Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-28
STEEL TRADE GROWS
At WONDERFUL RATE.
SINCE THE WILLS STARTED ORDERS
HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO KEEP.
THEM GOING A YEAR.
EVERY FORM IS INCLUDED
An Enormous Bemand for stesI Hails.
Big Orders Go BegEiug-PiE Iron
stock sold Up-PrIces Are Going IN
All ALONG the Line.

Never has there been such a flood
tide of orders in the steel trade as has
come in during the past days since
the mills resumed work. These orders
cover every branch Of the business and
there are already enough in to run the
mills to their full capacity for almost
year. This is true not only locally
but throughout the entire United
States.
The Cleveland Leader referring TO
this influx of orders says:
The revival of interest in the steel
trade came so close upon the heels
of tht resumption OF work that 1t has
taken the mill me- u0aWIres 1t has
also startled some Of The smaller buy
ers, who are nCw inquirlng aeryogsiy
for material. lest they be caught with
out the supply which they need, when
the mills have been sold up so as to
preclude the possibility Of further or
ders being taken.
The market at present represents a
wild
Rush 10 Get Under Cover
ing the excitement that might have
been put Off uESil after the frat OF the
year. Wild rImors of possible ad
vances have probably he'd something to
do with the stampede. but the result
is the same, that curing the last six
days probably more iron and steel has
been sold than during any one week in
the history Of the steel trade in this
section.
The rush began with steel rails. A
week ago 1t was said. upon authority.
that one-ffth of the steel rail produc-
ingcapacty for 1902 had been sold
Now il IS said upon the same authori-
" that two-thirds of ell the rails that
can be produced by the big companies
nevt year, running at the limit Of their
capacity. have already been contracted
for. The sales agents in this territory
have taken orders during the last
week for
100000 Tons ef steel Rails
for delivery after the first Of the year.
Included in that amount are orders
from the Burlington Railroad for 80,
coo tons. from the Chicago & North
western for 40 900 tons, anu from the
Chicago Great Western for 35 900 tons.
The buying seems to have bean largely
from the railroads lying west OF Chi
cago, which are now entering upon an
era OF physical improvement
These sales have all been made at
the agreed price OF the association gov
erning steel rail production. or at SIS
q ton. The present orders II not added
to by the sale of another pound Of
rail, would keep every steel rail mill
busy until the first Of September next
year: Those who make this announce
ment say also that the
Mills Producing sheet Bars.
slabs and billets are also tied UP by
contracts until the same time-Septem-
Der lst of next year-even if not an
other ton is contracted fyr now Slabs
are so heavily contracted ahead, with
specifications in for shipment soon,
that this week one big order of 5000
tons went almost begging among the
larger mills, and those who needed the
material had 10 search around among
the smaller plants to obtain il, the larg-
er ones not being IN position TO maze
satisfactory delivery.
,Billets gre in about the same cOndi-
ton. The mills are nominaily quoting
S24 on the larger sizes, but are not
aole to make deliveries, and those who
have to have billets are going among
the jobbers and paying premiums rang
ing from 81 to 81 or q ton. The in
quiry has been so heavy for the small
e. sizes OF billets that the assoeia-
ton, at a recent meatng, decided 10
pat up the price somewhat. and Ma ked
cur an advance Of SO ON the Ton. This
makes the market quotation $50 in
stead OF S27 which was the agreed price
until the steel strike was over. Sheet
bars. which are included in the list OF
heavy ordering fer future use. have
come into .arge demand with the open
ing Of the sheet mills. and while the
price has remained stable, the demand
is extraordinarily heavy.
Coming next in interest are the
products OF the
Mills Which Were Tied Up
by the steel strike. Hoops, bands,