The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1915-05-21
FURNACESCL0SE
UP PAClTY
Steel Plants Are Operating On
A Basis of 70 to Is
Per Cent.

Iron and steel plants, taking the
country over, are estimated to be op-
Grating on a basis of between 70 and
IS per cent of capacity this week, and
views of the leading authorities in
the trade are steadily growing more
optimistic.
While the Lusitania affair is said
to have brought about a slight slow
ing up in the placing Of domestic
orders in some ines,sexport business
is upon an increasingly broad scale
and quotations are being we'll main
tanned in the various products.
Charles M. Schwab, president of the
Bethlehem Stel company, is estimat-
ed to have booked at least 500, ,0OO,-
900 in war contracts. The corpora
tons plant at South Bethlehem, Pa,
is operating at full tilt. Most of its
departments are humming day and
night, and the totals number Of en-
ployes on its payrolls is said to be
over 10000. The shrapnel contracts
closed by it are estimated to be larger
in the aggregate than those booked
by competitors, and on account of in
adequate capacity to meet the extra
ordinary demand, work amounting to
several millions of dollars in value
has been farmed out to other COM
panies.
Contracts of the American Locomo-
tive company, New York Air Brake
company and the Westinghouse Air
Brake company figure up to about
100000 shrapnel shells, and will re-
quire over $4,000 tons of steels in their
manufacture. The Baldwin Locomotive
company is also large beneficiary in
war contracts, and is in the market
for 5000 tons of steel to carry them
through.
Among the other foreign business
mentioned is a $750,000 order taken
by the Combria Steel company for
10000 car axles shipment to Russia
and more than 81 100000 by the same
company to go to other countries.
Car Trade Picks Up.
Business with the car companies is
said to have picked up substantially
of late. An order for 1000 stele cars
has been placed by the Baltimore &
Ohio railroad; one for 1000 steel OF
tanks by the Atchison road, and the
proposed big Pennsylvania order is
expected to be distributed shortly.
Export business Of the United
States Stel corporation is improving
and is now estimated to be up to what
it was prior to the outbreak Of thu
war.
Discussing the general situation ir
the trade, the Iron Trade Review
says: "With the broadening Of do
mestic demand accentuated by numer
Gus inquiries for railroad equipment
the steel trade moves forward anoth
er lap in its march of improvement
Just at time when a slight half wa:
noticeable in some finished lines
added impetus has been given tn in
dustry by the Pennsylvania an
nouncement Of enormous require
ments which will involve the placing
of 10000 steel cars, divided almos
equally between Eastern and Cen
trail Western lines.
"Large rail orders are also pending
including 5000 tons for the Central o
Argentina railroad and 5000 ton
for Pennsylvania. War orders tha
have played 80 CONSPICUOUS part il
recent satisfactory developments sho1
no abatement in size or number
Lackawanna Steel company will rol
10000 tons of 65-pound rails an
track fastenings for Russia, and tn
American Locomotive company an
the New York Air Brake compan
have made inquiry for $4,000 an
10000 tons of steel bars respectivel
to fill contracts"