The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-02
ENSLEY MILL GETS
SOUTHERN ORDER
Railroad Places Order for
5000 Tons of Rails
PIG IRON IS QUIET
September Proves Disappointment in
Small Orders From Railroads
and Other Important
Interests
PIG IRON IS QUIET

New York october 1.--}speciaL)
The Iron Age will say tomorrow:
The conservative attitude Of buyers
is emphasized as the accumulatiops on
steel works order hooks are reduced.
The announcement Of the conference
agreement on the metal tariff and the
passage of the bill by the House cleared
up the doubts as to particular items.
but apart from inquiries for foreign
iron and steel prices and the efforts
of dealers on this side to interest Eu-
ropean producers in American repre-
sentation, there are no real tariff de-
velopments IN the steel trade as yet.
Eastern mills are feeling the fall
ing off In business first. as is always
the case At Pittsburg The prospect OF
holding the present rate of operations
for some weeks is an important in
auence There is no such price cutting
as in some other years has marked
even the early stages of pel1od OF
transition. HA
Rail inquiries in chicago district
amount to nearlya quarter million tons
and 1t is likely the railroads Will ar
range for 1918 rollings on u portion
OF this business. october is expected
to bring a number of orders. The South
ern railway has placed 5000 tons with
the Ensley mill.
In the steel pipe trade some read1nst-
ment OF prices is looked for.
The firmness of the pig iron marker
is in contrast with present conditions
in. finished lines. Comparatively little
iron has been bought for 1914 anu
melters are carrying light stocks
Enough furnaces have gone out to ad-
Just production quite closely 10 con-
sumption.
Cleveland, o., October Especially
The IRON Trade Review tomorrow VIII
say:
Prices of finished materials are grad
ually settling as pig iron prices did
some time ago, and probably there Will
not be much heavy buying until wha-
consumers consider rock bottom quo
tations are reached.
September was a distinct disappoint-
ment in not being characterized by
considerably more liberal buying by
railroads and other important interests.
Mill activities are gradually being re
duced and ii is probab BILE that during
the next few weeks numerous blast
furnaces VIII be blown out and steel
plants placed on the idle list. This dis
position will be to stop production rath :
er than sell at Improbable prices.
There is no fears however that this
curtailment of production will he made
rapidly or carried to such an extent as
to cause severe distress among the
working people
on the contrary there is reason for
believing that after reduced production
for a while, a decided increase will be
justifiable Wire business is improving
and liberal orders are being received
especially from the agricultural interests
Western mills of the American Steel and
Wire company are operating at pract-
cally full capacity and shipments are
heavy. 49,
No changes in quotations are expected
little more activity has been notice
able in the Pfttsburg pig iron market,
where malleable company closed fol
about 5000 tons for next years shipment
at about Sl4.50 valley and another COM
pany took 1000 tons of prompt malleable
While several other 500 and 1000 TO lots
of various grades were disposed of in
eastern territory.
Pig iron Is quiet but prices are vel
maintained. The eastern Pennsylvania
consumption continues heavy except in
the case of steel works, which are oper-
ating at only about so per cent of ca
lacty- Prices in the Buffalo district
are somewhat easier and IA furnaces foi
No. ? can be done desirable business
The southern situation continues favor
able and there is very little iron oh.
tainabe at less than 81 so.
Steel making irons are quiet but a
radiator company is in the market foi
5000 tons Of basic for delivery after Jan
uary l. Another. sharp advance In fero-
manganese has taken place and more
than a thousand tons have been sold
for early delivery> al $52 30 seaboard, with
the duty included or $50 with duty free,
as provided in the new tariff bill Ow-
. ing to the low price and the removal OF
uncertainty concerning the tariff 1t is
expected that there will be more buy-
ing and several thousand tons are pend
ing.
Railroad buying is still Disappointing
The Delaware, Lackawanna and West
ern has issued an order for 5000 tons of
steel for it's terminal at Buffalo. consid-
cradle railroad bridge work is in prog-
ress. but much of it is in rather in
definitesfor Announcement as to rail
read orders is expected at an early date
Steel bars continue to be the strongest
product in finished materials so far as
prices are concerned. The demand for
reinforcing bars for concrete construc-
ton is especially strong. Bar iron con
tlnues weak and some of the mills have
very few orders on hand
In spite of the determined efforts of
the coke producing companies to maintain
the $3.50 price for prompt and contract
furnace coke. increasingly large tonnaees
are being offered at from s215 to 80 oO
this quarter.
MORE TIME NTEn