People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1893 — PIG-IRON IN THIS COUNTRY. [ARTICLE]

PIG-IRON IN THIS COUNTRY.

A Total E reduction In IH9* of Over Xine Million Grotto Tone. Cassler’* MagazineIt was in 1864 that the United States first made 1,000,000 gross tons of pig-iron, falling below that figure in 1865. but exceed-' ing it in 1866. Taking the period for twenty-seven years from this last date, it appears that the industry advanced so rapidly that in six years, namely, 1872, more than double the amount of pig-iron was produced than was made in 1866; in fourteen years (1880) the output was over treble that of 1866; in sixteen years (1882) it was almost four times the output of 1866; in twenty-one years (1887) it was over five times the output of 1866; in 1889,

twenty-three years after, it was over six times the output of 1866; in 1890 it was over seven and three-eighths the production of 1866. The product of 1891 was considerably below and that of 1892 was slightly below the output of 1890. This is truly a remarkable record of progress, and one which has never been duplicated in this or in any other country in a similar interval of time. The total output for the twenty-seven years was 105,712,591 tons, of which' 65,571.334 tons were produced in the decade just closed. Statistics show a total production of pig-iron for the year 1892 of 9,157,000 gross tons, made in about 300 furnaces, which were in operation for some portion of the year, although but 253 were active at the close of that year. Of the total output, 6,822,266 gross tons, or about 74| per cent., was made by using coke or bituminous coal: 1,797,113 gross tons, or 194 per cent., was made by using anthracite fuel in whole or in part, but only 229,029 gross tons, or 24 per cent, of the total output, was smelted with anthracite coal alone; 537,621 gross tons, or 6 per cent., were made with charcoal as fuel.