The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-14
WESTERN TRADE IN
METALS CONTINUES
CRIPPLED
This Is Due to the INSULT
cheney of Transportation
Facilities-Pig Iron Is
Stronger in Tone-With-
holding Of Iron Makes the
Supply Short.
The Iron and Machinery World says

The Iron and Machinery World says
today:
Five of the blast furnaces of the ILL
nOiS Steel company are idle this week
because sufficient coke cannot be OBJ
tanned to keep them in operation, and
because of the consequent scarcity of
Bessemer pig iron the steel mills at
Joliet, except the rail mills, have been
compelled to close. This condition ex-
lists, although the. company have a
number of men out on the road trying
to get the delayed coke to furnaces.
The fuel is produced in ample quanti-
ties, but motive power cannot be pro-
cured to move it. An Eastern loco
motive expert is authority for the
statement that fifteen locomotives are
sent to the scrap heap every day, an
annual total of $500, and that the pro-
,ducing capacity of all locomotive
works in the country is only 5000 per
year, net gain of only 500 locomo-
tives, which is scarcely sufficient to
take care of the normal growth of
traffic.
Based on this and other conditions,
there is scant reason to expect any ma
terlal improvement in. the traffic stu
alton for a long time, if traffic main
tainS it's present value. In fact the
mills, or some of them, are so hamper
ed by the insufficiency of transporta-
catch up with their orders. This points
to the indefinite continuance of activi-
ties.
Requirements of Railroads.
Moreover, there seems no end to the
requirements of the railroad compa-
MES for material to be used in the
making of permanent improvements.
During the past week about 10000 tons
of steel rails have been sold, and there
are now live inquiries for about $4,000
tons, which will probably be closed
within ten days or two weeks, most of
the business going of necessity to the
Eastern mills, the Western producers
having sold output up for the year.
Nor can enough steel be obtained for
the construction of steel cars, the de-
mand for which is persistently large.
To some extent the impediments to
transportation are affecting the con-
sumption of iron and steel also, idle
ness from this cause appearing in
spots in various parts of the West.
Otherwise the consumption of the
metals shows fully normal proportions
or above it. There is no large buying
movement now in progress, but users
are ordering in goOdly tonnagesi on.
their contracts. Prices are firm to
strong, the present scarcity of material
being an effective upward influence.
Steel bars are not to decline, and the
Independent makers Of pipe are 1ad-i
vanctng quotations.
Pig Iron. 81 .
The tone of pig iron is stronger@this
week. This condition is to be chroni-
cled in the face of what everyone con-
cedes to be a dull market. Two, or
three lots of 500 tons each have been
sold, one or two for 800 tons each, and
fairly good car loads business is re-
tod Io1l FA,. i;
ment. Spot iron is difficult to obtain,
and the manifest reason is that theerail-
roads are slow in getting the iron that
is shipped moved to destination. It is
related that $50 cars of Southerns!pig
iron have been dumped on the ground
at Cincinnati, Louisville and other
junction points with Northern roads,
simply because the latter are unable
to furnish the cars for the transfer.
And there is, moreover, large quantity
of incoming iron slowed away on side
tracks for an Indefinitely prolonged
stay This Withholding of iron, which
otherwise would speedily reach desti-
nation, is making the supply quite
short, SO that there is much shopping
about for little iron to piece out until
supplies on the way are received.
There are still heard reports that
prices have been shaded, but they
seem to lack confirmation. The leadinx
selling interests are holding to the
basis of $3.50, Birmingham, for No. Q
foundry, or $22.S5, Chicago, and for
quick delivery some sellers are a re-
ceiving a dollar more.
Too High for Them.
There is a little inquiry for the Sec
ond half Of the year, but it is not large.
The inquirers are not obtaining quota
lions much if any below those for ear
lier shipment, and are disappointed
thereat. Hence they are not as yet
purchasing. The production of local
iron is hampered beyond all patience
by the inadequacy of coke, the lack
keeping one furnace out of blast and
limiting the production of those that
are active OuOt atiOOC follow.