The age-herald., 1901-12-22

largest measure and the demand covers every class. variety and grade. The visi- ble supplies are nil for there are no stocks at the coke and anthracite fur naces of any foundry or mill irons. Char coal irons continue in active request and the popular brands are sold heavily Into the future.
 The sales the past week have been for almost every period of delivery from im mediate to the latter half of 1902.
 As to prices, the associated Bessemer furnaces of the valleys continue the s15. .25 price for the steel works, but for foundry uees sales have been made as high as $16 cash. f. o. b furnace valley. Prices on lake ores have not been established for next year as yet and definite figures of cost of lake ore iron for next year. there fore, cannot be regarded as settled.
 Northern furnaces figure on the possl- bility of a higher cost and feel indisposed to chance sales at current prices for de- liveries six months forward, especially in view of the future possibility of freight advances. both water and rail.
 The southern furnaces still have on their books large tonnage sold at prices ruling two and three months ago, and the indications are they will advance their schedule of prices before the turn of the year
 The necessary cessation of outdoor work throughout the country is easing up in a measure the pressure from some sources for castings and structural ma terial; but the indictment weather Is se- riously augmenting the difficulties so long suffered from inadequate transportation facilities, so that the general dissatis- faction as to delivery of iron and coke has not '1essened preceptibly.
 As we noted in our market review a fortnight ago the trouble incident to transportation is not confined to the lack of cars alone, but the facts are greatly emphasized this week, that trackage and motive power are alike entirely insuf- ficient, and should the present immense business be prolonged, it will necessarily require many months to relieve the try ing situation as building tracks and loco motives require time.
 Chicago-Market conditions have not changed, except that less buying was done this week than for some time past.
 Foundry coke is scarce and in great demand for foundry purposes at high prices Owing to this scarcity the con sumption of pig iron has been reduced somewhat.
 Some foundries are reported shut down for lack of coke, and others, it is said, have resorted to the use of coal to help out.
 Prices are firm and the wonder is that they do not go higher under present con- dtions.
 The situation in regard to blast furnace coke grows worse instead of better. At the present writing nine of the Carnegie furnaces in the Pittsburg district are out of blast for lack of fuel, and in other parts of the country furnaces have been obliged to bank for the same reason. Authorities at Pittsburg say that it is not now a scarcity of cars, but a scarci- ty of track room and motive power and thoroughly demoralized condition of trainmen and railroad men in general owing to inadequate facilities for hand ling the enormous traffic. Of coke today in the Connelsville district there Is over 1500O0 tons on the yard that can not be moved, and a general shut down of blast furnaces throughout the country for a period seems almost inevitable. It is reported that Carnegie interests are considering voluntary shut down of all plants in order to give the railroads a chance to clean up and get a new grip on their business