The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-02-29
IRON is PLENTIFUL
Germany Using as Much Metal
as Before War.
OUTPUT Third Less, but None Is
Exported Now.

Rerlin Feb 99.-The German iron
trade is probably in a more nearly
normal position than any other indus
try. The figures of production of pig
iron for 1915. just published show
that tho monthly rate of production is
now fully two-thirds of what it was IN
the months just preceding the out
break of hostilities. But as Germany
had been exporting about one-thlrd OF
IFS iron production during the peace
times. it is evident that home con-
sumption has remained pra ctcally uii-
changed The total output LOT 1Sl'
reached 11.79O.0O0 tons. This was .
500. 600 tons less than for 1919 ana
500. 900 less than for the record year
1918 but it was only about 70 per
cent less than for the average OF the
five years previous to that me
monthly manufacture of steel, TOO, Is
Only about % per cent less than the
average just before the war.
skilled Workmen Scarce.
The iron trade would make an even
hettor showing but for the fact thal
its supply of skilled workmen cahho'
oe kept up to requirements II ia9
been found necessary to take on III
fariof. labor. including prisoners OF
war. from whatever source II coulG
he obtaiued. There also is a lack OF
freight cars for moving forward ores
Ia The furnaces and for shipping away
the finished goods; and this Is ags[a-
waited by Il scarcity of hands aiso III
loading and unloading the cars Ihe
German furnaces have otherwise not
bren euba assed by the lack or ores
since the war began. Although some
what more than one-third OF tnelr ORES
had been imported from abroad. the
yvsr ha. not materially diminished the
arrivals from the two foreign couh-
tries " hich are the biggest ore-pro-
ducers for German furnaces. 1hese
are Sweden. which supplied Germany
with about 100000 tons a year anu anu
France. which sent nearly 4,OOO,OOO
Tors in 1913 As the principal ore
fields in France are in the territory
occuUied by the Germans the supply
of French ores has been Tor some
lnoaths kept up to a satisfactory lever;
Extensive properties in. the new ana
excellent ore field of Briey, just across
fine frontier from Metz, were already
in Dussession of big German companies
before the war began; and these have
only had to continue working thelr
own mines.
Spain Cuts OFF supply
Spain is the only important foreign
c,nnt,-,, from which imports have been
cut off At home the mgh-grade
mine around Sicgen and those in the
Lain and Dill valleys are operating al
their full capacity, and their prouuc'
is slueltCu IS taSt as Ile IdllMaS9 a
law il down at the furnaces the oth-
er big ore region of Germany, that OF
Lorraine, is operating at consideraol ~
Ices Drcssure for the rea son that the
low grade ores found Their" are feeling
the sharp competition of the better
French ores from just across the from
tier
The German iron industry has mad
comparatively moderate advance II
prfces since tie war began. Foundry
iron has been marked up only u
uarks or about s4.76 a ton, and hem
attic 1870 or less than 50, but Cleve
land iron in England has rised SIS
and hematite even as much as S16.4O
Correspondingly, heavy plates for shlI
construction has risen about Sl4 II
Germany. but $24 in England. TIT
German price for such plates is 81
marks (about $34.50) as compared
with II pounds tabout S53.5O) IL
England The German steel trust hai
lust raised prices for half-finishet
steel for further manufacture by fiV'
20 ten marks a ton. The new price
for biIlets is $29.17. which is onl!
s5.55 higher than in July, 1914. Slabs
from which plates are rolled. now cos
ssO.35 or a rise of Sis. The GROUND
assigned by the trust for raising price
was that the costs of production haC
itcrC used.