New-York tribune., 1900-10-13
IRON AND STEEL TRADE.
UNITED STATES NOW LEADS THE
WORLD. BUT TO RETAIN SUPREMACY
NEEDS SHIPS AND CONNER.
CIAL SCHOOLS.

Washington. Oct. y (speciaD.-The Treasury
Bureau Of Statistics has just Issued commercial
monograph the iron and steel trade OF the
United States treating the resources of this indus
try its development and it's relations to domestic
end foreign markets In this document the progress
CT the iron and steel trade is Illustrated by maps
and diagrams showing the distribution of iron
ore" in Europe and North America. the
paratve development in the production OF pig iron
by various countries since 1873 the growth Of the
steel output Of the several leading nations the
change the relation OF iron steel exports and
imports, and the OF prices for pig iron and
steel rails in the United States
The United States is now the worlds greatest
producer Of iron and steel and coal, well OF
copper, cotton breadstuffs provisions and many
other articles entering the daily requirements
OF man
In a comparative survey Of the worlds iron
situation the remarkable fact is brought out
the United States in 1889 produced so per cent
Of the worlds ore or 25,0o000O out Of total
Of s. 900 tons, IN round numbers This quantity
IS somewhat less than the combined ore output OF
Great Britain and Germany. including Luxembourg,
which produced respectively II per cent and q per
cent Of the worlds ore supply. This alone gives
the United States the leadership among the worlds
great ore producers; but this fact must be taken
IN connection with coal production, which the
iron industry depends, and Of which this country
produces 81 per cent Of the worlds output, while
Great Britain produces 80 per cent and Germany
70 per cent. With primacy in coal and iron ore
the position Of the United States is one of undls-
puted and permanent ascendancy in her control Of
the materials Of iron and steel production.
This primacy in raw materials gives the United
States a self-sufflcing position compared with
that Of her foremost rivals-GeTmany and Great
Britain. While the Dortmund Germany furnaces
have TO go to Northern Sweden for iron ores. and
the furnaces OF Cleveland CEngland) have TO get
their ores from Northern and Southern Spain,
the States freer locate her iron and
steel industries with direct regard to the condi-
tions of greatest economy in the accumulation Of
raw materials and the distribution of the finished
products. coke has displaced coal, the tendency
the world is for the furnace to leave the
colliery and move toward the mines. Hence the
iron and steel industries of this country grad
ualy being drawn around the southern shores Of
Lake Erie within easy access of the vast de-
posits Of the Lake Superior mines. The Lake Su-
peror region furnished 73 per cent OF the . 1000
tons Of consumed by furnaces in 1893, while
the Southern States furnished 19 per cent and the
Eastern States per cent One of the most wonder
ful developments in modern trade is that Of the ore
handling facilities from the Lake Superior mines
10 the furnaces OF Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Among the worlds greatest pig iron producers
the United States first attained the leadership in
1890 but in 1894 lost It TO Great Britain, only, how
ever for the time being In 1895 the United States
finally outranked the United Kingdom. In 1889 the
five great pig iron producers stood in the following
order Of Importance: