The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-09
CONSUMING STEEL AT 4 RECORD RATE Output of Furnaces for April Exceeds March INTERESTING FIGURES Railroad Buying Is Still Outstanding Feature of the Situation-Scar-
 city of Labor in Connells-
 vile Field
INTERESTING FIGURES
New York. May s.-(speciai )-Tho

New York, May s.--(Special.)-Th Iron Age will say tomorrow:
 Our statistics of pig iron production in April confirm what has been in- dicated by recent reports from steel making centers-tnat the country is TOW producing and consuming steel at the highest rate in it's history
 The output of blast furnaces con- nected with steel works was 1,S30,717 gross tons in the 30 days of April. against 1,S27,792 tons in March, 31- day month. The daily rate of pig iron production by steel companies last month was thus 61.024 tons or 2OO0 day more than in March
 The country's steel ingot production in April evidently was at a rate not far from 29,000,000 tons a year while the total for 1911 was 2S,675,oo0 tons.
 April production of pig iron by all furnaces-steel works and merchant was 2,375,4 436 tons, or 79,1S1 tons day, against 2,4o5,s1S tons in March, or IT, 5e1 tons a day. While the steel works furnaces gained over 2ooo tons a day the merchant furnaces fell off nearly 500 tons a day.
 Coke supply is the key to the situa- ton in merchant pig iron. Labor is scarce in the Connellsville field and the indications are against any early in- crease in production. The scarcity oe common labor is becoming more pro- nounced also at blast furnaces and steel works.
 Pig iron buying has fallen off in the past week after the free buying move ment of April. Meantime furnace con- panies are holding for the higher prices reached last month. On southern iron s11 for No. 2 is now the general min irium. but northern makers are con- siderably below the southern parity.
 The market fqwsemi- finished steel is stronger and in the central west some purchases have been made by steel companies to take care of temporary shortages.
 Railroad buying is still the outstand- ing feature of the situation About 200. .000 tons of rails and nearly 60,0o0 cars are reported to be under consid- eration.
 The car orders of the past 10 days amount to about 25.000. including 7oo3 for the Frisco system. Three additional steamers have been placed by the Amer ican- Hawaii Steamship company with the Maryland Steel company making a total of eight, filling up the Sparrows Point yard far into 1914.
 Cleveland, Ohio. May S.-(Special.)- Gradual extension of the time in which mills can make deliveries on finished products is strong evidence of the largo amount of business reeently booked. One important manufacturer of plates is naming 90 days as the time for the delivery and numerous manufacturers of bars are asking from four to nine weeks.
 This delay in making deliveries froni mills has resulted in marked improve ment in warehouse business and some iobbers have advanced their quotations from s1 to s2 per ton.
 Shortage of labor. especially of the common grade, is becoming an increas- ingly important factor. It is estimated that 5000 more laborers are needed in the Connellsville district. Blast furnace and rolling mill operators are also complaining of not being able to get enough men. Some mills are operating single turn for this reason. large miner has bought T 1000 tons of Bes- serler pig iron at s14.50 valley for June and July delivery and Is inquiring for about. SC, 900 tons additional. The same company has also taken 5000 tons of open hearth steel. Steel works are ur- able to keep up with the demand from the finishing mills. The April produc- tioas of mills in the, eastern territory was the best of the year. Mill activ- ities throughout the country are be- ing we'll maintained, except where the labor shortage prevents. Prices in some finished lines are being shaded about s1 per ton in the east, while in other sections of the country shading Is rare ly heard of.
 The ingot production of the United States Steel corporation for April ex- reeded 1,400, ,000 tons. or at the rate of over 100000 tons annually. The April output is about 50.00o tons below the record month of March. 1910, which had ore more operating day. The daily rate of output at present, which, in all prob- ability will be maintained for some time, will probably make new record this month
 The April pig iron output of the cor poration was close to the high mark. improvement is reported in the bar iron market at Chicago where orders at SIPS are becoming more common. Some mills, however. are still willing to sell at st1Tk at their plants. This Is par ticularly true in territory tributary to St. Louis and Cincinnati, Cleveland mills have declined to quote less than s1.2o. There is improved demand for hard steel. Specifications for sofe steel bars are heavy and four weeks is about the best delivery obtainable anywhere in the central west.
 SEES COMMISSION WORK