Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-08-23
aa.R sAr BOOM IN Iron.


The present tremendous boom in
iron has grown to such magnitude that
the countrys resources in iron ore are
greatly overtaxed, and the outcome is
problematical. The Iron Age in its
review of the metal trades says: What
everybody is watching for with the
keenest interest is the evidence that
present values are checking consump-
ton But this evidence is not forth
coming. Our contemporary adds:
1t is certain that in certain lines notably
in pig iron) the engagements for 1900 have
already been heavy. One Southern interest
is reported to have over l50,0O0 tons on It's
books while a large interest controlling a
very important industry has orders Tor
over 100000 tons of material secured. 1t
must not be forgotten either, that a good
deal of tonnage which cannot be delivered
in time will be carried into next year. In
steel rails alone this is Variously estimated
at from 100000 to 100000 tons
The New York Journal of Commerce
makes the following remarkable state
ment:
urquestionable authority. that the Carne-
gle Steel Company had placed contract
with shipbuilding concern on the Lakes
to furnish beams and plates throughout
1900 and 1901 at current high prices Fur
thermore it was stated that the purchas-
ers wished to contract for their supply IN
1892 at the same figures, but the Carnegie
Company declined the contract. 1t is fur
Their said that the Carnegie Company has
booked orders already for all the beams
and plates it can turn out up to February,
Loud complaint comes from steel
manufacturers, excepting the few who
make their own Bessemer pig, of the
serious shortage in this raw material,
he has not one-fourth enough iron to
fill his contracts. The Pittsburg letter
to the Iron Trade Review says:
The entire inadequacy of furnaces to sup
ply sufficient Bessemer pig iron for steel
making requirements is being further en-
phasized, and has lent additional streng I'll
TO the market in the past week. 1t is
really difficult to say what would be the
condition of the general iron and steel mar
ket were suficiency of pig iron of All
grades to be had. 1t is quite possible that
such a supply would decidedly change the
complexion of the finished material mar
ket. While this may be the case, it does
not affect the strength of the market, be-
cause of all iron and steel operations that
of making pig iron has been shown to be
the least flexible.
Other branches of manufacture de-
pendent on the iron industry are over
crowded with orders and the clamor
for iron grows instead of diminishes.
Here is partial list of orders for
equipment recently published by the
Railroad Gazette:
5000 freight cars. Atchison will build at its
own shops 800 box cars. Erie has placed
an order with the Pressed Steel Car Com
pany for 1000 steel cars. 1t is reported that
Chicago and Northwestern has ordered $500
freight cars from the Haskell & Barber
Company. Indiana, Illinois & Iowa has
ordered from American Car. and Foundry
Company 400 coal cars Of $4,000 pounds ca
paclty and eight caboose and five pasSen-
ger cars. The road will also place an order
for 100 box cars of $4,000 pounds capacity.
In addition to this there is a long
list of new locomotives ordered for
numerous different roads. AS to the
situation in the east, according to
the Philadelphia Record, it is on par
with that in the west, the pressure of
work being so great in some establish
ments in Philadelphia that the almost
unheard of experiment of night work
is being tried in the foundry of one
large machine tool works. While night
work is common enough in machine
shops in busy times, as rule the
foundries are always dark, being al
lowed to cool off after the pouring of
the molten metal, which is usually done
late in the day.
If nothing unforeseen happens to dis
turb the present situation 1900 should
be a year of unprecedented activity in
all branches of the iron business.
Our Democratic friends over the
river held a rousing convention yes
terday. They are in the fight for keeps
and to win.