy
smeliDg ores There Is no reason why the
manufacture Of iron In Mexico should NOT
become most lucrative industry. especially
with the nigh protective duties Ten wears
ago, when Durango was 200 niles from rail.
way transD rtatiOn, Mr.. Birkinbine recolp-
mended tie erection there Of a blast fur
mace, rollng-mlI, machBe-shops, foun-
dry and smithery at a cost Of soc. COO
or more. In his opinion the manufacture
OF Dig-iron with charcoal would net more In
Durango than In the United States. and
with good management he could not see a
doubt OF establishing modern iron indus
try at Durango" Already the unusual de-
posts Of Durango, MonclOva and Saloao
de BOtello have been purchased bv Ameri-
can capitalists. and their speedy develop
ment is expected.
The value OF the ores for mixing with the
phosphate or cold short ores OF East Texas
and the Alabama regions should not be over
looked. They are the nearest supply for the
youthful iron industries at these localities
and are not more distant from them than the
Lake Superior ore Of similar character is
distant from the Pennsylvania furnaces in
which IT Is used. BntoDe obstacle prevents
this use, and that Is the shOrtsiebted tariff
regulations between the two countries. In
Northern Mexico, our nearest foreign neigh
Dor, hardly an article of American manu-
factuTe can be found. The small current of
the Rio Grande. which can be forded at anv
point, is as great barrier 10 trade as
though 10 we're an ocean. Mexico imports
annually and mostly from the markets of
Europe S37, 1855, $40 worth Of manufactured
articles and foodstuffs, every dollars
value Of which should come from the
United States Her leading exports, exclu-
sfye of precious metals, are valued at Sl4,-
g47, $40, and include Henneluin fiber. coffee,
hides, vanilla, gums ana tOUacco, articles
which. with the exception OF hides and
tobacco. we do not produce. An exchange
oftbese commodities on terms Of reciprocity
b tween the two countries would be Of in
estimabIe value to both Mexico and the
United States.
Tes years ago Professor Silliman said Of
the Durango iron mountain: Inc ehor-
nous mass OF valuable iron ore, thanks 10
the near approach Of the railway OF MEXICO;
fs.frr m
value" Exactly ten years from, the
publication Of his article the Mexl-
can International railway completed us
line 10 the foot of the Durango iron
mountain, connecting it by rail with the coal
felds Of the Sabinas, and now the prop1e'