New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-04
THE LIKE IRON OUTPCT.

During the last year there have been many
statements published. profcSScdly rs cxplana-
lions Of extraordinary depression in the iron
REGION, If the Ear Northwest which have been
peculiarly calculated 10 excite public interest
In The new mines II the McsSaba Range II
II was desired 10 encourage investments In such
prop, riy. and To dcprcss the prices Of the older
mines II Michigan and Wisconsin so that they
could bc bought for a song. these accounts have
brrn well adapted 10 that end But if it was
meant lo give Trustworthy information regard
INK the future of great Industry. perhaps the
statements are less worthy of praise
For instance. it Is asserted that the McsSaba
mines. which produced in lS92 only 4.2i5 tons
- 0rc viii produce this year not less than
I.JopOrO tons AMI that this viii put an end to
production in the other mines OF Wisconsin and
Michigan. II Is not worth while here 10 dis
cu~S the probability that this new region Will
So suddenly multiply irS output more ttan
thousan1-fo'd. Estimates # this sort are neccs-
Sariy II the vagucSt character. and So much
depends upon Me number Of iron furnaces that
may be- in blast This year within the region
drawing supplies from these mines that il is
on the face Of things mere gIcsswork 10 set
down any definite figure rs the output of the
now range this year. But If il should turn out
$500. 900 tons of ore. why is il To b. expected
that all the other Northwestern mines will
cloS, which sent 10 market in 1892 no less
than gOOoOD tons? If thr manufacture is 10
hc 50 Frustrated throughout IN" year ;hat less
than half The quantity of iron required In 1892
will be- produced, then what certainty is there
that the new mines will find encouragement To
take out rs much rs Is estimated. in COMPETE
ton with the new mines in the South on the
one hand and the mines in Cuba on the other?
1t is stated that the Mcssaba deposit can be
mined merely with steam Shovcls. and loaded
ut Il cost of - cents per ton including royalty.
iut This is obviously IN estimate based on Il
single days work. and that the best ever done
in the new region, and ii is little less than alb
surd 10 suppose that the cost Of mining will re-
main the same when the cuts into the hills have
been dcepcncd AMI extended by removal of
some million tons of ore. Much the same facll-
tiles were claimed at first. it will be- rcmcm-
bcrcd for the remarkable deposits in Alabama
and other Southern States. and aftcrward for me
deposits in Cuba. 1t may be true that from
these iron can be taken ut q merely nominal
cost, hut returns thus far do not prove II, nor
have all the McsSaba mines continued in opera
ton through the past dull season. If 1t be true
that the ore costs no more board ship In
Lake Superior than on board ship in Cuba, the
shipments down the lake TO Cleveland must
cost about rs much as shipments from Cuba TO
the Delaware Bay, and the movement by rail
from Cleveland To PttSburg must cost about rs
much as the movement from Baltimore to Pitts
burg. Meanwhile the Pittsburg furnaces. using
in part ores from abroad, are to-day undcrscll-
ing all the Western establishments which are
supplied ut least To some extent with the cheap
Messiah ores. Moreover, there are Southern
furnaces close 10 large deposits which are also
said 10 be working very chcaply, and which,
according 10 market reports. are delivering iron
nj Chicago ut Il lower cost than 1t can be made
from the ores of the Northwest 1t would seem
to be Il question which can be answered only
after much testing and competition, whether
the works ut Pittsburg, mt Birmingham or along !
the scacoast. can produce iron us chcaply, and
50 can command the largest share of the bust
ness.
All this leaves out Of sight the question
whether the older mines Of Michigan and Wis
consin can continue TO compete at all II they
are TO b. closed, and the supply Of 9,ooOOO0
tons of ore which they delivered In 1892 IL
to be cut OF, Il revival Of activity In iron pro-
duction would be likely to create so strong n
demand for ore that the price would advance
materially But If the price advances, what IL
TO prevent the older mines from being worked |
Mt some profit, IL indeed at smaller profit
per ton than the mines OF the Messaba Range? |
No doubt the less favoraby located and the |
leaner mines may suffer, and may perhaps be |
closed but 1t does not appear quite so clear ms |
1t might that the Messaba people will generally |