612 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



-were in blast, and 440 out of blast. Pennsylvania made over 

 50 per cent, of the total product. The indications are also 

 that the consumption of iron in the United States was greater 

 during the past year than in 1877, since the reduction of stacks 

 was about 120,000 tons. This fact, taken in connection with 

 the increased production of 70,000 tons credited to the same 

 period, warrants the inference that the increased consumption 

 of 1878 was about 195,000 tons. 



MANUFACTURED IRON AND STEEL. 



The rolling-mills appear to have been generally more ac- 

 tively employed last year than during the previous year. 

 Iron ship-building was more active; the elevated railroads 

 of New York demanded a large quantity of finished iron ; 

 bridge-building showed an improvement; government work 

 and other public improvements created an increased demand ; 

 the number of locomotives and railroad-cars was largely in 

 excess of the previous year; and the number of miles of rail- 

 road completed was likewise greater. Ten of our eleven 

 Bessemer works were busy during the whole of 1878. 



A feature of special interest in connection with the inter- 

 ests of the iron-trade during the past year is the fact that 

 the mileage oinew railroad constructed in the United States 

 was much greater in 1878 than in 1877. Taking the figures 

 of The Railroad Gazette, which we have heretofore relied 

 upon as the most trustworthy that could be obtained, we 

 learn, upon the authority of that journal, that in 1878 there 

 were laid 2688 miles of new railroad, against 2177 miles in 

 1877, 2657 in 1876, 1758 in 1875, 2305 in 1874, and 4069 in 

 1873. From these figures it will appear that the mileage of 

 new road in 1878 has exceeded that of any year since the 

 memorable year 1873, which ushered in the unprecedented 

 financial storm from which the country has just emerged. 

 The recovery of the railroad interests, which these figures 

 demonstrate, is to be regarded as one of the most hopeful 

 signs of returning prosperity. 



The following figures give the production of manufactured 

 iron and of steel during 1878: 



Bessemer steel ingots 730,000 net tons. 



Bessemer steel rails 000,000 " 



Iron rails (same as last year, and probably a few 



tbousand tons greater) 332,540 " 



