IRON. MANUFACTURE. 461 
Of the vast quantities of Lake Superior ores used in this district 
it need only be said, that they form the main supply of the furnaces, 
especially at Cleveland and Youngstown, their high grade and pure 
character compensating for their higher prices. To show the relative 
amounts of these ores used during the census year, the following figures, 
taken from six of the principal works of the Mahoning Valley, and 
representing the total purchases of ore from June 1879 to June 1880, 
will be of interest : 
Tons, 2,240 lbs. 
Lake Superior and Canada Ps yeh SN 0 ee 229,427 
INertinven@ TO MOTES ee. seen. ot coa on seclectolettcietosiolealwelevelstetslesieesicaiececisieateseste ves 14,802 
Pennsylvania and New York Ore ................0...0.00.ssoecsessesoeee 28,219 
The list includes the works at Cleveland. Leaving these out, the 
Youngstown furnaces would show a larger percentage of Native ore, 
but would still leave the Lake ores far in excess. 
The Lake Superior mines being distinct organizations, and not 
connected with the smelting works, the price of ore is rather variable, 
and also the ore supply of the different furnaces of this district will 
vary in quality with the fluctuating value of the different Lake ores. 
This is especially true since the rapid development of the Marquette and 
Mennomonie regions has sent into the market very large amounts of 
second grade ore at a lower rate, somewhat lower in iron and higher in 
phosphorus and sulphur. 
To the above rule there are some exceptions, some of the furnace 
companies being owners of mines in the lake region, and depending tor 
a partial supply at least upon their own properties. 
The fuel used in this district is the Brier Hill block coal and Con- 
nellsvilte coke. ‘The use of coke has steadily increased, owing to the 
continued decrease in its price, until at present (1883) the furnaces of this 
district have almost entirely given up the use of raw coal, even in ad- 
mixture with coke. A letter from a prominent iron smelter relative to 
this matter, received October 10, 1883, says that “most of the furnaces of 
the Mahoning Valley use no block coal whatever, running entirely on 
Connellsville coke, and none use block coal entirely.” 
The block coal is a dry, open-burning coal, which is discussed fully 
in the report on coals. 
Where coal is mixed with coke it constitutes one-third to one- 
fourth of the fuel used. 
