The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-01-10
IRON INDUSTRY IN 1915.
Total Shipment from Mines Was S..
100000 Gross Tons.

The total shipments of iron ore from
| the mines in the United States III 1917
are estimated by Ernest f. Burehard, Of
the United States Geological Survey, tc
have Appropriated 550O0000 gross tons
compared with 39,7l4,2s0 tons in 1914
an increase of more than 80 per cent
Based on the same price as received in
| 1914 this represents an increase in total
value of about S27 ,645,000. OF this out
| put 46,3lS,S04 toas were shipped by
| boat from the Lake Superior district
| compared with 3202l .s07 tons in 1914,
according to detailed official figures from
the docks of upper lake ports published
recently by the Iron Age and the Iron
Trade Review Possibly 100000 tons
in addition were shipped by rail- The
lake shipments thus showed an increase
of nearly All per cent, or an increase of
62 per cent greater than those for the
whole United States. It is therefore
possible that when complete returns are
received the shipments for the whole
United States will be even greater than
55.000000 tons.
The shipments Of iron ore from all the
important districts of the United States,
except the West. showed increases. The
Birmingham and other Alabama districts
are estimated to have shipped to blast
furnaces 4,3S4.000 gross tons, compared
with 4,03l ,052 tons in 1914, an increase
of S.S per cent? other southeastern
states, including Georgia, North Caro-
lima, Tennessee and Virginia, shipped
approximately 694,000 gross tons, com
pared with 6l9,769 tons in 1914, an in
crease of IL per cent. Northeastern
states, including New York. New Jer-
sey and Pennsylvania, shipped approx
mately ! ,34l 900 gross tons of iron ore,
chiefly magnetic compared with l,l0S,-
335 tons in 1914, an increase of 81 per
cent The iron ore estimated to have
been shipped from western mines APP
proximates 100000 gross tons. compared
with 4s5,223 tons in 1914, a decrease of
10 per cent. Smaller quantities were
shipped from mines in other states, and
it is believed that most of these showed
small increases.
Stocks of iron ore at mines are esti-
mated to have decreased from 436l ,625
gross tons at the close of 1914 to about
l3,00000e tons at the close of 1915.
During the early part OF 1918 the de-
mand for iron ore was light. A slight
was recorded by the mid
die OF the year but IN the latter part of
the summer the trade became very ac-
tive and the season closed with record
shipments for the last few months OF
the season. As a result of this activity
iron ore prices were advanced IS cents a
ton for the season of 1916.
The steadily upward course of pig iron |
production through the year 1915 is OF |
interest in connection with the increase
in ore production. Beginning with an
average daily production OF slightly over |
81 600 tons in January the blast fur
naces Of the United States were turning /
out metal at the rate of over l0l 600 /
tons a day in November. a gain of near
" 100 per cent. During the first four /
months OF 1915 both the daily average 1
production and the monthly production I
81 pig iron. although steadily increasing, I
we're below the corresponding figures for
1914; but in May a considerable excess
was shown. as well as in each month |
.ince then. BASED on the October-No-
rember rate Of increase il seems prob
ible that the total quantity Of all kinds
II pig iron manufactured in the United
states in 1915 may approximate 30000,-
100 gross tons. or almost that Of the
'ecord year. 1918. The production in
al4 was 23-332-244 gross tons. 50 that
IN increase Of 6.500O00 tons. or nearly
> per cent. is practically assured. IN
Pc last eight months prices Of certain
trades % pig iron have advanced $3.50
% S525 ton, OF - to Il per cent.