New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-27
STARTLING FIGURES.
Marvellous Output of This Land Of
Coal and Iron.

The statement that last year 40 per cent OF
the pig iron IN the world produced in the
United States gives one no very definite reallza-
tion OF the quantity Of that product though he be
reminded on every hand by iron and steel ships
bridges. railroads, buildings machinery. tools
nails tacks. etc, ad nauseam that this is the iron
age. Even the statement that the United States
last year mined over thirty million long tons OF
iron ore gives one no adequate impression OF the
vastness OF this amount. on the other hand. IL
one should see the entire iron ore production Of
the year piled up IN single heap he would
readily comprehend lis quantity by a compari-
son o. the pile with familiar objects in the land
scape. This shows Us that it is large numbers
instead Of large quantities which confuse the MIND
for example the statement that wagon hoIdS
over 100000 grains OF coal would give person
very hay Of the actual quantity specihed but
he would Immediately comprehend the quantity II
told that Il represented tons; for larger unit
OF weight would be used, thereby reducing the
count TO & figure well within the mental grasp
Thus trying TO represent 70 our readers Just
how large are the quantities of materials used in
the iron and steel industry. we have endeavored
TO choose larger units Of measurement; and finding
that our standard measures are far too small Tor
the purpose. have resorted 10 the use Of familiar
landmarks as bases of comparison
As a unit OF bulk. larger single monument has
man produced than the old pyramid OF Cheops. and
large though il be. It is all small when used
as a unit by which TO measure the stupendous
volume OF material used in pig iron production
the huge blast furnace shown at the left represents
a furnace which would receive at a single charge
all our iron ere production during the year 1852.
together with the fuel and limestone used. The
charge measures approximately two billion cubic
feet, 10 proposed Unit OF bulk this would
be equivalent tc tWenty-four pyramids AS many
individuals may have formed no adequate concep-
ton Of the size OF the great Pyramid. have
used additional basis Of comparison the tall
est building in the world. namely, me Park Row
Building. IN New-YOrk. This building measures 81
feet in height, and it would require thirteen such
buildings. placed above the other, 10 equal the
height OF hypothetical blast furnace
OF the contents Of the blast furnace by far the
larger bulk is fuel though the weight Of the "a 2
ore is almost twice that of the fuel The square
columns IN our illustration viii 70 give one
some idea Of the amount q fuel cons uned last
year by the blast furnaces OF the United States
NO exact figures are available for 1902 but a fair
estimate would be about 100000 tons OF coke.
10000 tons OF coal and 10000 tons Of charcoal
Coke is 50 light that II the 100000 tons were
built Up IN z column 900 feet square, the column
would reach altitude OF $500 feet. No human
monument is large enough 10 give US. by compari-
son win this column, any idea Of such q height
II the base OF the column were situated at sea
level a person al the top could look down on tbs