The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-25

the first Lightweight years of the
century. During that period Great
brltaln enjoyed an undisputed leader
ship among the iron-producing coun-
tries. In the lightweight years her
miners raised 577.0OoO00 tons of ore
from the ground. The United States
came next, with 212,0O0, 900 tons: Ger
many was third. with 1S5,000. 900 tons;
France fourth. with 109, 900. 000 and
Spain NTH, with 100000. The United
States and Spain increased their pro-
ductton wonderfully from 1870 to 1883.
Uncle sam Leads the World.
Since 1888 the worlds production of
iron and steel has gone ahead by leaps
and bounds. In 1902, the estimated
production of pig iron for the whole
world was 44,557 991 metric tons. and
OF steel. 36,479,7SS metric tons. This is
the estimate of the famous expert,
Joseph Struthers. The United States
produced nearly half the steel in the
world, namely 15.1S6406 metric tons,
while their production of pig iron
amounted to 1SO0S. AS metric tons. This
latter total more than exceeded the
combined production of the two next
iron countries. Great Britain and Ger
many. The former produced S,653,976
metric tons and the latter S.402. 660
Great Britain's day as the leading iron
producing country of the world seems
to have passed forever, despite the
fact that her mine-owners and manu-
facturers are reorganizing their works
and plants on the best modern meth
DDS. to enable them to hold their own
with their American competitors in
the markets of the world when the
great activity in the iron and steel in
dustries of the United States slackens
sufficiently to allow of American ex-
portations corresponding in vastness
with American production.
Not Likely to Lose Its Lead.
America is not likely to lose her
lead in iron and steel as she has lost
it in gold. All the natural advantages
are on her side. The probabilities are,
that she will vastly increase her lead
in the course of the next few years.
The value of the production of iron
1902 was $64, 769, 546, as compared with
SAT ,40S,714 in 1901. These figures
show the remarkable rate at which the
industry is expanding. 1t will be
noted that the value of the iron ore
has not yet reached the value of the
gold produced throughout the coun-
try; but it must be remembered that
the iron ore increases enormously in
value in the finished product.
Although it has been pointed out
that the United States is not at pres
ent an exploring country so far as
iron and steel are concerned, this is of
course, merely a relative statement.
The United States does export vast
quantities of iron and steel, but they
are as nothing when compared with
what might be exported were II not
for the tremendous home demand. In
1902 the iron and steel exports were
valued at $97, S92,036, as against $129,-
633, 4S0 in 1900 when the production of
ore was much smaller. There was a
great rush for iron and steel material
all over the United States in 1902 and
1908. Steel rails had to be produced
for over 5000 miles of new railways,
/ to say nothing of electrical railroads,
tramway roads, steel skyscrapers,
bridges, locomotives and a thousand
other things.
steel, steel. STEEL"
There promises to be a rush equally
as great during the coming year AL
ready the cry is going up on all sides,
here and abroad: "Steel, steel, steel!
Good yellow gold for STEEL" And as
it grows in value and the great mills
pulsate with life day and night and the
whole country feels the beneficent eff
feet of the demand for rails and beams
and skeleton work. it will not be hard
for Americans to decide the question
Which is the worlds most precious
metal?-in favor of iron. For there is
no getting away from the fact that
along with wheat, corn and cotton.
iron is primarily responsible for the
nations prosperity.