Evening star., 1923-12-24
IRON ORE DEMAND
GROWING STEADILY
Mining Engineers Already
Plan Great Increase Next
Year in Production.
By j. C. ROYLE.

special Dispatch to The Star
NEW YORK. December 24-Al.
though the shipping season on the
great lakes has only been closed a
lew days. steel and shipping men al
ready are beginning to plan for in
creased activity in 1924. The total
tonnage of iron ore moved by lake
frelghters this year approximated
sixty million tons. but there Is still
a heavy tonnage on the docks on Lake
superior. Owing to the strong and
continued demand, it is probable
that all this ore will have been
moved before the opening of naviga-
ton next April.
tonnages for this time of year. and
lake shipping men have been in
formed that preparations are being
made to keep this activity up
t.t. Throughout the winter. With this
the Lake Carriers Association. com
prising nearly>all the large freighter
companies, is making plans for early
resumption of traffic next spring.
1t is predicted that 1924 ore ship
100000 tons ahead of the 1929 totals.
If SO, they will break all records, for
the best year recorded so far saw
64,734,19S tons moved. That record
was established in 1916 under stress
of war demand.
Mines May Be Exhausted.
The preparations being made have
been watched with close attention
by owners of low grade iron ore prop
ertles. Mining engineers say that if
tne present rate of production is con-
tinued year or two more the de-
posits of high grade ore in the Lake
superior region will begin to show
signs OF exhaustion. There are, how
available in that territory. The cost
of handling this low grade product is
nigh, but mining authorities and steel
men assert their confidence that ma
ch1nery and methods will be devised
TO meet the situation when 1t be-
comes pressing.
steel demand, SO far as the auto
mobile manufacturers are>concerned,
SHOWS no signs of abatement. on
cialS of the Ford company assert that
the approach of the new year finds
the plants of that company operating
at a pace never before attained dur
ing the winter months. Employment
in Detroit Industrial plants has ad-
vanced steadily the last three weeks
to above $4,000 workers. Both the
Ford and Chevrolet companies are
tuying materials and hiring men as
fast as they can be secured. Ford is
even importing men from outside De-
troit.
Auto Increase Justified.
The increase in automobile produc-
tion at this time of year is unprece-
dented, but leading executives in the
industry insist that it is justified.
The coming year. they assert. will
surely see a strong demand for cars.
and each company is straining its
facilities in order to have plenty of
vehicles on hand when the spring
trade opens up.
Last March, the Ford Company had
orders for 255.000 cars, but could de-
liver only 10000. The disappointed
buyers turned in many instances to
other makes In about the same price
field. This year the Ford interests
are determined to have enough cars
stored up so that no overflow orders
will go to their competitors.
1t is already known that many
astute manufacturers will make a
special appeal to women buyers at
held here and in Chicago and other
cities shortly after the turn of the
year. Suggestions by women drivers
for comfortable and artistic interiors
have been given a lot OF attention as
has simplification of operation.
Manufacturers have not been blind
to the increase in the number OF
women drivers in the last two years.
This has been specially noticeable in
the cities where congested traffic has
no longer any terrors for the ex-
perienced woman driver and that In
many cases the latter has the decid-
ing vote when 1t comes to picking out
the family car.