The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-20

Although She Does Not Fear tho Com
petition o. Europe.

From Report by the United States Con-
sui at Cologne.
The commercial and industrial develop
ment In Germany since the Franco-Prus-
sian war twenty-five years ago has been
remarkable. During this interval Ger
many has succeeded in pushing her trade
IN almost every corner OF the civilized
world, and the fear OF the decline OF this
foreign trade is just now receiving earnest
attention. and the strongest kind of APP
peal is being made TO the German gov
eminent TO lend Its aid In opening up new
canals and waterways and in reducing
freigh, rates. etc, to the lowest posi-
BILE degree.
The United States seems to be looming
up in the German mind as the country
most 10 be feared in the future as their
competitor in the worlds markets. The
vast resources Of the United States and
SIS wonderful productive capacity are re-
fer-ed 10 by the Germans with great anx-
iety.
One reads IN leading articles such words
as: The threatening competition OF
America: a cry OF warning 10 oe united"
America, thou art better or than our
old continent: thou hast no ruined cas-
ties. no crumbling monuments; thou art
not disturbed internally in busy. stirring
times. BY vain remembrances and USE
less Quarrels."
The railways In Germany are mostly
owned by the government. and strong
representations are made to the latter
that one OF the most important factors
TO be considered I'm this connection is the
lowering of the freight tariff on raw stun
10 be taken 10 the works, such as ores,
etc, that often have to be carried great
distances. With refeence 10 America, a
recent article says:
"Of the two raw stuffs. coal and iron
ore. whose existence form the base OF
the iron manufacture. the former exists
In America not only In large quantities
for the lowest estimate OF the coai-bearlng
area OF the United States gives at least
500 e03 square kiiometers-out costs only
little TO nine This lis proved by the fact
that American coke had sunk last year
70 less than 81. and stu does not cost
much more that 81 20, while at the same
time coke IS not 10 be had In westphaiia
under sa51'
The article goes on 70 say that TIE Unit
ed States IS rich In iron-ore districts. the
richest of them being near Lake Supe-
rfor. More than 9 coo COO tons of ore were
raised IN 1850. When blasting was neces-
eary, the cost was only 5 cents per ton.
Thus the cost OF raising the ore until
placed on the railway was reduced 20 9lia
cents per ton.
In spite Of the great distances, In Tn.
GDtATI etAtr-s HUN the ore 70 the CoHl
depcstts-silstances unknown I'm Europe
the output OF raw material has lately
reached a height which puts ali past rec
erds into the shade In September last.
according 20 the Iron Age. there were st
work si5 blast furnaces. with a weekly
output OF 1876 ea gross tons.
In cons sequence Of this rapid increase Of
the output. y must happen that the prices
will soon stink again. and that the Amer
leans will appear in the worlds uarke:
tn very unpleasant manner az conape-
tftars Of Tire European. and especially OF
the German trade. TIE hope IS en-
pressed that something win be done for
German ores by reducing the fre.ghts.
II nay BE here stated that, IN 1881. the
average production OF pig iron per fur
mace N Germany amounted % only II go
tons. while IN fs9e. Il was q 900 tons. The
average make Of rig iron per workman
ernRfavsa At the blast furnaces OF Ger
mary IN ISL Is given az I3s tons. and ia
is9s al SO tons.
The net average annual wage 81 the
miners IA Prussia wss. IN isss. In Upper
g4lesta. xss8 10 sI7s. IN Lower silesls. Sis
10 siA in the district Of Halle. 3i5s %
slas Il the salt mines in the same dis
trirf, KS 70 s3S2: IN ire district OF Claus
thai 1855 70 tl77. II the alstrsct OF Dort-
uena sf22 20 f1s1. IN tire state mine a.
Ssar5ueken. sIsz 20 go. IN the district %
AK II Chapelle, ssS7 to ssa. In the sIexen-
Nassau mines. usa 70 siss. in the other
mines on the right hank - the Rhine. slsa
70 sea ard o. the EFT bank. sisi 70 STA