Year: 1872




At the recent meeting of the American In
stitute of Mining Engineers in this city, 1t
was a noticeable feature that considerable
share of the proceedings related to the pro-
ductOn of iron in this country. Large how
ever as was this share of attention, 1t was
not dispropOrtioned to the actual importance
of the subject as compared with our other
great industries. In a speech last month in
Congress, the Hon. w. II. UpsOn of Ohio
placed in striking light some of the facts
connected with this subject. Taking up
the detailed statistics furnished by the
annual report of the National Association of
Bar Iron Manufacturers, which show that the
annual value of iron manufactured in this
country is S9OO0OO,0O0; that the wages of
labor engaged upon it must exceed S6OO,OOO,OOO,
and that the number of workmen employed in
it is 100000, Mr.. Upson proceeded to show that,
calculating the consumption of agricultural
products by these workmen and their families
upon much smaller estimate than that which
the figures of the census establish it yet
amounts to more than three times the value
of all the breadstuffs and grain which we sell
abroad. 1t is simply putting these figures in
another shape to say that, making the usual
estimate as to the size of wOrkmen's families,
one-tenth of the entire population of the
limited States is dependent upon the pr0duc-
ton and manufacture of iron for support.


In an industry so extensive and OF such
vital interest any great movement of progress
becomes of extreme importance While the
general advance of iron manufacture in this
country has been very great throughout the
districts where its earlier successes were ac-
complished, decidedly the most promising de-
yelopments are those which have originated
in new localities. The one of these which has
attracted the most attention is based upon the
sunply of what is known as Block Coal, mined
in Indiana. A paper upon this subject read
before the Institute of Mining Engineers by
Mr.. John S. Alexander of Philadelphia, OF
which a synopsis was given in THE TRIBUNE,
elected, we Judge from q report in The EngI-
neerinq and Mining Journal, very lively dis
cussion among the members of the Institute,
in which the merits of block coal in iron
manufacture were compared with those of
other fuel and the Indiana coal certainly did
not suffer by the comparison.


Our readers have become somewhat familiar
with this branch Of the subject through the
letters of DR.. j. w. Foster of Chicago origin
ally addressed to THE TRIBUNE. BY the exact
logic of indisputable facts and figures, these
letters show chat the district known as the
Block Coal Field of Indiana, which series OF
railroads are now penetrating, offers advan-
taees for the manufacture of iron and Besse-
mer steel that are at least not surpassed else
where. Tables added to the letters, which
have recently been published in pamphlet form,
indicate the rapid progress in iron manufac-
ture which has already been made in the Brazil
district of Indiana, and justify the hope that
II will continue to increase in as great, or even
greater. ratio than that of Cleveland or St
I,ouis. although in the former city 1T rose In
five wears from six to fifteen million dollars
annual product. A liberal spirit of enterprise
has been displayed by at least one of the new
railroad companies in this field, in Offering to
manufacturers who will establishIiron furnaces
on the line of the road handsome gifts of land
and mining privileges. The immediate pros
meet of building Bessemer steel works in
Indiana is also announced; the establishment
will be the tenth in this country; the Others
being one in New-York State, three in Penn
sylvania, two in Ohio, and three in Illinois.


IL were a waste of time to point out how the
farmers of Indiana must benefit by the influx
of a manufacturing population, by having an
immense market for their products brought to
their very doors. They will soon realize it in
the increased prices of farm products and OF
farming land. We have only to congratulate
them. But not least among the agencies which
have brought this good fortune to Indiana are
the persevoring efforts which men Of eminence