THE 



MINING 



AND QUARRY INDUSTRY 



47 



progress reported by the iron-mining industry. The production, 

 which amounted to 827,049 long tons, was the largest since 1892 

 and represented an increase of 207,946 tons or 34 per cent over the 

 total for 1904. With the exception of the Old Sterling mine which 

 was reopened during the year, there were no changes in the list of 

 producers. The magnetite mines contributed a total of 739,736 

 tons including 432,867 tons of concentrates. In several instances 

 important improvements have been made to the equipment of the 

 mining plants, and a still further increase in the output may be 

 anticipated for the current year. The Fair Haven Iron Co. has 

 been recently formed to mine ore at Fair Haven, Cayuga county, 

 in the Clinton deposits, and plans are under consideration for the 

 reopening of the Benson mines in St Lawrence county. 



The manufacture of clay products is expanding at a rapid rate. 

 The output in 1905 was valued at $14,280,016, a gain of $2,775,312 

 or 25 per cent during the year. There were 250 plants in operation 

 divided among 45 counties. Building materials (brick, tile, fire- 

 proofing and terra cotta) constituted the sum of $11,314,909. The 

 output of brick in the Hudson river region alone numbered 1,219,- 

 318,000 valued at $8,191,211. The manufacture of the finer pottery 

 wares, a comparatively recent development in New York, has become 

 of considerable importance, the value of the output of porcelain 

 and semiporcelain (tableware and electric supplies) last year 

 amounting to $1,400,325. 



In the quarry industry conditions were more favorable, than in 

 1904, particularly with regard to building materials. The value 

 of the stone products, exclusive of slate and the limestone used in 

 making Portland and natural cements, aggregated $6,107,147, an 

 increase of $937,206 or 18 per cent for the year. The total was 

 distributed according to the various uses, as follows : building stone, 

 $1,488,009; monumental stone, $187,988; curbing and flagging, 

 $1,037,210; crushed stone, $1,902,623; other uses $1,491,317. The 

 growing demand for crushed stone for road and concrete purposes 

 has been One of the leading factors in the expansion of the quarry 

 operations. 



The plants manufacturing hydraulic cement reported an output 

 of 4,375,520 barrels, consisting of 2,117,822 barrels of Portland and 

 2,257,698 barrels of natural rock cement. The industry more than 

 regained the ground lost in the preceding year when it experienced 

 a serious setback due to oversupply and low market prices. The 

 output of Portland cement has grown steadily since the first estab- 

 lishment of plants within the State 25 years ago, and the quantity 



