The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-12-28
Skillings' Mining Review Sizes
Up the Situation on Next
Years Iron Ore.

Now that the iron ore season on the
Great Lakes is concluded, thought turns
to stocks on hand, the probable winter
consumption, and prospective shipments
in the 1885 season of navigation. The
sinking spell in the steel industry In
the last half of the season of 1894 was
reflected in curtailed movement Of ore.
but the season ended 1890 ahead OF
1888, and with the percentage of active
steeel capacity slowly but steadily In
creasing. The prospects are that steel
operations will have recovered to as
much at 1870 early in 1885, and go into
the second quarter of 1895 with every
encouragement for a restored industry.
after five long and Improbable years.
A situation such as that will naturally
be reflected in the iron ore industry.
Looking forward, there seems reason to
expect a good increase in ore shipments
in 1885 over the record of 22,249. 800
gross tons in 1884.
Steel Industry and Iron Ore.
On May 1, 1884, the stocks of iron ore
on hand at Lake Erie and in furnace
yards totaled 28,314,417 gross tons, and
22,249,6O0 tons were shipped during the
season just ended. AS of Nov l the
stocks of iron ore on Lake Erie docks
and at furnaces totaled 36,341 DOT tons.
During the six months, November to
April, inclusive, it may be expected that
present stocks will be reduced to about
Is, 100000 tons as of May 1, 1885. That
point would not have any special sig
nificance, however, unless expectations
of increased consumption are realized
during the coming year. There seems
to be good reason to believe that these
hopes will be realized. There can be no
sound economic recovery until the steel
industry arrives at sustained and
profitable basis of operation. Its raIni-
fications are so numerous, and most of
them so important, that it is easily the
leading manufacturing basic industry.
Confusion in the administration at
Washington, confiscatory taxes in Min
nesota and the fight waged by union
labor in an effort to control the In
dustry have had their effect to delay
therefore has delayed nationwide re-
covery of business and industry. As
Stunning that the confusion is ended in
Washington, and the situation there
most certainly is greatly improved; that
the steel industry can obtain relief from
burdensome taxation, and that union
labor will cooperate, as it promised In
June, 1888, to do in the restoration
of prosperity, instead of waging hope
less fight to control the steel industry,
the way will be reopened for steel to
surge forward and bring prosperity for
the nation in it's wake. If we have
arrived at that happy stage the iron
ore movement from the Lake Superior
district in 1885 should be not less than
100000 tons. Otherwise the gain COM
pared with 1884 may be slight, as 1t was
this season when compared with 1893.
The increased consumption of steel
scrap tends to reduce the demand for
iron ore. 1t is a factor which will al
ways enter into the ore situation.
Average Shipments for and 10 Years
The average shipments of iron ore
from 1880 to 1884 were 28,599,O50 tons.
The maximum for the five years was
1850, 982 in 1880 and the minimum was
1857 1856 tons in 1882. The average for
10 years ending 1884 was &C, 4O4, Ola tons.
This average is for five good years in
the steel industry and five bad years.
Tremendous losses have been sustained
by the units of the steel industry during
the latter Swear period A chance to
recoup is imperative for the industrial
integrity of the nation.
One of the factors that tends to In
crease shipments of iron ore is the
calculation that consumers must make
for furnace mixtures. Inasmuch as
these estimates must be made ahead for
five closed months of vessel navigation,
it is difficult always to arrive at the
various grades in adequate supply
SkillingS' Mining Review.