No. 216.] 125 



Add 25 per cent, for waste, 4 37 



Pig metal, actual cost, 21 87 



To which add the cost of making, 27 75 



Cost in the 2d place, 49 62 



Difference between the two cases, 9 38 



Imported railroad bars are now offered in mairket at $52 per ton; 

 it will be seen that in the first case stated — the American maker of 

 this description of iron would compete with the foreign maker under 

 a loss of $7 per ton, or on fifty tons per day the sum of $105,000 

 per annum. While, in the second case he would realize a profit of 

 $2.38 per ton, equal to $39,300 per annum: this shows clearly the 

 importance of concentrating processes, and having stated prices 

 which range nearly with the present market; they show the position 

 of mills for making railroad bars at this moment, and at the same 

 time giving a practical illustration of the subject in question. 



But there are other defects in our system of making wrought iron. 

 We take the position, that in all cases, malleable or wrought iron 

 should be made by the blooming process. 



There exists vast quantities of woodland in our country available 

 for that purpose, and instead of copying the English mode of pud- 

 dling, which they from necessity are compelled to pursue, we should 

 adhere to the use of the bloom forge, making for all purposes a good 

 article of " charcoal iron." By pursuing this course, no doubt the 

 bloom forge, like everything else which we Americans take in hand, 

 would soon undergo improvements of an important character; but 

 aside from any improvements, more than now exists in the bloom 

 forge, let us see what can be done in the way of making railroad 

 bars by the blooming process. The forge, (Dickerson's) at the 

 head of this article, makes a ton of blooms with 200 bushels of char- 

 coal, which at 5 cents, is $10 00 



Two tons good magnetic ore, $2.50, 5 00 



Labor per ton, 6 00 



Repairs, interest, contingencies, 2 00 



$23 00 

 To which add ten per cent for waste, 2 30 



Total for metal, $25 30 



