The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-26

largest tonnage. The Illinois Steel Com
pany placed a contract for 1000 tons
OF steel for improvements with the
American Bridge Company. The rail-
. also gave evidence Of greater In
terest and there Is reason to expect a
decided Improvement In the placing Of
contracts for railroad bridges shortly
after the hrst Of the year. Last week
railroad bridge contracts amounted to
5000 tons. Of which 5000 tons are for
the International Railway. Other bridge
contracts were placed by the Chicago
and Northwestern and by the Southern
Railway, while inquiries are still In the
market from the Lehigh Valley, the
Cincinnati. Hamilton and Dayton. the
Burlington. The Missouri. Kansas and
Texas and several Eastern roads.
The fabricated shops last week booked
orders for about . 1000 tons Of steel
shapes n the indication is that the
total for the month. including work car
ried over from previous months. will
amount to 1872 900 tons. only 6 per cent.
Of which originated with the railroads.
The placing Of several additional large
contracts for ordnance, for high explo-
sive and %shrapnel shells have been fol-
lowed by large inquiries for steel rounds,
forgings and billets from domestic manu-
facturers. Contracts were actually
placed for 100000 tons in four different
lots and the new Inquiries aggregated
nearly half q million tons. Only half
Of the inquiries. however, are regarded
seriously by the steel mills. In the last
day or two new inquiries for 100000
tons Of ounds and 10000 0 forgings
amounting to $500 tons nave come to
the surface. Among the sales were 50,-
900 bars for delivery over the first half
~ vaNt N,aor Canadn StacCapdQd In SO.
curing 1000 tons Of American wire bars
at so per ton. but an inquiry for $4,000
tons Of rods for European export went
begging.
The railroads placed orders for &c.
900 tons of rails. for 1910 cars, for
80, 900 tons of steel for car repairs and
for 80 locomotives. Other work at rail-
road shops called for about 1000 tonA
Of steel. making the total purchases for
railroad equipment $4,000 ons.
II Is evident that Roadway Is being
the Eastern seaboar I'd. but railroad EN-
bargoss are being lifted cautiously.
Some emergency shipments are coming
through to he coast. where II N pos
sible to reach steamships at dock. THAI
Is. where no ~lighterage service IL neces-
sary. The railroads are making strenu-
Gus efforts to increase floating equip.
ment, the lack OF Which Is rekarueu
as the most serious handicap on the
transportation companies.
Buying OF pig iron last week was
again active In the Eastern territory,
where sales amounted to about 10000
tons. In all districts total transaction
were estimated at 10000 tons, largely
OF foundry and forge iron. Steel max
ing iron vas less prominent and rela-
lively small sales were reported in the
Pittsburg district. Some belated buyers
were anxiously In the market for low
PHOSPHORUS metal. but found 1t Diff
cult to secure promises of early ship
ment even at the high prices prevail
ing. The principal advance in prices
Was on Virginia Iron. In other sections
there continues to be a range of 5.
a ton on prices current on the same
grades OF iron. Buying in the last few
days has been largely for delivery after
the first OF July, 1916.