The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1914-09-18
THREE-FlFTHS
OF CAPACITY
Steel Plants Operating on Basis
of Sixty Per Cent of Full
Output.

To begin the present week, opera
lions of the steel plants over the coun-
| try are estimated to be on a basis of
so per cent of capacity. The situation
in the industry is said to be without
particular change. New business is
coming in slowly, but specification
are considered satisfactory.
While no large export inquiries have
States Steel corporation officials aver
increase in foreign trade. 1t is point
ed out that the corporation has shown
an increase in its untitled orders each
month since May 81, indicating grad
ual improvement in trade up till the
end of August. Its new business in
August, according to estimates, was
at the rate of about $4,000 tons a day,
and shipments were at the rate of 3D.
900 tons daily. That, it is taken, would
show that its plants were operating
at the rate Of approximately 10000
900 tons year, or at 70 per cent Of
capacity.
The American Sheet & Tin Plate
company will work it's tin mills at
Sharon at full capacity this week, and
the American Steel & Wire com pany
continues to operate at about rs per
cent of capacity. The Sharon Steel
Hoop company is also running at full
capacity and reports business better
than it has been for some time.
Commenting on the export outlook,
the Iron Trade Review says: "The
enlarged field for export trade in
American steel products presented as
the result of the realignment of Eu-
ropean sources Of supply, still is de-
veloping substantial results very slow
ly. The inquiry from abroad remains
good and in different directions, poll
cies are being shaped, which eventual
| ly will rebound to the benefit of the
domestic manufacturers, but the un-
certainty over foreign exchange and
credits remains a deterrent factor.
Some foreign orders continue to be
booked but the total of these has not
been heavy proportionally. On some
classes of business, notably semi-fin-
ished steel for England, American
manufacturers are asking several dol
lars ton higher than the domestic
market and up to this time the buy
ers abroad have not seen fit to pay
the figure"
Steel Prices Firm.
Steel prices continue firm. There
has been a better demand for billets
and prices for all kinds of semi-finish-
ed products are we'll maintained.
While structural steel orders are in
dividually small, they are mounting
up into a fair aggregate.
Since the war started, quotations in
oil h1
about So per ton above the low prices
for the year which prevailed in July.
Tin plate, which sold at 1925 base
1ox month ago. is now quoted at
$40, reduction, however, of 20 cents
"omnared with a week ago The re-
duction was brought about through
the promised relief of the shortage in
pig tin by importations from Wales
Pig tin sold three weeks ago at 81
cents pound. but it has now dropped
back to normal figure, 38 cents a
pound.
Leading steel men consider that
prices in many products will be fur
ther increased before the end of this
year. 1t is thought that in case of
large volume of export orders, the at
tendant good prices offering through
the elimination of foreign competition
will allow steel companies to greatly
broaden their scope of operations.
CANADIANS COMING TO U. S.
SUPERIOR, Wis, Sept. 17.-Im-
migration from Canada since the be-
ginning Of the European war has
nearly trebled, the totals being for
July of this year and August of last,
according to Brown Mcdonald of Su-
perior, immigration officer for the
twin ports. While the flow of immi-
grafton to the Atlantic seaboard has
practically stopped. thousands are
coming through daily from Canada.
Since Aug. 10, it is officially report
ed, more than $50 immigrants have ar
rived at this port from Canadian
points and everyone has declared his
intention of remaining permanently
The Immigration to this corntru ut