The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-10-09
CONTRACTION IN VOLUME
OF ORDERS CONTINUES
Steel Corporations Unfilled Orders Ex-
pected to Show Large Reduction for
September-New Orders Fell OFF
Last Week

The 81 Iron Age says: Contraction
In the volume of new orders for steel
products continues. Its effect on the
operation of mills has not been pro-
nounced thus far, though in some lines
specifications also are falling off con
siderably, but it is plain that running
schedules must be cut down more be-
fore they improve.
The Steel Corporation IS total of un-
filled orders which will be published
this week is expected to show a large
reduction for September. Last week It's
ingot production was at so per cent. of
capacity, and this has been substantial
ly the rate for several weeks. New Or
ders have fallen off sharply with all
steel companies in the first week of Oc-
tober. Some have booked at 25 per
cent. of capacity this month; in the
Chicago district the rate has been but
little over 10 per cent. Following the
record Of the year, another buying
movement would be due in December.
The preceding ones were January Feb
ruary and June-July.
the posting of the required 90-day
notice of wage readjustment by the
Carnegie Steel Company has been wide
ly interpreted as pointing to general
reduction. The fact is tnat, while for
merly this notice was given each year,
whether reductions were made or not,
it has been omitted for two or three
years and now its posting is resumed.
For the Steel Corporation the statement
has been made that it has not now
any intention of reducing wages.
Publications of specific export orders
for steel in the past week have includ-
ed much guesswork. Other weeks since
the war opened have had larger totals,
but the volume is still good Thus far
none of the expected 100000 tons of
sheet bars for Great Britain has come
to this country. Wire rod and wire
business has been notable. European
governments have ordered on a consid-
cradle scale in several lines, and the
machine tool trade has been particularly
encouraged by these orders
Plate mills have been the hardest hit
by the stagnation In railroad and other
home-buying and there is larger per-
centage of idle plate capacity than in
any other line. At Chicago prices have
got to 1.1Oc Pittsburgh basis, and
l.loc Pittsburgh can readily be had
in the East. The two battieships on
which bids were opened this week will
each require 1900 to IA, 900 tons of
plates.
The lackawanna S latest rail order,
about $4,000 tons, has been virtually
closed, going to an eastern Pennsvi-
vania and New York State mill. The
Southern railway will buy $500 tons
additional. For the present the C. H.
& D. orders for 1000 ears reported
placed some weeks ago are held up for
lack of financing.
Scattering inquiries for galvanized
sheets for South Africa, India, China,
Cuba and the Philippines is an inter
esting feature as the home market
drags.
In the tube trade, with merchant de
mand still hating, two line contracts
have been taken-l0 miles of 6-inch
pipe for the Greensboro Natural Gas
Company in Pennsylvania and five miles
of 10-inch for the Oklahoma Natural
Gas Company.
Pig iron production fell off in Sep
tember, the total being 1882, ,517 tons,
or 62,759 tons day, against 1,995,-
261 tons, or 64,363 tons day, in Au-
gust. There was net loss of II fur
naces and the capacity active October
! was 60,427 tons a day, the smallest
since July, 1911. Merchant furnaces
turned out 16,409 tons day in Sep
tember which is their smallest rate in
three years.