The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-21
PIC IRON IS FIRM
AND FAIRLY ACTIVE
Sales of Southern Iron Past
Week $4,000 Tons
LITTLE SALE OF BARS
Heavier Specifications Against Con.
tracts Reported by Some of Lead
ing Manufacturers for Aug
ust Compared With July

Cleveland. O., August 2o.-1speeial)-The
iron Trade Review tomorrow will say;
Heavier specifications against contracts
are reported by some of the leading manu-
facturers for the first three weeks Of
August, as compared with similar period
in July
The tendency toward softening in fin
ished material prices is not so marked as
| it was week ago, and the volume OF
new business is very fair
That the consumption of steel works
is fully up to producing capacity is shown
| by the fact that large steel maker which
recently was compelled to blow out sew
eral furnaces for repairs, has entered
the market in the Pittsburg district for
large block of basic to fill the shortage
| in its requirements.
Tie company is expected to close within
a day or two for about 10000 tons. Sales
Of southern pig iron during the past week
amounted to fully 5000 tons, and the
market is showing Increased firmness
with S11 Birmingham, apparently the mimi
mum. Even or - tons of basic sold
for shipx.eiIr by the Steel corporation to
| British Isles it is understood that Sll
was obtained
The blowing out of stacks in the Chi
| oago district has brought about the
equalization of production and demand.
A. leading Virginia company has ad-
vanced prices 25 cents. after selling con-
siderable tonnage, including several or
ders taken from cast iron pipe companies.
A coupler company in New York state
| has purchased a part of the 5000 tons oil
basic for which it has been inquiring,
| and is still in the market for malleables.
Generally speaking. the pig iron market
is firm and fairly active. There has been
very little buying of bars by agricultural
II. plement manufacturers, partly because
mest of them have covered for their
requirements, and partly on account of
the unfavorable reports in regard to the
corn crop.
The prospects of reduced yield III west
ern states is making the implement conf
! panies conservative. While there is
tendency more liberal buying of bridge
material by railroads, it has not developed
into large tonnages, but heavier buying
at a not far distant date seems certain.
The New Haven railroad has an impor-
carry out, which will call for large tom
mage of shapes.
II is evident that the losses occasioned
by the floods of last spring will not be
met for many months. Railroads, cities
and counties are getting along with tenn
porary bridges, which must be replaced
by more substantial structures.
A very fair number of structural con-
tracts were placed during the past week.
The American Zinc and Chemical COM
panv has awarded 300 tons for the first
unit of it's new plant at Burgettstown,
Pa, to the McClintock- Marshall Construc-
! ticn company. This plant will ultimately
require 10000 tons. The general contract
for 10000 tons for the building of coaling
stations at Panama insures that tonnage
| for Steel corporation mills. Bids on 10000
tons for another section of the elevated
railroad extensions in Brooklyn has been
received.
An unusually large contract fer rein
| forcing bars is for 2600 tons required by
the Superior viaduct, Cleveland. The
| Hunting Cokey Construction company,
| Cleveland, is low bidder and will undoubt-
edIy receive this contract within few
days The McCiintock- Marshall Construc-
tion company has taken 1900 tons for
repair shop for the Lake Shore railroad
at Ashtabula, o.
New York. August 2o,-(Special)-Th
Iron Age will say tomorrow:
The appearance in several instances of
| the quotation of 81. 40 Pittsburg, on both
plates and structural steel, has been
matter of active comment in the past
week. Apart from their recent quota
tions on government work, 1t appears
that the largest producers have adhered
thus far to 81 .45. Several mills in the
central west have sold plate at 81 40 Pitts
olaa
have been quoted at 81.
OF particular interest to the plate mills
is the new inquiry that has come to
ship yards Sugar interests are reported
to be figuring on three vessels for Pan
! anna routes, and there are plans for two
vessels for Atlantic coastwise trade. Lake
shipbuilders are now making estimates
on three large boats for the ore trade.
The steel rail manufacturers loow for the
early appearance of inquiries for 1914. in
cludng that of the Pennsylvania rail-
road. Among recent export orders were
1000 tons of open hearth rails for the
Moganya railroad in Brazil and 1000 tons
of Bessemer rails for Japan.
Competition in sheets has been keener
and 1920 for No. 2S has been done on
much of the business of the past week.
Large contracts have just been closed
with automobiles and implement makers,
some of these extending to July, 1914.
Semi-finished steel has developed decid-
edly easier conditions IN the past 10 days.
On sheet bars sales this week by smaller
interests indicate decline of 81 ton
from the basis ON which third quarter
contracts were made some weeks ago.
The largest late sales of pig iron ap-
pear to have been made to pipe foun-
dries and to basic steel works
Foundry iron has been less active in
leading northern markets. few large
buyers have decided to pay the advances
asked. but furnaces have found less re-
sistance on the part of smaller meters.
Buying has been conservative and much
Is yet to be done for the fourth quarter.
HARRY THAW WILL
DIT I'M VERM0NT DIV