INDUSTRIAL PROGRESS DURING THE YEAR 1875. ccxxxi 



The nearest approximation to an estimate of the possible 

 production of pig-iron during the year 1875 may be made 

 from the accompanying data recently published by the 

 American Manufacturer, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The 

 figures have been compiled from returns received from 95 

 per cent, of the whole number of furnaces, and show the num- 

 ber of stacks in and out of blast in nearly every section of 

 the country on the 1st of September, 1875, compared with 

 those which made similar reports to the same journal at the 

 same period of 1874. The number of furnaces reporting is 

 as follows: In 1874,575 stacks; in 1875,664 stacks. Of 

 these there were in blast, in 1874, 348 stacks, with a weekly 

 capacity of 51,439 tons; in 1875, 289 stacks, capacity 47,008 

 tons. Out of blast, 1874, 227 stacks, weekly capacity 39,089 

 tons; 1875, 375 stacks, capacity 53,803 tons. The whole 

 number of finished stacks in the country at the time of this 

 report is estimated at 700. The above figures indicate that 

 the production of 1875 will be much below that of 1874. 

 We may hazard the estimate that it will not exceed 2,000,000 

 tons.* 



[* Since the preparation of the foregoing summary, Mr. Secretary Swank 

 has published an estimate of the pig-iron industry for the entire year 1875, 



