The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-06
rHk IRox lspusrRr.
Fsxst SQUAD the Center for she PacIne
Coast.

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Faxet SQUAD the Center for she paclac
Coast.
The market f0a. iron and steel, and
the manufactures thereof. on the Paci-
nc coast is larger In proportion 70 the
population than that OF any other sec
lion IN the United States. This Is be-
cause OF the RAPID settlement OF the
country and Development OF It's re-
sources. the extensive mining ara lsrru-
bering operations. and Of the larger pro-
portion OF railway mileage to population
than in other parts OF the country. The
population OF the Pacific coast, includ-
Ing all the territory west OF the Rocky
mountains. is about i've per cent. Of the
population OF the United States. And ii
has been estimated that the consump-
ton OF iron and steel. and manufactures
OF the same. is about 10 per cent OF the
total consumption Of the entire country.
It is divided as follows: $1,000 tons OF
pig iron $1,000 tons OF commercial bar,
10000 tons Of steel plate, 10000 tons Of
cast pipe: the balance consists OF steel
rails OF all sizes. CONSTITUTIONAL iron ard
steel and machinery in various forms.
These commodities are now supplied
from the Eastern states and from Eng
land. The cost OF manufacturing the
same in Pittsburg and in Chicago Is
about the same as In England OF late
years foundry pig iron has been sup
piled from Alabama at q cost much be-
low either Eastern or English pig iron.
This foundry iron is being man
ufactureG and sold at the furnace
az from $3.50 to $3.50 per ton, while the
cost Of the Bessemer pig made at Pitts
burg, Chicago and In England is from
SO to 81 per ton 1t Is believed that to
manufacture Bessener pig at these
prices involves q loss to the ore pro-
Gucers. The market for iron ores hay-
ing been very much demorahzed the
past year the cost OF transportation OF
these commodities from the point OF
manufacture to Pacific coast points
varies all the way from s. to so per
ton. an average probably being as high
as SIS per ton. This freight rate may
be regarded as SO much protection to
whoever manufactures iron and steel
upon the Pacific coast. In edition to
this there would be the customs duties
on iron and steel brought in from Eng
land and other foreign countries. This
duty varies al the way from 81 on pig
iron per ton, to SIG on the higher grades
OF steel manufacture.
Although there are many deposits OF
iron ore on the Pacific coast, particular
~ in the states OF Washington and Cali
fornia. In British Columbia and Mexico.
there has not been sufficient prospect
Ing work done on a large number OF
these deposits to determine their extent
with certainty. except in four instances,
three ct these being in British Columbia
convenient to Puget Sound and enc in
Mexico. The products OF these deposits
are a very high grade of Bessemer ore.
varying from IS per cent. to 20 per cent
OF metallic iron, and being substantially
free from impurities. There are numer-
GUS deposits OF iron ore in this state
within 20 to so miles OF Puget Sound
which are easily accessible, and 1t is
believed that moderate amount of
prospecting work will show these mines
to be of great extent, and there are GER
tainly no better ores in the world. Not
withstanding the large extent and ex-
ceisent character OF these raw ma
teriais. there have been but two blast
furnaces built upon the Pacific coast,
and these are small and are now ont OF
blast. They were unfavorably situated
In regard 10 the supply OF both ore and
fuei. and for this reason they could
not manufacture with profit. as they
might have done had they been more
fayorably located. These were char
coal furnaces, and the pig produced by
them was of very superior quality,
not being excel,ed by the product OF any
furnace in the United States.
Puget sound must undoubtedly be-
come the center of iron manufacturing
on this coast, for the reason that Il is
the only region on the coast where a
cheap and abundant supply Of fuel can
be obtained, and where all OF the iron
ore deposits are so situated that their
products can De advantageously and
cheaply transported to a common point.
All OF the raw materials necessary TO
the manufacture Of iron and steel can
be assembled at almost any convenient
point on Puget sound at cost for the
same that compares very favorahay
with that at Pttsburg. Chicago. and
other Eastern iron manufacturing CEN
tiers. Ores Of the same quality can be
assembled here more cheapiy than at
those censers, bat the coke win cost
slightly more than at pittsburg, though
probably no more than at Chicago. A
supply OF Besseiner ore can be landed
at the furnace site on Puget sound for
not 10 exceed So 30 ner fnu az corn,