The sun., 1915-10-31
RECORD RAILROAD
BUYING OF STEEL
Orders Call for 40. Per, Cent.
Of Great Total Of Metal
Purchased.


lost position Of prominence they oc-
cupied in the steel industry for many
years. A year ago railroad equipment
contracts we're scarcely more than 12ia
per cent. of the total orders booked
by the steel mills. and for a month
or two last year buying Of steel to
cover the building Of such equipment
was as low as 81. per cent. being
the minimum In trade history. To-day
steel purchases to cover the construction
OF cars. locomotives. bridges, as well
az rails and track supplies. are equal
to more than 40 per cent. of the total
sales made by all the steel companies.
This Is especially noteworthy because
the total orders taken in October were
probably the heaviest ever recorded.
1t Is estimated that at least 100000
tons OF various rolled and forged prod
ucts were sold last month, to which
the railroads contributed 1,234.000 tons.
The rail mills secured contracts last
week for 337, 900 tons OF standard and
light sections. making the total rail con-
tracts booked In October ia 900 tons
The sales are larger than the total
bookings during the third quarter of
the current year and are the largest for
any single month in the last eight
to ten years. Since January I, the
rail mills have taken contracts for o.
$50. 900 tons for domestic shipment and
for export, II being estimated that about
100000 tons are for 1915 shipment
The foreign contracts have been be-
tween 700. 900 and 500. 900 tons. of which
Russia has ordered 100000 tens. Addi-
uonal contracts are pending, amounting
TO about $50, 900 tons, of which 500. 900
tons are for export.
The car shops have been literally del
uged with orders from domestic railroads
this month, total contracts exceeding 34.-
900 cars. Last week the orders booked
aggregated little over $4,000 cars. in
cluding $500 for the Russian Govern
ment. The other contracts have been
noted specifically during the week. with
the exception Of 500 additional fo- the
Philadelphia and Reading. 200 more for
the Atlantic Coast Line, so for the Mis-
souri,. Kansas and Texas. and IA for the
Anaconda Copper Company. The Octo-
Der orders were the largest in the last
Ave years or more The only near ap-
proach to this heavy buying was in
January, 1913, when contracts covered
33.S6f cars
The locomotive builders secured con-
tracts from domestic railroads last week
FOR l,9 locomotives. making the total
October contracts ESQ engines, the
largest monthly orders since May. 1913.
In addition to IS for the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company. the Chicago Indian
apolis and Western has ordered AZ from
the Lima Locomotive Company. The
Santa Fe has bought 80 locomotives
from the Baldwin Works. and the same
shops will build 10 additional for the
Philadelphia and Reading. The Ches
apealse and Ohio will have II engines
| and the Missouri, Kansas and Texas j
locomotives built by the American Loco.
| motive Works
Buying OF war munitions by the Eu.
| ropcan Governments was less prominen,
last week, but an additional contract fol
100000 shells was placed yesterda.
| by the representatives of the English
Government. with n New York interest
| About 10000 tons of steel will he re-
quired In the manufacture. previou.
contracts placed during the week aggre
| gated about 900. 600 heavy shells run
ming from s to IL inches in diameter
The orders for the billots and forc ing.
to be used we're placed with eastern
and western Pennsylvania mills, for de
| livery over the second quarter OF mex
| year. ono additional contract for 90.
| 00o tons of steel rounds also came {,
the surface yesterday, as Wen as an
other contract for 500. o00 forgiitg'
which will require about 1000 tons o
steel blooms.
Tho Italian commission has put ou
a new inquiry for semi-hnlshed stce
for export early next year. as we'll a!
for structural material. The speciiica
| tions call for Is. 900 tons OF 2ox20 ingots
| 100000 tons of AKA blllctS and 5000 ton:
OF plain structural shapes.
| An authority in close touch with III,
| steel situation has the tcucrIty to csti
| mate that tho total earnings Of th'
| United States Steel Corporation durins
III" fourth quarter OF this year VIII b'
approximately $4a,0oo.000. which woul,
mean not earnings Of about sis 5000 oo'
to st7 100000.
| Blast furnace interests last vecl
| rolled up contracts for approxuatcl'
$50 600 tons of steel making and f"uu
dry ivOn. mainly for shipment over TIA
first and second quarters Of nest year
but some orders were taken for the las
Iquarter Of 1919. In the last two week
pig iron contracts booked in all distfih
uting districts were approximately 500,
000 tons, indicating that the local ocio
ber sales were bu, slightly under 1000,
600 tons.
| Fahricating shops reported last wee
contracts booked for buildings bridge
and manufacturing plants IN all section
| calling for about 1000 tons Of ste'
shapes. The indication is that the bctob'
| contracts were record bTcaking. A"tuH
contracts reported, not including $500
tons for the elevated railroad conStru,
tlon In brooklyn. amounted to .l.uo
TONS To this total must b" added abou
80. O0O tons. estimated TO have bce
placed by fabricating shops no' vcport
ing directly to the Bridge Builders an
structural Society nor Identified with III
| American Bridge Company, the fabrlcat
ing subsidiary company OF the Unite
| States Steel Cooperation.
4, T. Carlin is reported to have :,
| cured the CoutOct for ZOO tons {
fabricated structural steel for the Unite
States Appraisers store building, Ia !
constructed ~ Boston The America
} | Bridg. Company viii furnish about l,ap
, tons Of Fabricated shapes for three apaI'
ment buildings TO h" constructed by ii
Hcrzog-l Levy CONSTRUCTION Conipan,
which has recently been formed to pm
chase steel for apartment houses. Al
4. st,,.r