Statistics of the American and foreign iron trades

STATIST THE AMERICAN AND FOR IN" 188( ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY AMERICAN i i ( IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, CONTAINING STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE TO JANUARY 1, 1881, AND A REVIEW OF THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE IRON INDUSTRY IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. JAMES M. SWANK, SECRETARY. PRESENTED TO THE MEMBERS, JULY 30, 1881. PHILADELPHIA: THE AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, No. 265 South Fourth Street. 1881. STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN AND FOREIGN IRON TRADES IN" 1880. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, CONTAINING STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE TO JANUARY 1, 1881, AND A REVIEW OF THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE IRON INDUSTRY IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES. JAMES M. SWANK, SECRETARY. PRESENTED TO THE MEMBERS, JULY 30, 1881. PHILADELPHIA : THE AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, No. 265 South Fourth Street. 1881. PRINTED BY ALLEN, LANE & SCOTT, Nos. 229-231, South Fifth Street, PHILADELPHIA. CONTENTS. STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. PAGE Preliminary Statement, 7-9 Review of the Domestic Iron Trade in 1880, ..... 11-13 The Production of 1880 Compared with that of 1879 13 Prices of Pig Iron in 1880 and 1881, 13, 14 Prices of Iron and Steel Rails in 1880 and 1881, 14,15 Imports of Iron and Steel from 1871 to 1880, 15-17 Imports of Iron Ore in 1879, 1880, and 1881, 17, 18 Domestic Exports of Iron and Steel in 18S0, ..... 18 General Summary of Iron and Steel Production from 1872 to 1880, . 18, 19 Production of Pig Iron in 1880, 19, 20 Production of Pig Iron according to Fuels Used, 1872 to 1880, . . 20, 21 Production of Pig Iron in 1880 by States, 21, 22 Production of Spiegeleisen in 1880, ....... 22 Stocks of Unsold Pig Iron from 1874 to 1880, .... 22 Consumption of Pig Iron in 1880, 22, 23 Furnace Construction in 1880, 23 Completed Furnaces at the close of each Year from 1872 to 1880, . 23 Number of Furnaces Consuming each Kind of Fuel, ... 23 Statistics of Furnaces In and Out of Blast at the close of 1880, . . 24 Production of Bessemer Steel in 1880, 24, 25 Production of Bessemer Steel Ingots from 1872 to 1880, ... 25 Production of Bessemer Steel Rails from 1867 to 1880, ... 25 Present Capacity of our Bessemer Steel Works, 25 The Thomas-Gilchrist Process in the United States, .... 26 Great Britain's Production of Bessemer Steel in 1880 Surpassed by that of the United States, ......... 26 Production of all kinds of Steel in 1880, 26 Production of Crucible Steel Ingots by States from 1874 to 1880, . 26 Production of Blister, Puddled, and "Patented" Steel by States from 1874 to 1880, 26 Production of Open-hearth Steel Ingots by States from 1874 to 1880, . 27 Production of Steel other than Bessemer and Open-hearth, 1865 to 1880, 38 Production of all kinds of Steel from 1872 to 1880, ... 27 Production of Bars, Plates, Sheets, and other Rolled Iron in 1880, . 27, 28 Production of all kinds of Rolled Iron from 1864 to 18S0, . . 28 Production of all kinds of Rolled Iron by States from 1873 to 1880, . 28 Production of Cut Nails and Spikes by States from 1873 to 1880, . 29 Production of Iron and Steel Rails in 1880, 29, 30 Production of Iron and Steel Rails from 1867 to 1880, ... 30 Production of all kinds of Rails from 1849 to 1880, .... 31 Production of all kinds of Rails by States in 1880, .... 31 (3) CONTENTS. PAGE Analysis of Kail Production in 1880, 31, 32 Probable Consumption of Iron and Steel Eails from 1867 to 1880, . . 33 Products of Forges and Bloomaries in 1880, 33 Production of different kinds of Blooms from 1873 to 1SS0, . . 33 Production of Blooms in New York and Pennsylvania, 1875 to 1880, 34 Production of all kinds of Blooms from 1865 to 1880, .... 34 Iron and Steel Production of Allegheny County, Pa., 1874 to 1880, . 34 Production of Lake Superior Iron Ore in 1880, 35 Production of each Lake Superior Iron Ore Mine in 1880, . . .35 Production of Iron Ore and Pig Iron in the Lake Superior District, 1856 to 1880, 35 Production of Iron Ore in the Menominee section of the Lake Supe- rior District, 1877 to 1880, 36 Production of each Menominee Iron Ore Mine in 1880, ... 36 New Jersey's Production of Iron Ore in 1880, 36 Production of Anthracite Coal in 1 880, 36, 37 Bituminous Coal Statistics for 1S80, . .37 Production of Bituminous Coal in Pennsylvania in 1880, ... 37 Shipments of Bituminous Coal from the Cumberland District, Mary- land, 1842 to 1880, 37 Shipments of Coal and Coke by the Monongahela Navigation Com- pany, 1844 to 1880, . . " 38 United States Railway Statistics for 1880, 38 Annual Increase in Railway Mileage of the United States, 1830 to 1880, 38 Miles of Sidings, etc, and of Steel Rails in use in 1880, ... 39 Narrow-Gauge Railway Statistics for 1880, 39 Growth of the Railway Mileage in the Five Grand Divisions of the United Stales from 1871 to 18S0, 39 Iron Shipbuilding in the United States from 1868 to 1880, . . 39, 40 Foreign Commerce of the United States since 1861, .... 40, 41 Foreign Trade of New York for the Fiscal Year 1881, . . . .41 Immigration into the United States from 1861 to 1880, . . .41, 42 Imports of Steel Blooms in 1880, 42 Grand Summary of United States Statistics for 1880, .... 43 STATISTICAL TABLES. Tables of Production of Pig Iron from 1872 to 1880, . . . . 44, 45 Table of Stocks of Unsold Pig Iron at end of each year, 1874 to 18S0, . 46 Table of Production of Iron and Steel Rails from 1871 to 1880, . . 47 Table of Production of all kinds of Rolled Iron from 1873 to 1880, . 48 Table of Production of Bar, Angle, etc., and Plate and Sheet Iron, from 1873 to 1880, 49 Tables of Imports of Iron and Steel, Calendar Years 1871 to 1880, . 50, 51 Tables of Exports of Iron and Steel, Calendar Years 1871 to 1880, . 52, 53 Tables of Imports and Exports, four months ended April 30, 1881, . . 54 Table of Prices of American Iron Rails from 1847 to 1881, ... 55 Table of Prices of American Bessemer Steel Rails from 1868 to 1881, . 55 CONTENTS. PAGE Table of Prices of Best Refined Rolled Bar Iron from 1844 to 188 J, . 56 Table of Prices of No. 1 Anthracite Foundry Pig Iron, 1842 to 1881, . 57 Table of Pennsylvania Anthracite Coal Production from 1820 to 1880, . 58 Table of Prices of Anthracite Coal from 1826 to 1881, . . . .59 Table of Production of Pig Iron, 1854 to 1880, Classified by Fuels, 60 STATISTICS OF THE FOREIGN IEON TEADE. General Summary for 1880 and 1881, 61-64 Great Britain, ........... 64 Production of Coal in Great Britain from 1866 to 1880, . . -64, 65 Production of Pig Iron in Great Britain from 1869 to 1880, . . 65, 66 Stocks of Unsold Pig Iron in Great Britain in 1880 and 1881, . . 66 Number and Condition of Blast Furnaces in Great Britain in 1881, . 66 Prices of Scotch and Cleveland Pig Iron from 1871 to 1880, ... 67 Importation of Iron Ore into Great Britain from 1869 to 1880, . . 67 Production of Manufactured Iron in Cleveland and South Wales, 1880, 68 Production of Bessemer Steel in Great Britain, 1877 to 1880, . . 68 Production of Open-hearth Steel in Great Britain, 1873 to 1880, . . 68, 69 Shipbuilding in Great Britain in 1880, 69 Total Exports of Iron and Steel from Great Britain to all Countries, 1871 to 1880, , .... 69 Countries Receiving Iron and Steel from Great Britain from 1876 to 1880, 70 Exports of Pig Iron from Great Britain to all Countries, 1871 to 1880, . 70 Countries Receiving Pig Iron from Great Britain from 1876 to 1880, . 70 Exports of Railway Iron and Steel from Great Britain to all Countries, 1871 to 1880, 70, 71 Countries Receiving Railway Iron and Steel from Great Britain, 1876 to 1880, 71 Total Exports of Iron and Steel from Great Britain to the United States, 1871 to 1880, 71 Total Exports of Iron and Steel from Great Britain to all Countries, first six months of 1880 and 1881, 71, 72 The Producing Capacity of British and American Steel Works Pre- vents Excessive Prices, 72 The Basic Process for the Manufacture of Steel, .... 72, 73 Iron, Steel, and Coal Industries of Germany, ..... 73-75 Iron, Steel, and Coal Industries of France, 75-77 Iron, Steel, and Coal Industries of Belgium, ...... 77, 78 Iron, Steel, and Coal Industries of Austria, ..... 78, 79 Iron and Steel Industries of Sweden and Norway, 79, 80 Iron, Steel, and Coal Industries of Russia, 80-84 Iron Trade of Italy, 84-86 Iron and Steel Industries of Spain, 86-88 Iron Ore in Algeria, Coal in South Africa, and Iron in Australia, . 88, 89 Iron, Steel, and Coal Industries of Canada, 89- 91 Iron Trade of South America, 91, 92 PRELIMINARY STATEMENT. Hon. DANIEL J. MOKRELL, President of The American Iron and Steel Association. Dear Sir: — I have the honor to submit to you herewith, and to the members of the Association, my ninth annual report, containing complete statistics of the production and prices of American iron and steel products in 1880 and preceding years; also, coal, immigration, railway, commercial, and other domestic statistics of interest and value to American iron and steel manufacturers; also, a review of the British iron and steel industries in 1880, and of the iron, steel, and coal industries of other foreign countries in recent years. The preparation of this report has been unexpectedly delayed in consequence of serious interruptions to the routine work of this office, caused by complica- tions in connection with the administration of the revenue laws which affect the duties on iron and steel. During the past few months the time of every employe of this office has been largely occupied in giving attention to revenue cases. Delay in the preparation of this report was unavoidable under the circumstances. This result is especially to be regretted in view of the fact that extraordinary efforts were made, before the interruption referred to, to secure the statistics which would enable me to issue an early report — efforts which were so far successful that the production of pig iron in 1880 in every pig-iron producing State and Territory was obtained in February last and printed in The Bulletin. During the Presidential and Congressional campaign of last year the Cob- den Club of England threw off all disguise and sought directly to influence the free expression of the popular will in many States by circulating large quantities of English-printed books and .pamphlets which outrageously mis- represented the effects of our Protective policy and falsely alleged that this country would be more prosperous under the British policy of Free Trade. This Association promptly undertook the work of counteracting this move- ment of the Cobden Club, and a series of Protective tariff tracts, embracing over half a million copies, was printed and circulated in the wake of the Free Trade publications. The result need not be dwelt upon, except to say that it completely vindicated the policy of maintaining in this country a strong organization that should be capable of meeting and defeating any similar assault upon American industries. The safety of the people from foreign dictation in their domestic affairs should be for it in such an emergency the supreme law. In this spirit, and in no other spirit, did this Association aid in rebuking the Cobden Club for its hostile attempt to control our elections for the benefit of English manufacturers. This leads me to remark further that there exists to-day in this country a wide-spread and very gratifying demand for Protective tariff literature. The (7) PRELIMINARY STATEMENT. old standards of authority on Protection are either out of print or are not wholly suited to the present aspects of the subject, and new and fresh treatises are urgently needed, some of which should be elementary in their character. It is greatly to be regretted that there is an actual scarcity of really valuable books that are adapted to the wants of that large class of our fellow-citizens who have not heretofore given much attention to the merits of the Protective policy, but who wish now to become familiar with them. This class, which includes the students at our colleges and universities and the young farmers of the Great West, demands books that shall deal not only with principles but also with results. What has Protection done for this country, and what does it propose to do, are questions that it wants to see answered. It is a shame that the country is almost without a literature that would enable the students at our higher schools of learning to meet and refute the sophistries and the flagrant falsehoods of their Free Trade teachers of alleged political economy. It is a shame that, for want of suitable books of reference, even one Western farmer should be deluded into the belief that the policy which proposes to establish a woolen factory, or an iron rolling mill, or a manufactory of any kind near his farm is his enemy and not his friend. The work of friendly newspapers is not in a form suitable for preservation, and hence books of reference of reasonable size and cost are necessary. This Association pro- poses to do what it can in the immediate future to meet the want mentioned, but it can not do all that should be done, and it is hoped that other agencies will co-operate, each in its own way, in a work of such vast importance to the future welfare of all American industries. The time appears to have arrived when a general revision of the tariff has become necessary. Twenty years have elapsed since the Morrill tariff became a law, and it has since been frequently revised — the last important revision having been made eleven years ago. But the tariff as it exists to-day, while correct in principle and in the main effectual in providing revenue for the Government and Protection for home industry, is too complex in construction and too indefinite in many of its provisions. It has afforded opportunity for abuses and erroneous interpretations which have been productive of serious consequences — the Treasury losing the revenue to which it was entitled and many industries losing the Protection which it was intended they should have. Controversies between the Treasury Department and manufacturers concerning the construction to be placed on certain clauses of the tariff are not desirable nor profitable, nor is a determination in the courts of questions at issue to be desired. Indeed in many cases no way exists by which manufacturers can obtain relief in the courts for injuries to their business inflicted by erroneous Treasury decisions. Many branches of the iron and steel industries of the country have seriously suffered from an indefiniteness of tariff provisions. Some of the objectionable interpretations that have been given to certain pro- visions which relate to iron and steel could not have been guarded against when the provisions themselves were adopted, because processes of manufacture and commercial designations now exist which were not then known. For these reasons, as well as to meet a general demand that the tariff shall be simplified and freed from needless impediment to its general acceptance as a permanent system for the creation of both revenue and Protection, a revision seems neces- PRELIMINARY STATEMENT. sary. This Association is, I believe, unanimously of the opinion that, if a re- vision is undertaken, it should primarily be confided to a commission appoint- ed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. I respectfully call attention to the present form of The Bulletin. I have long felt that it is too small to answer the purposes of a newspaper, and that the frequency of its publication, (once a week,) and the expectation that it shall contain some portion at least of the current news, prevent it from par- taking of the character of a magazine. And yet a magazine is what it should be. The American iron and steel industries do not lack for newspapers, to report the changes in the markets and to note the other changes and improve- ments that affect or interest the producers of iron and steel, but no American magazine exists that will from month to month preserve in convenient and attractive form such technical, statistical, historical, political, and other information as would be of permanent value to these producers and to Mem- bers of Congress, journalists, political economists, and others. Such a magazine would be read and preserved, and if bound from year to year would form a treasury of valuable information that could nowhere else be found. The Bulletin in its present form is neither a magazine nor a newspaper. It has never been what I would have liked to make it, and yet I can not see how, within its circumscribed limits, and under its restricted conditions, it could have been made much different from what it has been. If it is to be continued as a weekly publication, it should be enlarged ; if deemed advisable to change it to a magazine, I recommend that it be issued monthly, in size and appear- ance corresponding to the Bulletin of the National Association of Wool Manufacturers, which has for many years been the best trade magazine in this country. The annual report of the Secretary could always appear in a style uniform with the magazine, so as to be bound with it from year to year, or it might, to lessen expense, form a single issue of the magazine. I may be permitted to remark that the statistical contents of this report which relate to our own country are of exceptional value. Many of the tables of production, imports, exports, etc., are much fuller than in preceding reports. Another feature that may be mentioned is that most of the tables cover the decade between 1870 and 1880, which forms one of the most eventful eras in our history, especially in our iron history. In this report the record of our achievements in the production of iron and steel in that decade is closed. We enter upon a new decade under the most favorable auspices. I firmly believe that before its close the United States will become in all respects the first iron and steel producing country, and the first coal producing country, in the world. I am under many and great obligations to the Hon. Joseph Niimno, Jr., Chief of the Bureau of Statistics at Washington, for valuable statistical information embodied in this report. Mr. George W. Cope continues to render valuable service to the Association as Assistant Secretary. I take pleasure in adding that Mr. William M. Sweet has within the past year been advanced from a subordinate clerkship to a position of responsibility in this office, which he fills with satisfaction. Very Respectfully, JAMES M. SWANK, Philadelphia, July 30, 1881. Secretary. STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IROAT TRADE m 1880. BRIEF REVIEW OF THE DOMESTIC IRON TRADE IN 1880 AND DURING THE FIRST HALF OF 1881. The condition of the American iron trade since the publication of our last annual report in May, 1880, can be briefly stated. It has been in the main healthy and satisfactory. The demand for all iron and steel products has been even greater than during the year of the " boom," which may in general terms be described as having extended from May, 1879, to May, 1880. This demand has been more fully met by home production than during the phenomenal period referred to — a result in part of our increased productive capacity and in part of the fall in home prices which arrested the tendency to foreign importations. The restoration of the home market to the home producer was facilitated by a singular delusion which for many months after the end of the "boom" affected the judgment of foreign iron producers. They could not realize that the bubble had bursted — that an end had come to excited orders from this side for their iron products at any price which they would be kind enough to name, and so in their infatuation they kept on making pig iron and some other products as if nothing had hap- pened on this side, expecting to continue selling them to us at prices approximating those which they had but recently received. This maintenance on the other side of comparatively high prices during the summer and autumn of 1880 assisted greatly to place the market on this side on a healthy basis, which has since been fairly maintained. Had British ironmasters realized a year and more ago as clearly as we did that the excitement and the high prices in this country had then come to an end, and could not be revived, their prices would have broken so badly that complete demoraliza- tion and wide-spread disaster would have ensued on this side. We have since had to contend with heavy importations of foreign iron, but this evil has been far less than would have been the panic in prices which Great Britain would have precipitated upon us last summer if her ironmasters had comprehended the full significance of the American situation at that time. (11) 12 STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. It will be remembered that prices broke in this country in Feb- ruary of last year, aud that they declined rapidly until May and June, when they became steady. It is an interesting fact that in the period which has since elapsed the prices which then prevailed have been well maintained and have been remarkably uniform. The average price of No. 1 anthracite foundry pig iron in May of last year was $25, and in June of this year it was $24, the fluctuations in the mean time being between $23 and $26. The average price of iron rails in May of last year was $50, and in June following it was $46.25 ; in June of this year it was $46.50, the fluctuations during the twelve months being from $45.25 to $47.50. The aver- age price of Bessemer steel rails in May of last year was $65, and in June of this year it was $60, the fluctuations in the mean time ran- ging from $58 to $63.75. Best bar iron in May of last year aver- aged $56 a ton, and in June of this year it averaged $53.76, the in- tervening fluctuations ranging from $50 to $56. Nails fell in May and June of last year to $3 at Pittsburgh, and in June of this year they were firmly held at $2.75, the fluctuations in the mean time being between $2.60 and $3.25. At the time of writing this report, in the middle of July, the prices of iron and steel rails are higher than in June, while the June prices of pig iron, bar iron, and nails are firmly maintained. The prospect for the remainder of the year is that the extraordinary consumption which characterized the whole of the year 1880 and the first half of this year will continue, and that prices will not vary greatly from present quotations. More furnaces were in blast on the 1st of July this year than at the same time last year. The generally healthy condition of the foreign iron market at this time favors the presumption that prices here will experience no further depression. A material advance in prices is not expected on either side of the Atlantic. The present activity in the iron and steel industries of this country is, of course, largely due to the revival in railroad building which occurred in 1879 and to the ability since that year of the owners of completed railroads to make needed repairs and extensions to their tracks and to increase their rolling stock. There is every indication that this year's demand by the railroad interests of the country will continue for at least another year, and beyond that period specula- tion would be unprofitable. In, 1880 there were built in this country 7,174 miles of new railroad, and the construction of a still larger number of miles in the present year is fully assured. It is not probable that the mileage of new railroad in 1882 will fall be- STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. 13 low that of 1880 — the mining developments in the remote "West and Southwest, the large influx of foreign emigrants, and the railroad schemes already undertaken being influential railway factors exist- ing this year which will undoubtedly continue through the next year. At least 500,000 tons of rails have already been ordered from American mills for delivery in 1882. Some Mexican or Southwestern railway schemes may be discovered to be premature, and the New York stock market may experience a reaction from its present condition of activity and high prices, but these con- tingencies, if they should happen, will not seriously affect legiti- mate and much-needed railway enterprises which are now in prog- ress. Apart from the influence of railroads our iron and steel in- dustries are stimulated to-day by the remarkable prosperity of the whole country, which is real and tangible and not in any sense fictitious. It is based upon actual consumption of all products and the ability to pay for what is consumed. The balance of trade is in our favor and can not suddenly be wrested from us. Money is abundant, the crops are bountiful, political excitement is stilled, capital is confident, and labor is contented. These favorable condi- tions co-operate with railway influences to create the present large demand for our iron and steel products, and they are sure to con- tinue into another year. THE PRODUCTION OF 1880 COMPARED WITH THAT OF 1879. The production of all iron and steel products in this country in 1880 was much greater than in 1879 or in any preceding year, and it promises to be greater in 1881 than in 1880. The following table shows the production in 1879 and 1880 of ten leading articles. Products. 1879. Net tons. 1880. Net tons. Pig iron All rolled iron, including nails and excluding rails Bessemer steel rails Open-hearth steel rails... Iron and all other rails Kegs of cut nails and spikes, included in all rolled iron Crucible steel ingots Open-hearth steel ingots Bessemer steel ingots Blooms from ore and pig iron 3,070,875 4,295,414 1,027,324 1,83S,906 683,964 954,460 9,149 13,615 420,160 493,762 5,011,021 5,370,512 56,780 72,424 56,290 112,953 928,972 1,203,173 62,353 74,589 PRICES OF PIG IRON IN 1880 AND 1881. When we closed our last annual report at the middle of May, 14 STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. 1880, the price of No. 1 anthracite foundry pig iron at Philadelphia had fallen to $25 a ton, and it has since remained almost stationary. In February preceding the average price for the month had been $41, which was the highest that had been reached since the com- mencement of the " boom " of 1879. From February to May the price rapidly fell to $25. We give below the average monthly quo- tations for this quality of pig iron at Philadelphia for the whole of 1880 and the first six months of 1881. January, 1880 $10 00 February, " 41 00 March, " 37 50 April, " May, " June, July, 18S0 $23 50 August, " 25 00 September, " 23 25 31 00 October, " 23 00 25 00 November, " 24 50 25 00 23 00 December, January, 1881 $25 00 February, " 25 50 March, " 26 00 April, " . 25 00 May; " 25 00 June, " 24 00 The following table shows the average yearly prices per gross ton of No. 1 anthracite foundry pig iron at Philadelphia during the past ten years, averaged from average monthly quotations. 1871. 1872. 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876. 1877. ; 1878. 1879. 1880. $35 12}4 $48 S7J4 $42 75 $30 25 $25 50 | $22 25 $18 87^ $17 62^ $21 50 $28 50 PRICES OF IRON AND STEEL RAILS IN 1880 AND 1881. The price of iron rails during the " boom " reached its highest point in February, 1880, when the average quotation for the month was $68. From these figures the price rapidly receded until June, 1880, when the average for the month was $46.25, from which it has since varied but slightly. The average monthly prices for the whole of 1880 and the first six months of 1881 have been as follows. January, 1880 $65 00 February, " 68 00 March, " 66 00 April, " 60 00 May, " 50 00 June, " 46 25 July, 1880 $45 00 I January, 1881 $46 50 August, " 46 00 ! February, " 47 50 September, " 46 00 j March, " 47 00 October, " 46 00 j April, " 47 00 November, " 46 50 ! May, " 46 50 December, " 45 25 I June, " 46 50 The average yearly prices at which iron rails have been sold in this country during the past ten years are given below, the quota- tions being per gross ton at the works in Eastern Pennsylvania. 1871. 1872. 1st:;. 1S74. 1875. 1876. 1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. $70 37}^ $85 12% - $58 'r, $47 75 $41 25 $35 25 $33 75 $41 25 $49 25 STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. 15 The highest average monthly quotation for Bessemer steel rails during the "boom " was in February, 1880, when it was $85. From these figures the price fell to $62.50 in July, 1880, from which the variations were but slight until July of this year, although a tendency to lower prices for future delivery is now manifested. The average monthly prices duriug the whole of 1880 and the first six months of 1881 have been as follows. January, 1880 $75 00 July, 1S80 862 50 January, 1881 $60 00 February, March, April, May, June, 85 00 August, " 63 75 February, 82 00 | September, " 61 25 j March, 75 00 ' October, " 60 00 I April, 65 00 ; November, " 59 00 I May, 63 75 December, " 58 00 June, " 62 00 62 50 63 00 63 00 60 00 The average yearly prices at which Bessemer steel rails have been sold in this country since 1868 are as follows, per gross ton, the fig- ures given being the prices at the works in Pennsylvania. Years. Price. Years. Price. Years. Price. Years. Price. 1868... $158 50 1S72... $112 00 1876....! $59 25 1880... $67 50 1869... 132 25 1873... 120 50 ' 1877... 45 50 1S70... 106 75 1874... 91 25 1878... 42 25 1871... 102 50 1875... 68 75 1879...: 48 25 Monthly prices of pig iron, iron and steel rails, and bar iron for a long series of years will be found farther on in this report. IMPORTS OF IRON AND STEEL FROM 1871 TO 1880. The foreign value of the imports into the United States from all countries of iron and steel and manufactures thereof, including tin plates, has been as follows in the ten years from 1871 to 1880. Years. Values. 1871. 1872. 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876. $57,866,299 75,617,677 60,005,538 37,652,192 27,363,101 20,016,603 Years. Values. 1877. 1878. 1879. 1880 $19,874,399 18,013,010 33,331,569 80,483,365 The following table will show, in net tons, the quantities of all the leading iron and steel products imported into the United States from all countries in the ten years from 1871 to 1880 for which the tonnage can be obtained. 16 STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. COMMODIl MS IMPORTED. V'\ii iron Castings Bar iron , Boiler iron.. Band, hoop, and scroll iron Railroad bars or rails, of iron... Railroad bars or rails, of steel*. Sheet iron OKI and scrap iron Anchors, cables, and chains Tin plates Total '. 1,278,96-3 1871. 245,535 492 122,565 322 13,103 566,202 12,047 220,340 5,434 92,925 1872. 295,967 407 89,576 684 12,365 381,064 149,786 15,149 278,257 5,875 95,904 1,325,034 1873. 154,708 262 62,253 464 8,245 99,201 159,571 10,713 108,838 4,668 108,838 717,761 1874. 61,165 74 26,876 53 1,422 7,796 100,515 6,741 40,633 3,219 89,351 337,845 1875. 83,932 26 27,542 51 255 1,174 18,274 4,050 28,947 2,245 101,981 268,477 Commodities Imported. (Continued.) Pig iron Castings Bar iron Boiler iron Band, hoop, etc Railroad bars of iron.. Railroad bars of steel.. Sheet iron Old and scrap iron Anchors, cables, etc Tin plates Total.. 1876. 83,072 35 26,653 15 144 287 1,758 14,149 1,863 100,740 1877. 06,861 53 30,531 2 159 35 1,184 10,903 1,073 125,976 228,716 236,777 74,484 69 33,346 1 1879. 6,225 646 120,808 340,672 61 48.S40 91 1,031 19,090 25,057 5,459 248,429 892 172,760 1880. 236,434 862,382 2,112,340 784,968 115 126,986 168 25,322 132,459 158,230 11,412 694,272 1,393 177,015 1881. First 4 rnos. Previous to 1872 steel rails are reported under the head of iron rails. 137,712 55 6,043 33 10 29,477 39,216 858 39,630 457 07,057 320,548 In the above tables tin plates have for the first time been in- serted among our iron and steel imports. They properly belong in this classification because nearly all of their weight and most of their value are due to the iron of Avhich they are almost wholly composed. In the ten years from 1871 to 1880 our annual imports of tin plates almost doubled in quantity. During these ten years the value of our imports of tin plates reached the enormous sum of $122,148,817, nearly all of which expenditure abroad could have been saved to our country if the tariff on tin plates had been inter- preted as it was intended that it should be. Our little tin-plate in- dustry of a few years ago has been utterly crushed out of existence through a criminally erroneous Treasury decision which gave away the protection that Congress intended it to have. We can make as good sheet iron for tin plates as is made in the world, and we could import the tin as easily as Great Britain imports a large part of her supply of this metal. The cruel injury done to our tin-plate indus- try should be remedied at the first meeting of Congress. That this country should go on paying from ten to fifteen or sixteen millions of dollars every year for an article which we are ourselves capable STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. 17 of producing is as great an absurdity and as grievous an offense as if we were by some legislative bounty to encourage the importation of Hungarian wheat or Russian petroleum. The total importations in 1880 were the largest in our history. The causes which led to them were sufficiently explained in our last annual report, and need not be repeated. It is worthy of remark, however, that they were mainly of crude products or raw materials — pig iron and old iron footing up respectively 784,968 and 694,- 272 net tons, whereas in 1871 and 1872 the heavy importations were mainly of iron and steel rails. It is gratifying to observe by the figures above given of importations for the first four months of 1881 that the total importations for the year will probably not amount to one-half those of last year. Low prices in this country and the ability to supply all our own wants, except iron and steel rails for immediate delivery, are now co-operating to restrict importations. IMPORTS OF IRON ORE IN 1879, 1880, AND 1881. The following statement shows the quantity and value of iron ore imported into the United States during the calendar years 1879 and 1880, and in the four months which ended April 30, 1881, by cus- toms districts. Most of the ore was imported from Spanish and Mediterranean ports. Previous to 1879 the quantity of iron ore annually imported was not preserved by the Treasury Department. Districts. Total. Year ended Dec. 31, Year ended Dec. 31, 4 mos. ended April 1879. 1880. 30, 1881. Gross tons. Dollars. Gross tons. Dollars. Gross tons. Dollars. Baltimore Boston Buffalo Creek Champlain Cuyahoga Detroit Genesee Huron Newark, X. J New York Oswegatchie Oswego Perth Amboy, X. J. Philadelphia Puget's Sound Cape Vincent 27,090 701 5,969 12 550 1.287 2,125 884 9.'!34 126,059 60,869 2,438 14,2o 1 31 1,128 3,508 4,101 282,060 2,130 29,010 281,941 170.30S 506,560 2,155 i 13,554 36,4'Ji'. 13,s5S 45.; 5,390 72 269 148,987 7,553 5 111 120,'619 400 158 48,463 1,169 16,274 258 798 432,678 21,052 15,968 335,119 412 413 94,217 257,340 "7*940"" 5,552 1.107 118 62,561 2,413 2,861 23,05S 300 3,130 322 7,520 8,416 62.917 309 681,467 493,408 1,436,809 188,575 533,512 It will be observed that during the year 1880 we imported almost 500,000 gross tons of iron ore, and that the importations for 1881 promise to exceed this large quantity. The high prices of Lake 18 STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IKON TRADE. Superior iron ores are assigned as the leading cause of these impor- tations. The ore imported is almost wholly used in the manufac- ture of Bessemer pig iron near the Atlantic coast. The annexed table shows in detail the value of the imports of iron ore during the fiscal years from June 30, 1869, to June 30, 1880. As the invoice value of all the ore imported prior to 1879, when the tonnage of iron ore imports was first recorded, was about $2 a ton, the quantity imported down to that year may be approx- imately ascertained by dividing the value of the imports by two. Fiscal Years. 1870.. 1871. 1873 1873., 1874.. 1875.. 1876., 1877.. 1878., 1879., 1880., New York. Boston. $153 2,116 29,152 21,544 16,253 12,030 25,466 16,553 109,936 362,492 SI, 434 173 Balti- more. §11,520 4,235 2,399 2,429 4.497 561 I 416,320 San Francisco $385 Lake Ports. §34,439 66- 49,607 92,856 105,167 74,425 32,440 18,627 13,088 8,943 7:i,:;m; Philadel- phia. Other Ports. $165 143 1,590 575 110 S5 673 231 1,262 14,178 24,018 $55,896 7,692 34,388 29,485 203,051 310,184 $34,604 362 53,313 124,402 138,514 146.659 52,841 82,947 62,787 343,034 1,192,961 DOMESTIC EXPORTS OF IRON AND STEEL IN 1880. Our export trade in iron and steel made little progress in 1880 over 1879. The value of the exports from the United States to all countries of domestic iron and steel and manufactures thereof in the ten years from 1871 to 1880 was as follows. Years. Values. Years. Values. Years. Values. 1871 >1 1,836,137 10,030,1LT, 12,129,939 15,389,807 1875 $16,092,906 11,798,459 16,659,675 13,260,369 1879 1880 $12,470,448 1872 1876...., 12,960,995 1873 1877 1874 1878 Full details of these exports will be found elsewhere in this report. It will be observed that our exports of iron and steel and their manufactures have been practically stationary during the past ten years, the causes of which Ave have often explained. GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE PRODUCTION OF IRON AND STEEL IN THE UNITED STATES DURING THE PAST NINE YEARS. The appended table shows in tons of 2,000 pounds the production of all kinds of iron and steel in the United States from 1872 to STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. 19 1880. We regret that it does not also include the production for 1871, so that the statistics for the whole decade could have been given. We did not collect the statistics for that year. 1 O t> 1^ 01 -r* « TC ~* CO co cc »c -0 5: 0 CD t- V ■^1 c T}1 IO o 00 co io" cm" <X> -f C-- « 0" 0 co" CO -T oT 31 °» z. 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CM ■* r~ T» c oa CO r> 0 If: •^ 5 c c CC CO (M OI 10 OC c a CC 0 CN T- ■* ,2 ^2 . of : u 3 0) 0 C3 3 to a a to _a a l M : "S. a a CP d 0 to H O D 3 0 5 IH "S -a m "3 tJD c 'a t 50 3 r3 0 r: a Q 2 £ - 1 "1 b 0 r: « 23 3 3 0 P "3 O « S "c a 1 ■J | c — 5 a cs « a '0 | 0 0 a 3 3" S p 0 r3 0 c - a; J* & c "C n O r o> F- c ■r PP a 2 "= <5 a PC c E „ c H = 3 3 0 Z a C 0 PC 3 M "a bJ a. c CC 3 1 THE PRODUCTION OF PIG IRON IN 1880. The production of pig iron in the United States in 1880 was 4,295,414 net tons, or 3,835,191 gross tons. The production in 1879 20 STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. was 3,070,875 net tons, or 2,741,853 gross tons. The increase in 1880 over 1879 was, therefore, 1,224,539 net tons, or 1,093,338 gross tons, or 40 per cent. The production of 1879 was larger than that of any preceding year, but the production of 1880 was not only 40 per cent, larger than that of 1879, but it was 50 per cent, larger than that of either of the two preceding most productive years, 1872 and 1873, and it was double that of the Centennial year, 1876, when the production of pig iron during the panic years reached its lowest point. The following figures, in net tons, will make these extraordinary facts plain to the eye. Production : X87-2 2,854,558 I 1877 2,314,585 1873 2,S6S,27S 1878 2,577,361 ]S7I 2,689,413 1879 3,070,875 1875 2,266,581 | 1880 4,295,414 1876.'.'." 2,093,236 ! Of the total production of pig iron in 1880, 1,807,651 net tons were made with anthracite coal ; 1,950,205 tons with bituminous coal and coke; and 537,558 tons with charcoal. The increased production of the year over the product of 1879 was very evenly divided among the different fuels. It is, however, worthy of notice that the production of charcoal pig iron in both 1879 and 1880 has increased at a more rapid rate than that of anthracite and bitumi- nous pig iron. In the three years preceding 1879 it had declined relatively as compared with its two rivals. In 1879 the increase in the production of anthracite pig iron over 1878 was 16.5 per cent. ; that of bituminous pig iron was 20.8 per cent. ; and that of char- coal pig iron was 22.3 per cent. In 1880 the increase in production over 1879 was as follows: anthracite, 41.9 per cent.; bituminous, 35.5 per cent.; charcoal, 49.8 per cent. The charcoal iron product of 1880 has only twice been exceeded in our history — in 1873 and 1874, when the production was respectively 577,620 and 576,557 net tons. As has heretofore been the case, some of the anthracite furnaces used more or less coke in 1880 as a mixture, and a smaller number of bituminous furnaces used anthracite as a mixture. The exact quantity of pig iron produced in 1880 with this mixed fuel was 714,631 net tons. Counting all pig iron produced with mixed fuel as if it had been wholly made with the fuel chiefly used in the mix- ture, whether anthracite or bituminous coal, the quantity of pig iron smelted with anthracite coal, bituminous coal, or charcoal from 1872 to 1880 was as follows, in net tons : STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. 21 Fuel used. 1S72. Anthracite 1,369,812 Bituminous. ... | 984,159 Charcoal 500,587 1S73. 1874. 1,312,754 1,202,144 977,904 910,712 577,620 576,557 Total 2,854,558 2,3GS,278 2,689,413 1S76. 1S77. 1879. 1880. 908,040 794,578 934,797 1,092,8701,273,024 1,807,651 947.545 990,009 1,061,945 1,191,092 1,438,978 1,950,205 410,990 308,649 317,843 293,399 2,266,581 2,093,230 2,314,5S5 2,577,361 358,873 537,558 3,070,875 4,295,414 Of the total production of charcoal pig iron in 1880, (537,558 tons,) Michigan produced the extraordinary quantity of 154,424 tons. No other State produced half as many tons of charcoal pig iron, Ohio approximating this quantity most closely with 69,190 tons. The production of pig iron in 1880 in the pig-iron producing States was as follows : States. Net tons. States. Net tons. Pennsylvania Ohio 2,083,121 674,207 395,361 170,049 154,424 150,556 105,555 96,842 77,190 70,873 70,338 61,437 57,708 29,934 Georgia 27,321 22,583 19,017 Michigan 12,500 5,000 3,578 Wisconsin Alabama Minnesota 3,520 2,500 1,800 Maryland Total 4,295,414 Twenty-three States made pig iron in 1880, one more than in 1879, Minnesota entering the list for the first time with her Duluth charcoal furnace — the pioneer, we have no doubt, of many other iron enterprises in her borders. North Carolina has not made any pig iron since 1877, but it is expected that she will blow in a blast furnace this year. Oregon, with her Oswego charcoal furnace, doubled in 1880 her production of 1879. Another State, Colorado, has its first furnace, at South Pueblo, ready to be put in blast. California and Washington Territory are now making pig iron for the first time, a furnace in each having been blown in since January last. Utah Territory has made no pig iron since 1876, but the largest and best of its two furnaces, the one at Ogden, is likely to be blown in this year. Every State in the Union that made pig iron in 1879, except one, increased its production in 1880. The exception was West Virginia, which made 70,801 net tons in 1879 and 70,338 tons in 22 STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. 1880! In 1879 Pennsylvania made 52J per cent, of the total pro- duction ; in 1880 her production declined relatively to 48J per cent. Ohio made a very sharp advance in 1880 upon her record of 1879. In 1879, with a product of 447,751 net tons, her percentage of the total product of the country was 14J-; in 1880, with a prod- uct of 674,207 net tons, her percentage was 15f-. The States which ranked next to Pennsylvania and Ohio in production in 1880, and which produced over 100,000 tons each, were New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, and Missouri, in the order named. All of the Pennsylvania and Ohio districts increased their pro- duction in 1880 over 1879. Full details of the production of each district from 1872 to 1880 will be found in a table on page 45. There was a gratifying increase in 1880 in the production of spiegeleisen. The product was 19,603 net tons, against 13,931 tons in 1879, 10,674 tons in 1878, 8,845 tons in 1877, 6,616 tons in 1876, and 7,832 tons in 1875. The product of 1879 and 1880 was made by the New Jersey Zinc Company and the Oxford Iron Company, in New Jersey, and by the Bethlehem Iron Company, the Cambria Iron Company, and the Edgar Thomson Steel Company, in Penn- sylvania. The stocks of domestic pig iron on hand and unsold in the hands of makers or their agents at the close of 1880 aggregated 456,658 net tons, against 141,674 tons in 1879, 574,565 tons in 1878, 642,- 351 tons in 1877, 686,798 tons in 1876, 760,908 tons in 1875, and 795,784 ton's in 1874. The quantity of foreign pig iron in the ware- houses of the country at the close of 1880 amounted to 164,404 gross tons, or 184,132 net tons. At the same time large quantities of foreign pig iron which had been withdrawn from warehouse were in the hands of importers, speculators, or creditors — probably 100,- 000 tons in all. The quantity of foreign pig iron now in warehouse or otherwise held in this country is less than in December last. The consumption of pig iron in 1880 can only be approximated. We produced 3,835,191 gross tons, and imj)orted the unusually large quantity of 700,864 tons, giving a total supply of 4,536,055 gross tons. We increased the stocks of domestic pig iron during the year the difference between 126,494 gross tons held at the close of 1879 and 407,730 gross tons held at the close of 1880, or 281,236 tons. At the close of 1880 there also remained in warehouse 164,- 404 gross tons of imported pig iron, and in the hands of speculators and others about 100,000 tons of imported pig iron. Adding the increase of domestic stocks to the foreign stocks we have 545,640 STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. 23 gross tons to be deducted from the total supply, which gives us 3,990,415 gross tons as the probable consumption of the year. Full details of production and stocks on hand will be found in accompanying tables. The year 1880 was a very active one in furnace construction in the United States. No less than 28 furnaces were built ; 23 more were begun ; 1 furnace long abandoned was revived ; and many others were wholly or partly rebuilt or supplied with new and im- proved appliances to secure increased production and greater econ- omy of fuel. Of the furnaces completed in 1880, there were 10 in Pennsylvania, 6 in Virginia, 2 in Alabama, 2 in Tennessee, 3 in Illinois, 2 in Michigan, and one each in Minnesota, Missouri, and Colorado. Of the additional furnaces which were in course of erection in 1880, there were 12 in Pennsylvania, 2 in Tennessee, 4 in Illinois, and one each in Virginia, Michigan, Missouri, California, and Washington Territory. During 1880 we marked off our list 17 furnaces which we regarded as having been abandoned. The total number of furnaces on our list at the close of 1880 was 701, against 697 at the close of 1879. The following figures represent the completed furnaces at the close of each of the last nine years. 1S72. 1873. 1874. 1875. 713 i "7.;. 1877. 1878. 1-7'.'. 1880. 612 657 693 712 716 692 697 701 Of the 701 completed furnaces at the close of 1880, there were 446 in blast, against 388 at the close of 1879, and 265 at the close of 1878. At the close of 1880 there were 255 furnaces out of blast, against 309 at the close of 1879, and 427 at the close of 1878. Of the furnaces in blast at the close of 1880, 140 were bituminous, 155 were anthracite, and 151 were charcoal — total, 446. Of the furnaces out of blast at the same time, 73 were bituminous, 71 were anthracite, and 111 were charcoal — total, 255. Of the whole num- ber of furnaces at the close of 1880, 213 were classed as bitumi- nous, 226 as anthracite, and 262 as charcoal — total, 701. The number of furnaces out of blast at the close of 1880 was still large, but it should be remembered that a number of furnaces always must be out of blast while undergoing repairs or waiting for fuel, while others are undesirably situated or are old-fashioned in con- struction and must eventually be abandoned. The following table shows the number of furnaces in blast and out of blast at the close of 1880 in each of the pig-iron producing States. 24 STATISTICS OF THE AMERICAN IRON TRADE. States. Maine Vermont Massachusetts .. Connecticut Xew York New Jei Pennsylvania..., Maryland Virginia North • tarolina Alabama \\ -t \ irgmi : .. Kentucky Tennessee Texas Ohio Indiana Illinois Missouri Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Colorado Utah Oregon In Blast. Out of Blast. Total. 1 1 5 8 14 10 189 10 13 1 1 5 2 10 13 57 Id 20 85 274 13 23 24 37 7 7 6 10 o 15 4 11 14 22 12 25 1 27 103 1 4 5 13 11 10 13 27 3 14 1 1 1 2 2 1 Total. The following table shows the number of furnaces in blast and out of blast at the close of 1880 in the pig-iron districts of Penn- sylvania and Ohio. Districts. In Blast. Out of Blast. Total. c3 Lehigh Valley Schuylkill Valley 41 28 15 26 13