New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-22
RECORD YEAR In IRON.
Output of Last Year WiN Erceed
Al Records by go Per Cent.
rrom The Tribune Bureau.>

washington jan N.-Basing his conclusions on
the reports Of shipments of iron ore and general
study of the iron and steel industry, John B1rkin-
btne of the Geological Survey, estimates that total
production Of this in 1905 viii exceed that OF
1892 bv % per cent and 1t will be remembered, the
output of that hitherto record year amounted to
E554,1S5 long tons. It is also probable. ACCORDING
n Mr.. Birktnbine that the output Of iron ore
In the United States in the last year was greater
Than the reported maximum combined production
Of the German Empire and Great Britain the two
countries that rank next to the United States IN
point of production. The figures will probably
show also that neither Great Britain nor Germany
has in any year furnished as much iron ore as was
taken from the mines of Minnesota in 1905, state
that prior to 1884 had never produced pound OF
from ore To emphasize the magnitude or the de-
velopment which has taken place IN the iron ore
resources OF Minnesota It is only necessary 10
state that the Mesaba Range alone. which first
produced ore in 1892. contributed to the worlds
supply in 1905 as much If not more. iron ore than
did the German Empire
Over 20 per cent of the iron produced in the
United States in 1905 from the Lake Superior
region which the worlds principal source of sup
ply for this mineral. The shipments of iron ore
from that region III 1905 exceeded 100000 tons
Activity In the iron industry was not, how
ever confined to this region, for increased outputs
of iron ore are reported from the Eastern States.
the Southern States and the Rocky Mountain re-
gion.
Attention might properly be called to certain
interesting features of the years industry.
Previous 1905 mine had ever produced more
than 100000 of iron in year, but In
1905 production of 250o0o0 tons a single
mining operation reported
There was manifest among leaders in the in
dustry special interest in the matter Of roasting
and benefciating The utilization OF ores that
contain lower percentage of iron than has here
tofore been considered desirable was a feature Of
the
Liberal quantities of iron shipped from
Minnesota to Colorado. Never before has such 3
extensive all rail haul OF iron ores been at
tempted.
Iron ore deposits in Minnesota north and ~est
were explored and Investigated. Mines in Michigan
New-York New-Jersey and other States, which
had been long inactive. were reopened-
The erection of additional iron and steel plants
and the consolidation of industries which is still
going has led Mr. Birkinbine predict that
there will be lively demand for iron ore in this
country during the coming year This expectation
Is borne out by the fact that orders for supplies
for blast furnaces have been placed earlier than
usual at prices above those which prevailed 1905
ton For a number Of years the price OF Lake Su-
perior ores was fixed by the Lake Superior Ore
Association This organization dissolved in
1901, but the average price of Old Range Bessemer
Gre IS known to have been about S. Is a ton at
1oScr lake ports, and the average value at the
OF the United States In 1903 the price of Old
tSange Bessener ore advanced about 80 cents a ton
In the latter part Of the year, and IN contracts
made Tor 1906, there was a further Stiffening in
problems, since considerable portion of the iron
ore IS produced by large iron and steel companies
which operate not only the mines, but in some
cases also the transportation lines which convey
Lle ore TO the furnaces. II follows that many sales
are made on a sliding scale or on conditions that