The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-19
GREAT ACTIVITY IN INDUSTRIAL WORLD Big Demand for Pig Iron and Finished Products FURNACES BLOWN IN Belligerent Nations Make Heavy Inquiries for Munitions and
 Barbed Wire
FURNACES BLOWN IN

Cleveland. August 1s.-tSpecial)-T Iron Trade Review tomorrow says:
 Industrial activity Is expanding and buying of pig iron and finished material Is very heavy, while inquiries for material for export are accompanied by insistent requests for earliest possible delivery. The Steel corporation is blowing .n s me blast furnaces and is now eperatn all. ut go per cent of blast furnace capacity. The Steel corporation has taken orders for S. = 900 tons rails for Russia, making a total of orders for rails and track material for that country placed with American mills between 25oO 900 and 300.o00 tons
 Although pig iron prices have continued to advance steadily during the past weeh activity of buyers has not aratcd. It is true that in many cases inquiries have not resulted in orders being placed. hut this Is frequently due to the conservative t policy of sellers who are not anxious 10 take on orders for large .onnages for delivery during the first half of next year. An illustration of this policy is found in the Philadelphia district, where there is considerable inquiry for next year upon which furnaces are not acting.
 Inquiry Active
 One buyer in that territory has of- fered N550 delivered for 10000 tons basic and another would like to purchase from 3oooo to 5000 tons. An eastern buyer not in Philadelphia district is inquiring Tor from 5000 to 5000 tons for the first quar- ter next year
 In the New York territory sales of week amounted to large tonnage. includ- ing from 10000 to 15,00o tons placed by Naxr I..rE Al. important inquiries pending in New York is for 20.0O0 tons of mixed grades for next years delivery to consumer having a number of plants. National Enameling and Stamping company of St. Louis has purchased from Chicago furnaces from 5000 to 5000 tons basic for first quarter delivery. Large sale of malleable also has been made at Chicago last week At Cincinnati shelter has bought 400o to 5000 tons foundry iron for last half.
 Sharp Decline in Spelter
 Sharp decline in price spelter has brought about reduction in quotations on galvanized pipe ranging from ss to SIP ton, according to size. Decline in spelter has also affected galvanized sheet market on which quotations now range from S75 cents to cents Pittsburg on No. 2S gauge Full extras are still obtained on gal vanized wire
 July made an excellent showing on structural contracts awarded tonnage be- ing largest for 16 months with exception of one month.
 Inouiries for barbed wire for export to belligerent nations are appearing in very large volume with urgent demand for early delivery. This demand cannot however, be met by mills most of which cannot promise delivery before January 1. An advance in price of plain wire at an early date is probable, Latest in duiry Tor bar ma terial for manufacturers of shrapnel Is for 100000 tons for one of the European nations Many other in- quiries ofasmilar character are pending Demand from automobile manufacturers ts also very strong, and it is evident that they will not be able to obtain de- sired deliveries.