THE MINING AND QUARRY INDUSTRY IQII II 



The steady decline in the prices that has lasted now for several 

 years has subjected the cement mills to a severe test of efficiency. 

 Some of the mills which were not advantageously situated for 

 economic manufacture or were inadequately financed have been 

 forced out of business. As a consequence the number of producers 

 has fallen off from year to year, though this loss, so far as the port- 

 land cement business is concerned, has been more than made good 

 by enlarging the capacity of other plants and by the erection of one 

 or two new mills. In the natural cement branch the effect of the 

 adverse conditions has been very noticeable in the output which has 

 shrunk to a mere fraction of the former quota. The Rosendale dis- 

 trict of Ulster county was represented last year by a single producer. 



The aggregate output of cement for the year amounted to 

 3.691, 373 barrels, as compared with 3,657,015 barrels in 1910 and 

 2,610,383 barrels in 1909. The production last year has not been 

 exceeded since 1906. The returns showed that 11 plants were active, 

 or 1 less than in 1910. In 1905 there were 21 cement mills in 

 operation. 



As shown in the accompanying table the portland cement mills 

 contributed a total of 3,416,400 barrels valued at $2,930,434, a slight 

 increase over the 1910 figures which were 3,364,255 barrels valued 

 at $2,939,818. The average value of the product was 85.8 cents a 

 barrel, against 87.4 cents in 1910. Seven plants were reported as 

 active, 1 less than in the previous year. 



The output of natural cement amounted to 274,973 barrels valued 

 at $134,900, the greater part contributed by the single producer in 

 Ulster county. The total for 1910 was 292, 760 barrels with a value 

 of $147,202. In addition to Ulster county there was a small output 

 in Onondaga county by 3 companies. Erie county, formerly a large 

 producer, was not represented. 



