The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1918-03-14
ALUMINIUM OUTPUT
OF AMERICA HAS
MUCH INCREASED

MUTT IVUKEAOED
The recent action of the President
in fixing the price of aluminium calls
attention to the rapid growth of this
industry in the United States, which
has now become the leading world
producer Of aluminium. A compila-
ton by The National City Bank of
New York shows that the production
of aluminium in the United States has
grown from 10000 pounds in 1890 to
II, 100000 in 1900, $4,000, 900 in 1910, 10O,-
00O 900 in 1915, 1000, 900 in 1916, and
approximately $50, 900 in 1917, these
figures being in very round terms.
The value of the product, which
amounted to a couple of million dol
lars in 1900, was 16 millions in 1915,
and Approximately 46 millions in 1917.
This rapid increase in our prodI1c-
ton it this line places the United
States far in the lead among the alu-
minum producing countries of the
world. In fact, about one half of the
worlds output of aluminium is now
produced in the United States, for
while authorities differ somewhat as
to the production by certain Of the
respective countries, they agree that
we now produce about one-haf Of the
worlds output which is variousiy es-
timahed at from 1875, 900 to 10000 tons,
or slightly more than the worlds pro
duction of tin for which aluminium Is
now being a substitute in certain
lines.
! This fact that aluminium is proving:
an acceptable substitute for tin in
certain industries, and that dts cost
is now no greater than that of tin, is
especially interesting and important
to the United States because OF the
fact that while this country produces
no tin, and sends large sums Of
| money abroad for that article, it is
now the worlds largest producer Of
aluminium and able to increase indefi-
nitely its output. Practically all OF
the 65 million dollars worth of tin
| imported into the lifted States in
1917 came from the Malayan PENN
sula, the Dutch East Indies and our
South American neigh0or, Bolivia, and
while most of our aluminium produc-
ton ait present is for use in aero
planes, automobiles, helmets and car
tridges, the possibility that it may be
found an acceptable substitute for tin
for certain general industries, and
thus reduce our dependence upon for
eign countries, adds importance to the
rapid development of the aluminium
industry in the United States, nom
Great Britain, ranging from 1000 to
Il, 900 tons production. In Switzer-
SC a1N<N 1Jt
20. 900 tons, but has been materially
reduced by inability to obtain from
France the bauNite from which al1-
minum is produced.
Bauxite, the mineral from which
most of the worlds aluminium is pro
duced, is found in many parts of the
United States, though the bulk OF that
now used in the industry is the pro
duct of the state of Arkansas, and IS
turned into the finished aluminium at
several great establishments in vari-
Gus parts Of the country, the most
important being at Niagara Falls, wa
ter power being deemed an important
factor in it's successful production.
Other works recently established are
in the States of New York, Pennsyl-
vania, New Jersey, Maryland, Ten
nessee and North Carolina
The prices of aluminium have great
" decreased with the enormous in
crease in production, falling from s12
per pound in 1870, to 81 in 1889, and
ranging thence downward to an aver
age of SO cents, and then down tc
about 20 cents in the year preceding
the war. With the greatly increased
ne
dluctton the average price In 1851
was about SO cents per pound, the
Presidents recent order having fixed
the price for the period ending June
1st, 1918, at 80 cents. No census figures
are available as to the amount OF
capital invested in the aluminium in
d1rstry in the United States.
World production of aluminium has
increased 20 fold since 1900 while that
of tin has scarcely doubled meantime
Aluminium production in 1900 was 7,20(
tons and in 1916, 1876, 900; tin prod1c-
ton in 1900, 1920 tons, and in 1916
III, 800. The import price of tin in 1915
averaged about 43 cents per pound
while that. named for aluminium by
the recent Presidential order is 8:
cents per pound.
producer of tin. Nearly 500 nni1lior
dollars worth has been sent out Or
the United States in the last dozer
years in the purchase Of tin, most Of
it brought from the other side of ths
globe.
The aluminium production of the
world in 1916 is set down at approx
mately 100000 tons, of which approx
nrately $4,000 was the product of the
United States, 10000 produced IL
France, $1,000 in Norway, and 5000 II
1 Canada. Figures differ redicadly as t.