The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-07-06

peIoro the end or the year. F1Ve years ago it was $20. Reports show that during 1915 this country export ed 60,000 tons of scrap. For the first ten months of 1916 the total reach ed 150, 900 tons. During the last two months of 1916 foreign countries con- tracted for 100000 tons. There is no doubt that we are facing famine con- ditions with reference to pigiron and new sources of production
 ''The United States Government has quite a formidable list of reservations covering materials for government uses and created by Presidential proc lamatton, embracing more than 86,- 000,000 acres in thirteen Western States, in Alaska and Porto Rico. as tin er reservations; mineral and coal lanos in Alaska; oil lands in Califor- mia and Oklahoma; water power and water power plants for irrigation pur- poses in the West.
 The government ownership of this Virginia reserve of iron ore of the very best quality for government uses extending over centuries of time, is of the utmost importance. This op- portuntty lost, can never be restored. The developments on the passage of the Armor Plate bill at the last ses- sion of Congress accentuates it's value to the government"
 MT. Hinsdale maintains that the pig iron manufactured from Virginia ores of this property has for many years brought a higher price than Pennsyl- vania pigiron and that the quantity here would supply the needs of the government for five centuries or more. Even with the best of intentions," he declares, "the present manufacturers could not protect the government in time of war by reason of their depen- dence on foreign ores. Ordnance, munitions and their storage, it is as- sumed, will find room for Aevelop- ment on the 135 square miles of ter ritory under consideration"
 Favorable Location
 Discussing the location considered commercially MT. Hinsdale said: -Four hundred million tons of iron ore available for mining and manu- facture on the ground which produces the ore, limestone, timber and water
  tion of power in various processes of manufacture, in close proximity to an unlimited supply of coal and coke, convenient to the great markets for the output, efficiently served by great railroad systems and water transpor- tation, is a combination not to be found elsewhere and fixes the intrin- sic value of these ores at more than $1 per ton underground"
 In a comparative statement showing the relative cost of this Virginia pig iron and of Pennsylvania pigiron" de- livered in New York, MT. Hinsdale shows that the total cost per ton of this Virginia pigiron would be $10.40. The Buffalo product would be $17.08; Pittsburgh, $17.74; Reading, $19, and South Bethlehem, $1S.79. He also shows an average differential in favor of Virginia of s7.45.
 Virginia pigiron of this district brings in a common market, s1 to $150 per ton more than Pennsylva- mia iron.
 The coke, ore and pigiron freights are taken from the Daily Iron Trade and Metal Market Report of Febru- ary 29, 1916.
 The cost of ore for Pittsburgh, | Reading and South Bethlehem are | based upon the assumption that their plants are running upon combina- l ton of Lake, local and foreign ores, | and scrap steel at cost of such ore, scrap and freight fully equal that of all Lake ores if used.
 The Hematfle or Clinton ores of this district can be mined, washed and de- | Iivered to furnaces on the premises at a cost of fifty cents per ton or less and under proper treatment for tn removal of free silica would show analysis of sixty per cent. and upwar of metallic iron Because of this high CT percentage of metallic iron in tn Hematite,- the above figures for this r Virginia pigiron would be reduced in proportion to the lesser quantities of | such ore and fuel used per ton of pig | iron produced.
 Manganese.
 During the past seventy eight years the State of Virginia has produced more than one-half of all the Man ganese mined in the United States.
 Though not definitely prospected, large deposits are known to exist on these estates.
 Note: By manufacturing the coke at the government plant ass umed in the comparative tatement, the values ! which would be derived from by-pro- ---.--.saa.44--s<sanesea lEzz .a
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