The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-21

Last Years Total Production Was
Valued mt About s45, 200 900.

New York Commercial Advertiser.
One of the most interesting reports
which nave recently been issued by the
government is that on the manufacture of
coke. by Edward w. Parker. 1t appears
that during the past year the total pro-
duction was q. 1883 tons. valued at
s4. 1898 at the place of production, which
surely entities that commodity to one OF
the first places in this country in the line
Of manufactures. The increase over the
preceding year was equal to Sis per cent,
but the value was slightly less. due to the
fact that the number of ovens had in
creased from IS, 4S4 TO 64,O01, and the pro-
ducers Were, therefore, better able to sup
ply the demand and market their products
more readily. The States which showed
the largest increase were Pennsylvania.
whose product increased about a million
tons, and virginia, whose output gained
about a quarter of a million tons. The
amount of coal used TO produce the coke
was 34,207, 965 tons, and it is an interesting
fact to know that the cost of this coal to
the coke producers increased over $1,000, 900
at the same time that the value. of the re-
suit in coke decreased almost an identical
sum-. One of the interesting features is
what is called "bye-product COKE" which
is largely made to be used in connection
with the blast furnaces or steel plants;
and the number thereof at the end OF last
year was 1,53S, of which 1,176 were associ-
ted with the furnaces. 1t is said that the
value of the coke produced in these ovens
amounted TO 2,S94,07, and the value OF the
bye-products produced by these ovens was
SAgO-OsOtO, VI oOO0N ~ pei CCIl VI NhS fcAoO
of the coke produced. In 1893 twelve bye
product ovens produced II, $50 short tons of
coke; in 1897 $50 ovens produced 261 ,912 short
tons, and, as already stated, 1,165 ovens
| produced 1,179,OO0 short tons in 1901. OF
these 1,165 bye-product ovens 595, or a little
more than half, were operated in connec-
ton with iron and steel plants. The value
of the cedar tar products imported into the
United States, including duty paid. repre-
scented a total cost of 81 4O. 400 at the point
afp urorQ Q6dad IN could raaHiiV he seen
that the cost to the consumer of coal tar
products amounts to something over
| so, O00,0O annually.
The statistics of the geological survey
during the last twenty-five years are the
only reliable record of coke production in
the United States. The census of 1850 re-
ported four establishments making coke in
the United States in that year; the census
of 1860 reported twenty-one ovens; in 1870
twenty-five ovens were reported. but the
production was not given separately; In
1880 the coke production amounted TO $685.
300 tons: in 1890 it had increased to IL sos. OIL
tons; in 1900 1T had grown to 2,533, 34S, and
of q, 79o,SS3 tons. The growth has been
fairly regular. There were five years in
the twenty-five in which the production
was less than in the preceding year; the
most noteworthy of these were the panic
years of 1893 and 1894, and 1896, which was
also a year of depression.
Pennsylvania stands at the head with a
production of IA, $50 ,917 tons. West Virginia
follows next with 2,2S3, 700 tons, followed by
Alabama with 2,14S,911 tons and Virginia
907. 100 tons, and Colorado 81, 1903 tons. so
that it can readily be seen that the produc-
ton of coke in the United States is largely
within a very small area of the country,
namely, that portion known as the Appa-
lachian coal field. The general average
yield Of coal and coke appears to be about
Ga per cent, although it is doubtful that
the true average throughout the United
States much exceeds 60 per cent, and in
Pennsylvania IT is put down at 66 per cent,
and Alabama 55.S per cent, while in Colo
RADIO it was 5S.4 per cent, and the value of
the coal per ton produced was S1.2S in Penn
sylvania, $lSS in Alabama, and $l.15 in Col
orado. West Virginia's average was Gil
per cent, and the value Sill. There is a
large increase in the percentage of washed
coal used, and Ii amounted in 1901 TO about
17.6 per cent. of all the coal consumed.
1t is interesting TO note in this connection
that the use of washed coal is increasing,
particularly in Alabama, and it is this
which gives the better grade of product
for iron making in that State. The amount
of run-of-mine washed coal used in 1901
was three times greater than that of the
preceding year. About 20 per cent. of the
coal used in coke making in West Virginia
is washed, the producers depending mainly
on stack coal for their ovens. In Colorado
a tendency to wash the coal before coking
shows a DECIDED increase. Pennsylvania
product of coke is mainly derived from un.
washed ru~n-of-mine coal.