Production and Manufacture of Iron in the United States [pp. 462-465]

PRODUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF IRON.
whole, as was once thought, or as is the case at the present chief centres of pro duction. There were produced:
In 1854................... 713,366 tons.v
In 1855................................ 705,745 "
In 1856.......................................... 782,958 "
Yet the local fluctuations are very great. The anthracite production during
these three years rapidly increased, by the enlargement and better handling of
old furnaces and the erection of new ones.
In 1849 it was only............................... 107,256 tons.
In 1854itwas.................................... 307,710 "
In 1855 itwas.................................... 343,105
In 1856 it was................................... 393,509 "
There was, of course, a proportionate decrease of the manufacture of charcoal
iron Where this has taken place will appear by the following table:
PRODUCTION OF IRON BY ANTHRACITE FURNACES.
1854. 1855. 1856.
In Pennsylvania............ 208,703 255,326 306,966
Out of Pennsylvania........ 99,007 87,779 86,543
CHARCOAL AND COKE FURNACES.
East Pennsylvania.......... 62,724 60,596 51,775
N. W. Pennsylvania......... 78,927 59,388 59,587
S. W. Pennsylvania......... 11,052 18,217 29,400
CHARCOAL FURNACES.
East of the Hudson.......... 30,420 30,926 27,837
Northern and Western N. Y.. 19,197 19,736 18,847
Southern N. Y. and N. J..... 13,435 7,901 5,683
Marvland.................. 35,658 36,309 30,998
Northwestern Virginia...... 1,930 2,342 J,467
Eastern and Middle Virginia. 5,880 6,926 5,730
North and South Carolina.... 1,820 1,830 1,956
Georgia and Alabama....... 3,604 3,682 4,302
Tennessee.................. 38,596 30,000 30,000
Missouri............... 5,213 6,000 13,201
West Kentucky............. 5,000 5,000 5,000
East Kentucky.......... 22,830 15,580 21,160
S. Ohio, (charcoal and coke).. 56,081 47,182 69,605
N. Ohio, ( ".. 8,289 6,025 7,901
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Wisconsin, and Minnesota.. 5,000 5,000 50,000
Total ton............ 713,366 705,745 782,958
There are ten principal centres of the iron manufacture in the United States:
1. Northern New York, including Vermont; and using the fine primitive
ores of the Adirondac mountains. Here are forty bloomeries and three anthracite furnaces.
2. The Highlands, a narrow belt extending through Berkshire, Massachusetts,
into southern Vermont, and through northern New Jersey into Pennsylvania,
containing forty-four charcoal and twenty-two anthracite furnaces, and sixty
forges, using hematite and magnetic ores.
3. Eastern Pennsylvania and northeastern Maryland, with ninety-eight anthracite furnaces, one hundred and three charcoal furnaces, and one hundred
and seventeen forges; none of which last, however, produce iron from the ore.
This great iron region is itself divisible into distinct smaller area, some of them
using magnetic, some hematite, and some fossil ores.
4. Northwestern Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania is a distinct region
on the eastern outcrop of the lower coal measures, with forty-two charcoal
furnaces, and two or three forges, and using carbonate of iron. It includes the
Cambria iron works, which account for its apparent growth.
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