Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1899-09-08
tractors and builders are calling for
impossible thirty and sixty day deliver.
les OF mill products.

impossible thirty and sixty day deliver.
les of mill products.
The shortage in structural material,
says the Herald" is so serious that
contractors are valnly offering bonuses
to the manufacturers TO push their
work. Ii is but a short time sine;
structural iron and steel were advanced
= ton, and it is predicted that there
will be another increase within few
days. According To the experts, the
railroads are the most seriously affect
ed by this remarkable state of the iron
and steel market, and already Ameri-
can agents are at work in the English
market obtaining options upon Scotch
steel. The demand for mill products
is increasing daily, and those who are
responsible for the supply frankly adj
nit that they are unable to cope with
the abnormal situation. Contractors
and builders are growing desperate and
are daily begging those who hold them
in bond to release them from obliga-
tons the fullillment Of which has been
made impossible by conditions for
which they are not repolsibe
From Chicago il is reported that
railroad tonnage is on a scale never
before equaled, and Is still mounting
higher. AS for the iron and steel trade
the exports for June actually fell off
owing to the great home demand.
The domestic requirement was SO en-
ormous that material could not be
spared for foreign shipment.
The demand has caused the resurrec-
ton OF mills believed to be dead Old
plants that have been idle for years,
chiefly from competitive causes, have
been reopened and put in operation.
If a manufacturer wants material
three months hence he must buy now
and pay the prices that are current.
The clamor for material is in no way
relieved. There have been large sales
of pig iron for delivery in 1900. Iron
bars cannot be bought under four
months delivery from the mill.
Vessel owners of Chicago having
suitable bottoms for the transportation
of iron and steel cannot ill orders.
Two years ago prices were forty-iive to
fifty cents ton for the haul from
Lake Superior to Lake Erie. Now the
rate for ore from Duluth to Lake Erie
is Sl,30 a ton, and will go higher.
In Philadelphia the big shipyards,
Notwithstanding the boom n their IN
dustry, have been compelled to lay off
hundreds of men because of delay in
the arrival of material. Extensive
building operations have been halted
and others abandoned. Charles Nc
Caul said: 80 my knowledge GER
tain big building concerns within tie
last few days have tried to contract
with local companies for structural
steel, to be be delivered year from
now at prevailing prices. The propos-
ais were refused
The PhGnix Bridge Company is Ii
able to penalty of $50 per day for
failure to complete the big bridge over
the Schuylkill River at Gray's Ferry.
The delay is due to the steel famine.
The Director of Public Works has de
cided not to enforce the penalty.
Pittsburg manufacturers of iron and
steel say they see no relief tor New
York contractors. The demand is so
far ahead of the output that it will take
many months for the trade to catch up.
The Carnegie Steel Company, it is said,
will not take orders for structural steel
for delivery under twelve months.
Last week S3S ton was paid for bill
lets. Two years ago the price was $l4.
The pig iron manufacturers will not
quote prices for delivery this year.
The iron and steel industry, it will
be remembered, is Projections biggest
and healthiest child. 1t is an industry
which Free-lraders twenty-five or thirty
years ago declared could not be built
up by Protective Tariff. Yet today
the United States leads the world in
the production of iron and steel. Big
as the industry has become, it is not
able to supply the requirements of the
great home market in these times of
Mckinley prosperity. AS an index of
the general conditions that have grown
out of the restoration of the American
policy the iron and steel situation is in
teresting and instructive.