The suburban citizen., 1900-06-16
IRON g. STEEL INTERESTS.

The Manufacturers Record Of this week
will publish an extensive interview with
Hon. Abram s. Hewitt one OF the worlds
most noted iron masters, reviewing the
progress OF the iron aud steel interests and
pointing out the rapid Increase In the con-
sumption OF iron throughout the world.
After pointing out that the world Is practi-
cally rebuilt about every thirty or thirty
five years and illustrating It by the fact that
thirty-6ve years age his firm furnished the
iron work for the first iron flre-proof office
building erected In New York, and that to-
day that building is being demolished to be
replaced by another iron building more in
keeping with the advance OF recent years.
Mr.. Hewitt says;
"The consumption OF iron has increased
more rapidly than anyone ever predicted.
Nearly fifty years ago, or in 1856 in an ad-
dress before the American Geographical So
lclety, indicated that judging by the past It
would be conservative to estimate the pro-
1uction Of pig iron In the world for 1895 at
%, 900, 600 tons and In 1915 at As, 900, 900. On
his basis the output of 1899 should have
been about S5, 900, 900 tons, but as matter
Of fact 1t was about 40 900, 900 tons. In 1890
Mr.. Edward Atkinson, without knowing Of
ny prediction mad In 1856, in an elaborate
article written by him for the Manufacture
srs Record, estimated that we could safely
,ount on the worlds consumptlve demands
requiring 40 900, 90 tons by 1900. His est-
nate, like mine, seemed TO many to be too
ligh, but last year the world consumed over
10. 900 tons, and yet the demand was
greater than the supply.
ttThaaa facta which ara faunfl{a. 20 thg,t
ng people, indicate the wonderful strides
which the whole world has been making in
The consumption of iron. But iron and steel
ire now going into so many new uses that
We may more reasonably look for an accel.
,ratinS rate of growth as compared with
population than for any decrease. Steel-ear
making an industry OF only few yeRrs, In
fact, an infant industry, is already consum-
ing about 400, 900 to 100000 tons OF steel a
Year. These cars, carrying 100000 pounds
of freight instead Of the 10000 or 80 900
pounds carried by wooden cars, are requlr-
ing heavier locomotives, heavier rails.
heavier and stronger bridges, and so their
Introduction almost forces the gradual re-
building OF many OF our railroads. Large
office buildings, even costly private dwell
ings, are now almost exclusively framed of
iron. Ihe Whole world Is busy In building
ships for war as well as for commerce; every
town must needs have its water-works and
sewerage systems; electric railways nre no
longer confined to cities, but are spreading
out into suburban districts and connecting
smaller municipalities. The appetite for
iron and steel seems almost Unsuitable.
'In this new era In the worlds iron trade
we have entered upon a period Of perma-
nently higher prices. do not mean that
we shall not have periods OF activity and Of
depression as In the past, but we shall proba.
bly, never again get down into such depths
as we had few years ago. The increasing
consumption Of iron and steel, the increas-
ing cost Of production in Europe and the
Capitalization OF these industries ia strong
hands instead Of being in weak ones will
keep the business on basis OF steady and
reasonably profitable operation"