Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-20
STEEL RAIL DEMAND.
A Plentiful Supply of Orders Has
Caused Stronger Feeling.
FUTURE INCREASE OF CAPACITY.
Reported Sale OF Belgian Beams Not Be-
lieVed in New York.
TIE MARKET ACROSS THE ATLANTIC
-ErEc1AL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH,

EFEcTAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcH.;
NEW YORK, June 19-The Iron Age in
its issue OF to-day has the following:
American pig-There is quite run Of
small orders which are generally taken by
the Northern furnaces. The majority OF
the Southern producers appear to have sold
so heavily in the West that they have little
to offer in this market, and are particularly
short of No. l. We continue to quote No.
1 foundry S1s61s so for standard Northern
brands. and s17@17 80 for No. q Southern
No. 1, S17G17 so, No. soft, SIC 50@16 as,
and No. 9. Sl6G16 30. Some contracts for
charcoal iron. for malleable iron works, !or
season delivery have been closed, apparently
at verv low prices A small lot of Michigan
iron was sold in this vicinity at S2l SO. South
ern charcoal is quoted on the basis of Sly at
Alabama furnace, but it is intimated that re-
ducuon 10 SIS may be made at an early date
SpieCeleisen and ferro manCanese-There has
been no business of any consequence; !" con.
time to quote nominaly SSl and SSl so for 20
per cent and SIS and SIS for so per cent ferro.
Wire rods-We note sale of l.5OO tons OF
bale tie rods, for delivery during the next five
months at private terms. For soft wire rods
S43 and S44 is quoted at sellers mill.
STEEL RAILS IN SHAPE.
Steel rails-1 he majority of the Eastern mills
report that their order books are in good shape
TO September with such reserves of capacity
rs are regarded safe to take care of what each
mill considers its particular trade. In
stances have occurred during the week of re-
fuSal on the part of mills TO take orders for
immediate delivery, and some of them give
even less encouragement to brokers than
they have done lately. There is quite
run of small orders and particularly satisfactory
demand for light and street rails. 1t looks as
though the sharp struggle for sumner business
is virtually over, and producers are now begin
ming to study the ground for the coming con-
rest over fall and winter work. One weighty
element in the situation Will be the
expected competition early IN September
of the remodeled South Chicago mill
of the Illinois Steel Company. practically
a new plant which will constitute
\ very notable addition TO capacity. There has
been some talk that the new rail mill of the
PENNSYLVANIA Steel Company, at Sparrows
Point will be factor in the business of the
fall and winter. We have good reason to be-
lieve that it will not I've. Although the construc-
tion of the plant is being pusheh vigorously, no
date has been set for Its completion.
1t is very doubtful, however, whether
it will be running before next spring.
about L. 900 tons per day. but that the mill will
be so designed that it can be run economically
at rate less than its full capacity. As it is
the Eastern trade is not likely TO feel the ad-
vent of this new plant during the coming
struggle for fall and winter business. During
the week under review, Eastern mills report
sales aggreCating about 10000. The Sparks
order for 10000 tons. it is understood, has
net yet been placed. 1t is generally acknowl-
edged that all things being equal, lt
will go to one of the Scranton mills. The re-
port of the Board of Control shows sales up TO
June of l,OS6. 600 tons, and deliveries of $685.
600 tons to the same date. This does not include
the Allegheny. Bessemer or the Colorado mills.
We quote SS1@SSl So Concessions might be
obtained under special circumstances for very
desirable desirable delivery, but not so readily
week ago, the market being undoubtedly
sitter for deliveries up to September l. We
note sale of 500 tons early delivery, by a
PIttsburg mill, at $50 50.
NO KNOWLEDGE OF IT.
Structural material-New York beam manu-
facturers do not claim to possess any knowl-
edge of the alleged capture OF a la ge contract
in indianapolis by Belgian makers. which has
so deeply agitated the Pittsburg newspapers.
They are inclined to be decidedly skeptical as
to Its accuracy. Since the Texas sales no busi-
ness Of any consequence has been done either
in German beams. which compare favor
ABLY with American sections, or in Belgian
beams, which do not. For the past
year or two very few, if any, for
eign beams have sold in the New York or
more readily reached than any Western point.
The price of American beams delivered at
Minneapolis is 3.3Oc. 1t is BLOC at New York.
It is clear that if foreign makers could under
sell at the Western point named they could do
it very much more easily on the Atlantic sea-
board. The reports of underselling by % per
cent are simply ridiculous. That would be
equal to 240c at New York In those sections
of the country in which they are known, Bel
glan beams, with their clumsy sections. found
customers only when the price was Lc less
than that of the American beams. and they did
not make any headway then German beams
are quoted l6O marks. f. o. b. shipping port. for
hase sizes, with l4s freight. With the duty of
1.25c per D, this makes the cost ex-ship
3.llc per H. without any allowance for extras,
ins. profit, etc. We quote 25826c for tees and
ale for beams and channels.
Fastenings-Only a few options of low prices
on fish plates are outstanding and better prices
are generally quoted We quote angles 1900
L95c. delivered; spikes. S2I2 TO- delivered, anu
bolts and nuts. 2.S5G3c.
Old rails-The inquiry continues very large
and general. but the majority of sellers are too
high, while only few buyers are willing to bid
S24 SO. We note a sale of 5, 600 tons of foreign
rails August delivery. to q mill in the Mahon-
ing Valley, at SIC 30 there. We quote S24 5O@
% rs. Foreign rails cannot be laid down here
for less than $24 so.