IRON AND STEEL. The United States is abun dantly provided by nature with resources that are necessary for the production of iron and its manufacture. (See MINING.) No other indus try compares with it in the absolute growth made since 1SSO. In 1890 the United States led the world in the production of pig iron and steel• and in 1900 its production of pig iron was 46 per cent. greater than that of Great Britain and its production of steel was more than twice as great as that of the rival country. In 1902 the United States produced 15.000.000 tons of steel out of a total world product of 35,000,000. Next to the United States were Germany, with Dm. The production of Bessemer pig iron in the census year amounted to 8,475.530 tons, while that produced by the basic open-hearth method amounted to 937,439 tons. Blast-furnace stacks decreased from 681 in 1880 to 399 in 1900, of which 326 were active. The value of iron rails manufactured decreased from $20,974,697 in 1880 to $31,180 in 1900. The value of steel rails manufactured, on the contrary, increased from $37,892,075 in 1880 to $60,272,575 in 1S90, and then decreased to $46,501,979 in 1900, this decrease being due to a fall in price, there having been a large gain in tonnage. The value of iron and steel
bars and rods, not including sheet or tin plate bars or wire rods, increased from $56.696,679 in 1880 to $100,597,221 in 1900. Other large items of manufacture in 1900 were iron and steel wire rods, $35,529,529; iron and steel hoops, bands, cotton ties, and skelp, $49,159,747; iron and steel boilers and other plates and sheets, except Dail and tack plate, black plates, or sheet for tinning and armor plate, $68,109,223; iron and steel roll blooms. slabs, billets, tin plate bars, and sheet bars, $96.321,S87. The following table shows the growth of the industry for the three leading States: 7.780,000 tons, and Great Britain, with 5,000,000 tons. The following table shows the growth since 1880 of the total iron and steel industry and of its three fundamental divisions: pig iron; steel ingots, steel castings, and rolled iron and steel; and iron blooms, billets, and hammered bar iron: See the articles IRON AND STEEL, METALLURGY OF; and PENNSYLVANIA.