The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-08-19
INDUSTRIAL WORLD.

The New York Journal of Commerce
states that iron trade is in the midst of
a great buying movement of pig metal
| Contracts have been placed during the
past week III the eastern Territory alone
| for 100000 tons, of which 75 Der cent.
has been foundry iron, while IN tbe Pitts-
burg district additional orders have been
placed tor 6OOOO tons of Steel-making
IRON Since the first of July contracts
east of the Allegheny mountains have
aggregated 100000 tons and about 100
600 tons in the PittSburg territory
Nearly all large consumers have been
represented in the movement. Not only
| have pipe works, agricultural Implement
| and radiator manufacturers been in the
market. but railroad equipment shops,
especially manufacturers Of cars, car
wheels and malleable castings. have been
prominent buyers, while railroads them
selves have bought fair tonnage. Or
ders of unusual magnitude have been
placed for malleable and gray iron cast
ings in the eastern territory, especially
in New England, while there has been
a great volume of business in hardware
lines, especially in butts, shapes, and tee
hinges. Manufactures in this line re-
Gently anticipated the revival in trade by
placing a contract for steel billets with
the Pennsylvania Steel company calling
for shipments at the rate of 5000 tons
per month for a period of five years.
Other large manufacturers OF saws and
tools placed similar contracts aggregat-
ing 5000 tons per month for the same
period, making total billet sales 100000
tons on a sliding scale basis.
The railroads have placed additional
contracts for rails aggregating about 15,
900 tons, including $4,000 tons rails to
be re-rOlled for the New Haven. These
orders have already been noted and spe-
1lxv g..
Maine. and there are negotiations for
about 10000 tons additional. Bridge
orders have been small aggregating only
$500 tons.
The orders placed for buildings have
also been unusually small, calling for
only about 1000 tons of steel.
Activity in cal building continues, con-
week for between 5000 and 1000 cars not
including 1000 mining cars, as well as
additional orders for steel underframes,
while contracts are under negotiation
for about 10000 cars, 10000 of which,
if not more, probably will be placed dur
ing the balance of this months. Since
the first of July orders have been placed
for 10000 to $1,000 cars making the to-
tai since the first of the year nearly
10000.
Orders for locomotives while still mod
crate are increasing, 1853 having been
placed within the last ten. days.
Because of the larger orders for equip
plain structural material for car shops
and bridge shops, and the aggregate is
very heavy. There have been larger.
orders for forgings and castings, aggre-
eating fully $4,000 tons, including orders.
for the Panama canal
The Boston & Maine Railroad com
nor ha6 Mo nd
these rails is said to be $2S per ton
for the Bessemer rails, while a premium
of So is charged for the open hearth rail.
A Baltimore dispatch states that the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad company has
asked for bids on 5000 freight cars, 10
passenger cars and 90 locomotives. This
inquiry involves an expenditure of be-
tween 100000 and $1O,000,000. 1t is:
stated that the order for freight cars in
cludes 2OCO steel-end coke cars. 1000
drop-end gondala cars, 100 box cars, 800
ventilated box cars and 500 refrigerator
cars of the latest design. The locomotive
order consists of 80 Atlantic type engines.
and 80 consolidation freight engines.
A New York dispatch states that most
of the steel mills are unable to make
shipments under six to eight weeks and
many of them not for three months. Pre-
miums of 81 to So per ton are being paid
for prompt shipment, and even higher
prices for small lots to- be shipped from
stock. There is more active demand
for .4billets apd. bloomss- Inquiries aggre-
eating 10000 -tons.s., Contracts for rails
have been placed for $4,000 TONS of
heavy and light sections and $4,000 tons
or re-rolling rails. @ M
According to, the fortnightly statement
of car surplusages and Shortages by the
American Railway association, the total
car surplusages.S has been reduced. by
1861 cars during theg two weeks ended
July z. The total of, idle cars now is
260,277. The, surplusage of coal cars
was smaller than reported thus far in
1909. Traffice, gains were most pro-
nounced along the lines operating in New
England and the middle Atlantic states,
extending throughout Ohio, Indiana,
Michigan end western pennsylvania.
Small decreases in idle caEsS!we also
shown, in the south Atlantic and Gulf
states.
It is understood that the new $1,75O,-
600 Westinghouse Storage Battery COM
pany will to a large extent be a patent
holding company, which,, will represent
all of the developments and patents ON
storage batteries that have been brought
out after some years of experimenting
at East Pittsburg. Those in position
to know assert that the Westinghouse
interests have been working steadily and
quietly on a new form of storage battery
for some time. 1t is claimed. that with
the latest discoveries storage batteries
have become possible for the severest
commercial use and tests have been
made in mill locomotives and other forms.
of heavy. work which are said to be al
most startling. The new batteries are
lighter and of vastly greater capacity.
The Youngstown Sheet and Tube COM
pany has bought $4,000 tons of Bessemer
iron from the Bessemer Pig Iron asso-
citation at $3.50, valley, an advance of
% cents over the price paid a fortnight
ago. Deliveries begin at once and ex-
tend through September. The mini
mum prices are now $3.50, valley, or
S16.4O,, Pittsburg, and it is thought that
the market will soon advance % cents
more. .. 81 @