The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-04

placed their orders with the leading in
terests which expects practically nor
NAL operations during the first half of
the year. Foreign makers of iron and
steel products are refusing 10 contract
at low prices now prevailing, and are
Following the policy of the American
mills in reducing operations for the
present
There has been some improvement in
prices of certain lines In Germany, but
depression continues throughout that
country and England. The only tom
mage of pig iron of any considerable
size reported was $4,000 tons of basic
for the Commonwealth Steel company, ST..
Louis, divided equally between two
makers in Chicago. Meters generally
find the iron already purchased ample
for present requirements and they
are not disposed to purchase tor next
year. Southern furnaces are apparently
holding firmly, $11.
The price of English ferro manganese
has been reduced SO per ton. The price
is now $47 seaboard, decline of $1S during
the year. The slowing down in demand
Tor iron and steel products throughout the
country is reflected in the decrease in
production of pig iron during the past
month, when the output was 223,099 tons,
decrease of 309,S25 compared with Oc-
tober. The average daily production was
l4,3G tons in November, compared with
Sl,933 tons in October. The loss was
largely from steel companies making iron
for their own use. The output was the
lowest since February, 1872, and a further
sharp decline this month seems certain.
Reports from steel plants finishing mills
and many other manufacturers concerned
Indicate continued reduction of working
forces. Many plants are working at from
40 to 90 per cent of capacity, and many
thousands of worlSingmen at from 40 to 90
per cent of capacity, and many thousands
of workingmen are idle. 1t is probable
following the plan adopted for Thanks
giving, there will be a general suspension
of activity for about two weeks, begin
ming shortly before Christmas.
The movement of ore from the Lake
Superior region by water last month was
considerably larger than had been esti-
mated, ii being 333, 468 tons, and making
the shipments to December / amount to
| 49,O20,S36 tons With the all rail move
ment added, the total movement for the
year will be nearly 50,000,000. Structural
bookings for the past week amounted 20
10000 tons, of which 12,0O0 tons went to
the American Bridge company, which has
orders enough on hand to keep 1t busy for
three or four months. Some very low
prices are being made. The Hobart es-
tate, San Francisco, has awarded 1740
tons for an office building to Milliken
Bros. The Bloomfield Bridge, Pittsburg
$500 tons went to the Fort Pitt Bridge
works. Awards of general contracts for
subway and elevated extension in New
York amounted to 81, 500 tons. The Ches-
apeake and Ohio order for 2000 cars will,
1t is expected, be placed very shortly.
New York December 3.-(Special 1.-THE
Iron Age will say tomorrow:
The November pig iron statistics will
show a sharp cutting down of the output
of steel works and blast furnaces, in
view of the curtailment in steel. For the
30 days the total was 2.233,603 gross tons
or 14.4o3 tons day. In October ii was
2,546.26l tons or S2,l53 tons a day
The November rate of production was
the lowest since February, 1872. There
was a net loss of II furnaces last month
The output on December l was at the
rate of 26,500,oO0 tons a year. 1t was at
29.000000 tons a year November 1.
1t Is expected that more blast furnaces
will be put out this month. The northern
pig iron market has been more active
but northern iron has declined In some
markets to the extent of 30 cents.
Southern pig iron producers have been
quoting s11 Birmingham for No. 2 foun-
dry lately on early delivery. Business
this week at Cincinnati and In other CEN
trail territory large lots have been quiet
under negotiations for the first quarter.
and the first half of 1914 on a basis con-
siderably below 5000 Birmingham, for
No iron.
Further reductions of running time by
steel works have been made in the past
week throughout the industry Ingot pro-
dnctiona is now estimated at so per cent
of capacity or Tess.
In the Pittsburg district a better in