Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-31
OVER s5l, 100000
MADE IN SPITE OF LARGE home
PRODUCTION.
Increase Has Been Chiefly in the Par
TALLY Manufactured Grades-Pig,
Scrap, Bar, Rails and Ingots.

1mportations of iron and steel into the
larger than in any preceding year since
1891. and with that single exception are
larger than at any time within the past
twenty years. In only seven earlier years
in the history Of the country have the i'm
portations Of iron and steel been large
as those of the fiscal year just ended.
The total value of iron and steel imported
in the fiscal year ended June 80, 1903, as
shown by the figures Of the Department
of Commerce and Labor through its bureau
of statistics is $51,617, 1872, against so $780,,
247 in 1902. $17,s74. 7S9 in 1901 and S12. 1O0,-
40 in 1899. Running back through the i'm
port record from 1850 down to 1903 the
only years in which the value of iron and
steel imports exceeded those Of 1908 are
1872 when the total was $50, $40, 1888; 1873,
$50. 3OS. ASP; 1850, S53, ia OOS; 1881 $50 Coz :
Al: 1882. $67, 976, S97; 1888, SIS 495, 246, and
1891, $53, 544,272
In Periods Of Great Activity.
These large importations of iron and steel
have occurred. it will be seen, in periods Of
exceptional business activity, but on no
former occasion have such large importa-
tions been made in the face Of SO great
1891. when the importations were s. 600 600
greater than in the year just ended, the
total home production of pig iron was only
100000 tons, while that of 1902 was over
100000 tons, or double that Of 1891. In
the period from 1880 to 1888, when the i'm
portatios OF iron and steel were larger than
those of 1903. pig iron production only
averaged about 4,OOO.OUO tons per annum,
or less than one fourth the annual produc-
ton OF the present time. and in 1872 and
1873 when the importatons slightly eX-
ceeded those of 1908. the pig iron production
averaged only 100000 tons annually,
against 100000 at the present time.
Where the Increase Was.
This large increase in the Importation
Of iron and steel Is chiefly in the partially
manufactured grades. Pig iron increased
from 15S.oOO tons in 1902 to $4,000 tons
In 1903, tie value being in 1902 less than
S,ooO,pW and In 1903 nearly $4,000 Bar
iron increased from 100000 pounds in
1902 to 96.OOOcOO pounds In 1903, and steel
lngots. blooms. slabs, bil1ets and bars
from 2o2,OOO,OOO pounds to $1,000 Oto
pounds, the value increasing from s., 500 0oO
In 1902 to nearly s1O.UOUU0 in 1903 Steel
rails increased from 871.452 to $2,S74 1sS,
and scrap iron and steel. fit only for re-
manufacture. increased from s76s,753 to
S2ol9,2oS, These five classes of iron and
steel-pig iron. scrap iron, bar iron, steel
rails and steel ingots. blooms bilets and
bars-when combined show an increase in
1eU3 as compared with 1902 of $.42i6 427
while the total increase In all imports of
iron and steel during the year is s24, 437 ,0G5
Inc one class of importation of iron and
steel which shows a marked reduction is
tin plates. of which the total importation
fell from 199.O",OOO pounds in 1902 to no.
100000 pounds in 1903, and the value from
$6.NoWO in 1902 to a little over S}OUD,sU
in 1903.
The table which follows shows the i'm
ports of iron and steel by articles In 1903
vi