The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-17
\ Is KrNe.v
Tn, wopderful Recent Developments ana
ReyoIution in This Industry

ro,ono,ont ~ tba iron industry In the united
states seams simply marvellous when we con-
slider that iron ore is mined In what Is caheu
the Lake Superior district, Transporter oy an
road from so to 100 miles tothe lake, transpoIe
ed thence by vessels over 800 miles 10 Iowef
lake port land much OF lt from there 10 rl.Vs-
burg and even Johnstown by rail-. U
tured into steel. and vet sold at the rate OF three
pounds for two cents. It Is the most marvei-
lous and wonderful change that has taken
place in this country within the last century
and Is as great an a~stonishment to those en-
gagged in the trade as to anybody else. Whne
the United States is q large producer OF Rolu
and silver. abe is the largest producer and
manufacturer OF iron and steel In the world.
The time Is not far distant when New YORK
will be the money centre OF the world. ~ ID
fast approaching that distinction. Our exports
are increasing enormously. and o carelul
study will show how largely iron contributes
to the result. The only advantage which
England has over us at the present time is In
her ocean marine. Her lines OF steamers and
vessels reach all parts OF the world. but there
is little doubt that this nation. by subsidy or
otherwise, will turn It's attention to our needs
In this direction. and that hereafter We shall be
a nation with q powerfut navy and a
that will reach all parts OF the globo. Our ac-
QUESTIONS OF the Sandwich Islands, Porto Rico.
and the Philippine Islands and Cuba Will open
the door TO such a development.
There are railroads now operating In the
United States which were laid Will imported
steel rails costing S135 per ton, II not consider
ably more. To stimulate the manufacture OF
steel rails here q duty OF $2S per ton was placed
upon them in 1870. with the consequence
that very soon they we're manufactured and
sold here for $40 per ton. AT the present time
they can be purchased for $1S per ton. and
have been sold for less.
The demand for steel for the building Of
large vessels upon the lakes is very great: the
shipyards are unable to build them as fast as
the growing commerce requires. as nothing
but the larger class OF vessels Is profitable.
What were considered large vessels in 1858 are
now obsolete. and many Of them are now being
brought to the ocean for coast service. where
they are needed. A vessel carrying 0tonsw was
then a standard vessel. This season the John
Fritz took q cargo of $50 gross tons Of iron ore
to a lower lake port, and one vessel took from
Chicagoa cargo Of $685. 5 bushels Of corn. In
the past a vessel carrying 10000 bushels
would have been considered a standard vessel.
One Of the largest steel producing manufac-
turers in the United States. making a product OF
2.500,000 tons annually declares that he would
contract with a responsible shipbuilding plant.
for ocean marine. for a term OF years. under
Whit hc Wouiu dkLSo u III IL
for several dollars per ton less than any ship
building plant in Europe could obtain them.
1t Is unnecessary to refer to the building OF
steel elevators, warehouses, bridges. ana other
improvements into which steel is now SO
rapidly entering. or to the building Of rail-
road cars. for which there is great need. II is
said that the Pennsylvania Railroad has Just
given an order for 800 steel railroad cars. It
would seem as il there was nc limit to the
requirements Of steel in the near future.
The development Of what is known as the
Lake Superior district began in the Marquette
district. Michigan. and the first discovery OF
iron ore in Michigan. by white men. was made
in September. 1874. and the first shipment Of
iron ore in 1850. but until about 1877 the min
ing Of iron ore was confined to the immediate
vicinity OF Marquette. Then followed the de-
velopments on the Menominee Range in Michi-
gan and Wisconsin. the Gogebic Range in
Michigan and Wisconsin, next the Vermilion
Range in Minnesota. and last the Mesabi
Range in Minnesota. The shipments from
those districts for the years 1893. 1897 and
1893 were:
1898. 1897.
Gross tons. Gross tons.
Marquette Range. Michigan. =. i. 1882. $50 2,711, sos
Menominee Range. Michigan
and Wisconsin. ............ 1,46o, 6<8 1885, 600
Gogebio Range. Michigan and
wisconsin. .-.............. j, 1928, sol 2,267, 27z
yermilion Range, Minnesota. S17,45S 1878, 4S2
Mesabi Range. Minnesota. ..... 621. DAT 1880. 1858
The shipments from all these ranges for the
year 1888. from the best information now OBJ
tainable. will be as follows:
By lake. ia. SOC, 900 gross tons
By railroad. ....".-.-...... 100000 gross tons
Making Q total of. .....-...14 900 900 gross tons
ofthis quantity. there will be shipped $40. 900
4~,A f.~-n AL& AE-- -
and 1t would have been larger except for the
scarcity OF labor. In the early years the lake
freight paid on iron ore to Cleveland was more
than the ore sells for to-day. Lake freights
this season have been as low as so cents per
ton. as high as 81. and at the present time are
about 70 cents.
The wonderful growth in the output from
Minnesota is without a parallel In the iron de-
velopment In the United States. Our whole
production Of iron ore in 1897 is estimated at
17.519.046 gross tons. Minnesota. in which no
iron ore was known to exist twenty-five years
ago. Is now the largest producer OF any State
in the Union. and its inexhaustible deposits
upon the Mesabi Range are mined so cheaply
that In some cases the ore Is being taken out Of
open cuts and loaded on the cars with a steam
shovel at a cost in handling Of less than 25 cents
pther lake Fsf potts eSts this this s Ssasssls az s. 81 a5s 70 81 rs a psr
| OJuh. anu tuo hutu OIo- VI tUc t6TullllOn
non-Bessemer at about $40.
The United States is to-day the largest and
| cheapest producer of Iron ore In the world,
shipping pig iron even to England. and selling
steel rails and other products to China, Japan,
&c.: we have even sold steel rails to goto Eng
land. English trade journals expectan enormous
increase In the demand for iron and steel DUR
ing the, next few years. because OF the opening
up of China and the developmen t OF Africa, and
they express the opinion that the United States
will BE- the patton best able to meet the ex-
l have not room to say any more than that
the development In the coke industry, which
is so essential to the other. shows a remark
dustry, which under the Mckinley tariff and.
proportions II 1899 We Imported 331. 900 tons,
In 1887 only 1881 tons, and during the past
six years we have produced In this country
820,l 57 .262 gross tons OF tin plate.
The prices of iron ore are very low, and II IL
necessary that they should be so to give us the
markets OF the world. There is no reason why
the raw material, with our normous deposits
to draw from. should pot continue to remain
low for some time. and there are other reasons
for the continuance Of such prices. Iron ore is
largely controlled by the large consumers. who
must have II ut O low price to enable them to
c mpete successfully with the world. In the re-
duction and the manufacture OF iron and steelit
| iii ~ m . ~ ui vol ~ thn At.n.t ~ TL-