New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-11
T.. S. STEEL TURNED DOWN
Lines Place Record Order
7cih T. &. and /. Com pany.

The largest individual order for steel rails
ever placed with a single steel company has
been given to the Tennessee Coal and Iron Com
pany by the Hartman lines. The contract calls
for 100000 tons of steel rails. representing
gross business Of close to 81 100000 OF this or
der 10000 tons for the Union and Southern
Pacific systems and the remainder for the Illinois
Central The contract calls for delivery in 1905
at the rate of 1000 tons month. The rails
To be of the open hearth variety. rather
than Bessemer. which until now the Hartman
lines have been buying. The Tennessee Coal and
Iron Company has practically sold its entire
possible production OF steel rails for the first
eight months of next year 1t is expected the
company will produce between 100000 and
100000 tons in 1908.
Heretofore the Hartman lines have placed
their steel rail orders with the United States
Steel Corporation, and in view of the statement
Thursday by r, Ii. Hartman of the large num-
Der Of broken rails on the roads of his system
the placing of the order With the Tennessee Coal
and Iron Company has caused considerable COM
:nent. The United States Steel Corporation is
building open hearth plants its Gary works
An engineer who is we'll informed on steel
rail making said yesterday that the chief rea-
son for the many defective rails could be
found in the fact that they had not been
properly rolled al the mills He said all the
breakage had been with heavy section rails
which are replacing light section rails. and that
the producers We're treating the heavy rails with
given 10 the rails of lighter weight
+. II. Gary. chairman Of the United States
Steel Corporation. says II rails We're heavier fewer
would be broken. and that I'm his judgment. 10
meet the demands from the heavier equipment
now employed by the leading railroads rail
Weighing l 10 pounds should be the standard.
instead of the 50 or go pound rail now in use.
When a contract for the manufacture of steel
rails is placed. the steel company receives exact
stpuations TO their composition. and with
these specifications To work upon the rails are
made subject to the test OF the company and
the test of the representative OF the railroad
In the last sixteen years the record of of
the subsidiary companies of the United States
Steel Corporation shows that II has delivered
the entire period there We're only 2.232 tons
that failed.
Whether the steel rail breakage OF recent
months has been due To- the intrinsic quality of
the ores used to the process OF manufacture Or
the immense strain OF growing tonnage Is an
open question. With a view OF recOnCtiiug all the
divergent views committee OF experts has been
appointed. both the railways and manufacturers
of steel rails being represented the commit
tee. Judge Gary said yesterday concerning the
work OF this committee.
THE manufacturers or steel rails and railroad
companies both realize that conditions relating
to railroad operations have materially changed,
and that IL is desirable 10 every practicable
preCaution against accident With this end In
view committee Of experts. appointed by the
American Railway Association. is in consultation
withsa committee Of experts representing the
manufacturers Every suggestion for the i'm
careful consideration. and IL is believed the
manufa cturers and railroad managers will agree
upon standard Of excellence that should not
be questioned"