THE MINING AND QUARRY INDUSTRY IQI2 II 



The opening of the year found the companies carrying heavy 

 stocks and prices on the same low level they reached in the latter 

 part of the preceding season. Demand, was exceptionally heavy and 

 served to absorb most of the surplus in the next few months, so 

 that by spring the mills were able to make a slight advance in 

 quotations. There was no check to activity and in midsummer an 

 additional increase was made, followed by others from time to 

 time until by December, New York prices reached a level fully 

 50 per cent higher than that at the beginning of the year. The 

 actual price movement was from about 60 cents a barrel in Janu- 

 ary to 95 cents a barrel in December, the quotations being for 

 cement in bulk at the mill. Inasmuch as much of the selling by 

 the manufacturers is on contract, they were, of course, not able 

 to realize the full benefits of the advance and the average basis 

 on which the year's sales were made may be placed at around 

 78 cents. 



The natural cement trade in which New York State is still 

 represented, though to a much smaller extent than formerly, fol- 

 lowed practically the same course as indicated for the portland 

 branch. The demand was active and at increasing prices with 

 the season's advance. Owing to the adverse conditions experienced 

 by manufacturers in the few preceding years, more serious in their 

 case than in that of the portland cement companies, their plants 

 were not in shape to allow them to take much advantage of the 

 conditions ; consequently, the outturn was not materially different 

 from the figure reported for 191 1. 



In volume of production, the year was notable, the total having 

 been exceeded but once or twice in the history of the industry. 

 The actual quantity of portland and natural cements manufactured 

 was 4,783,535 barrels as compared with 3,691,373 barrels in 191 1 

 and 3,657,015 barrels in 1910. The only other years that made a 

 comparable showing were in the period from 1895 to 1900 when 

 the natural cement business was at the height of prosperity and 

 contributed an output about equal to that reported last year by 

 the portland mills. 



As shown in the accompanying tables, the production of port- 

 land cement in 1912 reached the figure of 4,495,842 barrels, against 

 3,416,400 barrels in 191 1. Its value was $3,488,931, as compared 

 with $2,930,434 in the preceding year. The average value of the 

 product, however, was only 77.6 cents a barrel, against 85.8 cents 

 for 191 1. There were seven mills in operation during the year, 

 the same number as reported active in 191 1. 



