Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-14
Iron Concerns Anticipate
a Big Business.
Work on Three Large Lake
Ore Steamers Started.
Excess Of 24,000,00o Tons Ex.
pected Before Navigation Closes.

Pittshure. Pa, Nov. 1S.--Becausc of the
revision of estimates as to the probable
consumption of iron ore in the blast iur-
naces of the central West before next
years ore becomes available. ore is still
being rushed down the lakes, although
vessel insurance expired Oct. 81 1t is
noM believed that the shipments will
aggregate over 24.G00,O00 tons down the
lakes by the time ice closes navigation.
This, with tie all-rail shipments. will
bring the total to about 2jO0O,Goo tons as
compared with IN estimate of lS,000,GOO
TO 20.tMT0 tons made in June.
Receipts OF ore II LEX. Erie ports to
Nov. !. last, We're 2l,73G,o42 tons tho
rush movement in late October after
dull summer resulting in 5,O99O0O IONS
being received during that month, estab-
fishing a record for the year. November
is expected to add 100000 to this and
if the favorable weather continues a
much larger tonnage may come down.
Preparations are already under way in
tie headquarters Of the iron ore mining
concerns in Pittsbuig and Cleveland FOR
4 record-bre aking production next year.
Plans are being made for the expenditure
OF about 600 on exploration, strip
ping and development in the ore ranges.
specially in the Mesaba. while in the Hill
lands, the United States Steel Corporation
villsspend about $3DDN,009 in further work.
Aside from the great amount of work that
will be done by the merchant ore concerns
vast amount of work will be done by
the steel companies that mine their own
ore, including the Jones & Laughln Steel
O.
Snyder Steel Company, Sheranago Fur
mace Company, La Belle Steel Company
and others The directors of the La Belle
have just completed an inspectation Of the
Fort. Pitt mines and will shortly Announce
their pld, of operation. That it Will in
clude some large expenditures is admit
tod. The Oliver Mining Company of the
United. States Steel Corporation will, of
course lead in the work. That it expects
to very greatly increase its shipments is
evident. We're it also not admitted, by
the starting of work on two very large
al-steel ore carriers at q Lake Erie ship
yard while a third will be started shortly
The total of shipments next year is very
likely to reach the record breaking fg-
urcs of 50.0N0O00 tons
If the iron trades continue to improve
to the point that all idle capacity will be
absorbed by next summer, which event is
confidently expected. unprecedented activ-
ity must result in Inc ore regions to get
down record breaking ore supplies. for the
total of 100000 tons would not keep all
tie furnaces going, and our average OF
iron production and consumption indicate
that we are on the verge of another great
increase in our production. This las been
prepared for by the great increase IN blast
furnace capacity. The United States Steel
Corporation companies have added fifteen;
the Jones & Laughlin Steel Company is
building four and number OF individual
stacks are being, or have been erected by
the merchant ore companies. The YouHgs-
town Sheet & Tube Company has added
two. and others have also done the same,
all being of large capacity, few if any re-
quiring less than 1900 tons of ore daily to
keep them going to their regular capacity
No complicated figures are required to
show that they will require much great
Ell output Of ore. The indications are that,
although there will be a very great
amount of ore at Lake Erie ports at the
close of navigation stocks will be refuc-
cd to a mere normal amount at the OPEN
ing of navigation in 1863.
The Bcssemer & Lake Erie Railroad of
the Steel Corporation carried 4,66o,GO0 tons
| to Nov l. as compared with it's record
tonnage of 5,Si31S6 made last year The
tonnage this year will run ahead OF It's
former record, this being due to the pros
pcctive requirements of the two new fur
naccs of the Carrie furnace group of fur
haces at the Homestead Steel Works. The
lsessemer road will hereafter serve twen-
-four blast furnaces, all at Homestead.
Braddock and Duquesne, within ten miles
Of Pittsburg and within two miles of each
other. The other ten furnaces of the Car
negie Steel Company in the Pittsburg dis
trict are served by other railroads. as well
rs eleven furnaces here owned by other
subsidiaries of the Steel Corporation. of
hich four are at McKeesport, belonging
to the National Tube Company.
INc0I NJ