The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-02-13
RAIL WAYS CONTINUE
HEAVY BUYING
Three Hundred Thousand
Tons of Steel Ordered
SOUTHERN IRON WEAK
Big Orders for Railroad Cars Indicate
Soundness of Present Conditions,
Entirely offsetting Weakness
of Coke and Scrap Iron
SOUTHERN IRON WEAK

Cleveland, February r. (speeial.)-I
The Iron Trade Review tomorrow viii
say:
Positive evidence of continuance of
heavy consumption of pig iron and
finished materials transcends in impor-
tance the weakness of the market on
some products, particularly on coke,
southern pig iron and scrap. The mills
report that during the past week con-
sumers have been unusually insistent
upon deliveries. This is perhaps due to
the feeling among some buyers that on
account of reports of easier conditions
they ought to obtain deliveries with
greater promptness. Occasionally some
what improved deliveries are reported,
but for the most part the mills are
having much difficulty in keeping up
with their promises
One of the most encouraging iudi-
cations of the soundness of present con-
ditions Is the continued heavy buying
of railroads. There is also conf
dent expectation that there will be no
suspension of railroad orders already
booked, and these orders alone would
almost insure activity of many plants
throughout the year. The distribution
of the large Hartman order for cars,
calling for 13, 500 cars of various de-
scriptions, has been made the Pullman
company getting 5000 box and stock
cars, the Pressed Steel Car company
g700 gondolas, hopper and tank cars.
the American Car Foundry company,
2300 box cars, the Standard Steel Car
company, 1000 box and automobile cars
and cabooses, and the Bettendorf Axle
company 1900 work and fiat cars.
The Pennsylvania railroad has dis
tributed orders for 1890 cars as fol-
lows; The Cambria Steel company $500
hopper coke cars, the Pressed Steel Car
company $500 hopper coke cars, the
American Car and Foundry company SOC
eondolas and 1900 refrigerator cars, the
standard Steel Car company 1900 coke
topper cars and sos gondolas, the Rails
ton Steel Car company 800 gondolas,
the Western Car and Foundry company
500 gondolas.
The total order will call for about
5000 tons of steel.
The Norfolk and Western is seel1ing g
material for about $500 additional cars
TO be built at its own works and also
for 6500 tons of bridge material 1t is
understood that this road has arranged
for material for about 1000 of these
cars with Pittsburg mills The Car
negie Steel company will require six
months TO roll open nearlh steel rail-
sections, contracts for which have been
Specified while speeifcat tions on hand
for Bessemer dails Will keep the Car
Fegie mills busy for at least three
months.
u An important contract for a very
kfarge tonnage OF sheet bars has been
made with Canton, o., concern by en-
Independent steel company The con-
tract provides for payment based on the
price of Bessemer pig iron and deliv-
)eries cover a long period. Transactions
closed in the Pittsburg district for bill
lets and sheet bars indicate an adj
sancing market Leading consumers
IN that district have had great diff
kulty in placing orders.
J Existing reports of an advance in
wire prices by some of the independent
wire companies have not been con-
frmed. Some of the independents have
during the past few months lost con-
siderable business to the leading in
kerest which has pursued a very con-
|servative price policy and it is not like
iy that there will be any material ad-
Vance in wire products in the near
future.