The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1902-08-06
ARTHUR ROPES, General Editor
OUR IRON TRADE.

James M. Swank discusses the
statistics of the American iron trade
for 1901 in the Forthcoming volume
of the United States Geological Survey
department which is entitled Miner
al Resources of the United States,
1901 -
Mr.. Swank shows that the era Of
unexampled prosperity in the indus
tries of this country, which may be
said to have been ushered in at the
beginning of 1899 wheh an active de-
mand tor iron and steel was develop
ed, accompsu'ed by rising price,
has continued from that day to this,
and at no time has been more fruitful
of good results than at the time OF
his writing, in May, 1902.
The use OF iron and steel in almost
every form increases at a greater ratio
than the increase in our populaCio1
and the use of steel for high holdings,
for the manufacture of steel cars. ard
for the construction o. steel vessels i,
sure to call for an Increasingly lPrge
tonnage from year to year.
The writer in his discussion statel
that our steam and trolley railroads
consume in rails, cars, locomotives.
bridges, buildings and electrical ma
chinery fully one-third Of all the iron
and steel that we annually make.
NJ, C1rop1yB, ,,xHic o.,1pta wi N
statistics from which we learn tina,
in 1901, the United States produced
10, S7S 354 long tons os pig irod, 81
713, 302 long tons o. bessemer steel
ingots, 4, 656, 300 lopg tons of open
hearth steel, aud 10, 473, 595 long tons
of steel of all kinds; ard rolled in all
H. $40, 327 long tons OF finished iron
and steel, inclcdipg rails. In 100
there were mined %, 9S7, 40 long toes
of iron ote, and there were shipped
20, $50, 237 long tons of Lake Superior
iron ore. IL, 500, $40 short tons O.
Connellsville coke, and 1879, 97' shor
tons OF Pocahontas coke. AS CON
pared with 1900, the total prodtc, O.
of iron ore increased /, 1874, 3lS loIl
tons The shipments of Lake Sdpe
ior ore Increased / ,529, S14 long to Is
and the shipments of CohnellsNill'
coke increased 2. 443, 715 short to is
The production of all kinds of pil
iron increased 1859, 112 long tols.
The production of Bessemer stee
increased 2,02S, 532 long tons al
kinds of steel, 1926, 1865 lopg toos.
structural shapes, 1877, $50 loog tors
to at total of / ,013, $50 long tons ;olate
and sheets, 4j9, 1897 long tons, to to
al of 2,254, 425 long tous; Eesseme
steel rails, 4S7, 1862 long tons, to tota
of 2,S70,8 SIG tons; iron and steel wir'
rods, 519, 643 long tons, to total o
1866. 934 long tons; and all kinds o
rolled iron and steel, 2,S61,S8 lon,
tons. TDe,e was a small decrease il
1901 in the prod uction of iron arr
steel cut nails, but an increase OF 2, 500,
843 kegs in tie production of iron ar
steel wire nails The increase in th
production OF tin plates and tern
plates amounted to $3.50 long tons
The increase in the mileage OF rey
railroads 5, 1868 miles as compared viii
A, 157 miles of new railroads built il
1900.
The total valoe at the mines Of tn
iron ore produced in 1901, was $40,
256, 245, or an average value of ST.
per long ton, as compared with valo
for 1900 of $66, $50, 504, or an ayecag
value of 50. AZ per long ton.
Mr.. Swank has gone into his 81 niec
in most thorough manner and tn
work shows the careful study of
man who knew the situation and VIII
has spared no time to make his stof.
not only interesting but eItrenel,
valuable.