New-York tribune., 1902-08-07
Production OF SALT.
REPORTED UNPROFITABLE IN THE
UNITED STATES. NOTWITHSTAND-
ING RAPID GROWTH.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE


Washington Aug 6.-The production OF salt in
the United States in 1900 and 1891 the largest
for any two years yet recorded. according to Dr.
Joseph Struthers, of the United States Geological
Survey The total production in 1901 20566.66l
barrels Of $50 pounds each, a decrease of Se,6Sl
barrels 1.5 per cent from the production of
1858 342 barrels for 1869 The value of the salt
produced IN 1901 s5.6l7449 decrease of S27,la
from the value Of S. 9i460 in 1900 The correspond
ing figures for 1899 197OS,6li barrels, valued
at IS S67. i67.
The rate of progress in the salt industry since
1880 when the production 596l,060 barrels. to
1901 with its production of 20o6666l barrels. is very
great, the increase being about 400 per cent In
the last eighteen years with the exception of 1889
and 1901, the yearly production has regularly in
creased. and yet, Notwithstanding this rapid in
crease possibly because of it the business has not
been a lucrative This condition or the indus
try was due in a great many cases to overproduc-
ton and keen competition for trade. As a result
combinations have been effected among the ma
torty Of producers in New-York. Ohio, Michigan
Kansas. Ctah and California, which are among
the most important of the salt producing states
Before 1898 Michigan was the chief salt producing
State. but in that New-fork took the lead and
maintained the foremost position until 1901. when
Michigan again resumed supremacy. with a pro
duCtion of 7.129641 barrels, compared with the
production of 7286,320 barrels in New-York The
production OF salt in Michigan in 1901 was Increased
by 519O2 barrels that of the preceding year
while the output from New-York diminished by
Kansas produced 2OS7 79i barrels and Ohio 153,535
barrels These four States contributed SS per
cent the total quantity of salt produced In the
United States I'm the year. the percentages of pro-
duction being respectively: Michigan. 376: New
York 354: Kansas. i0.2. and Ohio. SO per cent. OF
the total consumption of salt In the United States
the quantity of domestic production used increased
from 635 per In 1880 to 9345 per cent in 1901
while the consumption of salt imported into the
limited States decreased from 365 per cent of the
total in 1880 6.55 per cent in 1901. The actual
| consumption 1901 81 ,9f0.235 barrels, more
than twice that of 1880 In 1880 the imports Of salt
amounted 3.i27639 barrels: in 1901 the imports
p,are 40 $50 barrels. The chief sources of the inn
nortation of salt into the United States the
I-,itad Kingdom. the West India Islands Chiefly
| rrttsh) and Italy. About 40 per cent of imports
| are drawn from the United Kingdom.
The principal exports of salt are from the port
of san Francisco and they go to the Central Amer
| ton states Mexico. the Hawaiian Islands. Japan
and Asatic Russia. About ~ per cent of the
ports are shipped across the great lakes to the
| Dominion OF Canada. The total exports for the
fscaI year ended June So 1901 H.lSS167 pounds
The statistics for 1900 the latest available for
the worlds production OF salt. Previous statistics
show the United States, which since 1882 had