Coke Manufacture. [Volume: 8, Issue: 1, 1888, pp. 55-56]

No. 1.] CHARCOAL IRON WORKERS. 55
much as the other seven countries, while in 1886 it produced over
43 per cent. America has thus advanced while Great Britain has
retrograded.
The average weekly production of these several countries in
1873 and 1886 forms an interesting table, and it is here reproduced:
AVERAGE WEEKLY PRODUCTION 1873 AND 1886.
187S. 1886.
Countries. Tons. Tons.
Great Britain,.............. 126,278 132,128
United States,................. 49,249 109,128
Germany,................... 37,785 64,227
France,..................... 26,557 28,997
Belgium,.................... 12,549 14,122
Austria,.................... 8,165 13,406
Russia,................... 6,808 10,000
Sweden,.................... 6,192 8,937
The progress here shown by the United States surpasses that
made by any other country, and the increase in productive
capacity which is now under way on this side of the Atlantic is
far in excess of the efforts being made in the same line in any
other part of the world."
- _ _-
Coke Manufacture.
"We scarcely realize that as a coke producer, the United States
took no position of importance, until after the close of the war of
the rebellion, that beyond the use of the residual coke from gas
retorts, the fuel was but little known, and that it has been within
fifteen years that the Connellsville coke region has become prominent. The Connellsville Tribune states that the use of coke in
iron production is claimed as early as 1817, but that the first au
thentic record of coke making as a business dates back to 1841.
A year later this two oven plant was leased and two boat loads of
coke, aggregating about 13,000 bushels, were sold in Cincinnati,
at seven cents a bushel. Between this time and 1860, three more
ovens were built. In 1860 the Fayette works of thirty ovens
were constructed, and in 1864, the Jackson works of forty ovens