The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-07
GROWING WESTERN
DEMAND FOR IRON
AND STEEL
JObbers Reaping More Bene,
fits Than the Mill Inter-
ests Twenty-Cent Adj
vance in Tin Plate--Con-
siderable Inquiry for Steel
2ails-Pig Iron Dull.

CHICAGO. March 6.-The Iron and
Machinery World says: There is again
this week evidence of a growing de-
mand for iron and steel. 1t is felt
chiefly in small way; that is, jobbers
are reaping it's benefits more notice
ably than mill interests. And with this
increased activity there is a strong
urdertone to the market. The advance
of 20 cents in the base price of tin
plate, from $3.50 to $3.50 per box, re-
stores One-half the reduction made last
fall and there is some further indirect
advance also in the application of
Pittsburg price plus freight from Pitts
burg to the output of some Western
plants. There is a lively inquiry for
tin plate and mills are generally run
ming full.
There is Improvement also in sheets.
Demand is notably increased this week.
and some independent makers have
marked up prices with a sharpness
that has disconnected buyers. and in
other lines reports are generally cor
respondingly excellent.
No Prompt Deliveries.
Buyers of pipe find they cannot OBJ
tain prompt deliveries and some in
quirers learn they cannot even obtain
prices for early delivery. The nail and
wire trade continues its previously
Well-defned activity with quotations
firm. Some scarcity is developing in
small angles.
But mill trade is not unusually ac-
tive. In some directions it is even
quiet. Little is doing in bars this
week, though there are some reasons
for anticipating a much brisker trade.
The effort to combine the independent
Western iron bar mills has not met
with success.
There is much inquiry for steel rails.
but the prospective buyers want early
summer deliveries and are making
quite stir among sellers of foreign
rails, of relayers and of rerolled rails
as substitutes. Meanwhile an occa-
sional contract is still placed for stand
ard sections with light rails in brisk
demand. --
Pig Iron.
There are a few inquiries for iron for
shipment during the third quarter OF
the year, and an occasional statement
is heard that several Of the large con-
sinners will soon try to contract for
that period, but as yet serious work
on these negotiations does not seem
to have been commenced. Business
may be considered very dull 1t is
mostly small lots for quick consump-
ton. One transaction involving 1000
tons of Ohio Bessemer iron is reported
II is taken by malleable interests who
ordinarily buy malleable Bessemer,
but are now unable TO procure the lat
ter
Concerning coke, a continuation of
formerly reported conditions exists.
The situation is not improving, the diff
fculty as formerly being purely one
of transportation. With embargoes
blockades, absence of motive power,
etc, the movement is anything but
satisfactory and Western interests. are
seriously discouraged over the contin-
ued scarcity.
Prices of pig iron are unchanged.
Meters say they can buy at a dis
count, but sellers are holding to quo
tations. These are the conditions as
they appear on the surface. And bust
ness at best is meager.
Bank CIearnqs.
NEW YORK, March 6.-The FOLLOWING
tdple compiled by BradStreet shows the
nahk cIearlngs at the principal cities for
me week ended March 3. with the per-
cehtaSe OF increase and decrease as com
pared pared with the corresponding week last