The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-10
STEEL ORDERS EXCEED
CAPACITY OF MILLS
Record Shipments-Producers
Of Structural Shapes
Making Bars.

The flood tide OF business in steel
is running strong and full. Production
was never so great. shipments are rec
ord breaking. and orders are in excess
OF capacity. Some OF the oversold
mills In both eastern and western Penn
sylvania are unsuccessfully trying to
borrow. beg or buy b!llets from their
n%eighbors.
The one new and significant feature
Is that structural shape mills are pro-
ducing round bars in AN effort TO re-
lieve somewhat the tremendous pressure
from manufacturers OF val munitions.
From the standpoint OF profit this is a
natural development, as bars and shapes
for structural purposes will not bring
over Ia cents a pound, while shell
bars command 3 cents u pound or
more. This indicates that ordinary
structural work must rest for a while
or fabricators must meet the manutac-
turers for projectiles IN competition for
plain steel. In this connection is
found an explanation for the sudden
and sharp falling on In fabricated
steel orders IN the last week. In marked
contrast to the record breaking sales
OF the last siNtN days.
The lnsistent demand for steel for
the manufacture of war munitions was
rewarded yesterday by the securing OF
about 10000 tons more OF blooms and
billets and some few bars from Eastern
mills. \ few shipments will be made
his year on these contracts. but de-
~llveries are mainly reserved for the first
Few months OF e year. In some In
stances forging blooms are selling higher
than billets-a very unusual cirCum-
stance, one or two sales Of blooms were
made at IA "A ton {. o. b. mill. These
sales OF steel are to cover the msnufac-
ture OF 5000, GOO more explosive shells.
the money value OF which. when loaded,
Is between S72. 600. 900 ana $500 900
Each 1000. 900 shells requires about L.
600 tons OF steel.
In the central West agricultural I'm
pliment manufacturers railroad shons
and pump manufacturers nave taken
orders for 5000 o high explosive
shells and inquiries are in the market for
$4,000 tons OF steel billets and bars
required. Thu Hydraulic Pressed steel
Company Is in the market for $4,000
1919 'A 'NAAA Sh'NN Z ltll Oh Nnltn
is to cover another prospective contract,
for 2.10o o00 steel shrspnel shells that
is in atdit!on to the contract previously
reported.
Some Of the largest steel companies
are much concerned over the prospect
for the future supply of erromanganese
the magic powder that converts iron
into steel" so to speak. Although there
was a large increase in the output Of
domestic ferromanganese last month the
total production since the first Of January
was only about 1000 tons greater than
IT was during the corresponding period
last year, while this years needs are
much greater Domestic ore production
is relatively OF small Importance.
In normal times this country IL de-
pendent almost entirely upon
or f~erromanganese from Germany and
Great Britain. The ore comes mainly
from Russia. but there is also a fair
supply from India that is available.
This year OF course we have obtained
an Inadequate supply from Great
Britain. The Bethlehem Steel Company
because or its connection abroad is ia
vorably situated, and recently received
49, " S''F VI bt''' W OtWVU tOfS eAin.
The United States Steel Corporation is
manufacturers ferromanganese from
Brazilian ores H. well as from the do
nestle product. The Pennsylvania Steel
Company Is smelling ores obtained from
cuba and from Brazil n also a small
output from Virginia. The Brazilian
and Nirginian ores are controlled by
British interests and the contract for
these ores expires in April, Recently
the British interests AVE tried without
success to buy back their contract for
the ores previously sold at a premium,
but when the contract expires il is ex-
pected that most of this ore will go to
Great Britain. Small sales OF British
ferromanganese have been made re-
Gently at 500 to $40 Z. o. b. Balti-
more, subject to the possibility of shin
ment from the other side. which may
mean little or no manganese for the
purchaser. Some of the domestic steel
companies are asking as high az $50
or even higher Cor ferromanganese de-
rived from foreign ores. Temporarily
there will be an ample supply, but the
probability is that prices will further
advance as the supply proves made
quate.
The Baldwin Locomotive Company
will build twenty-five compound locomo.
tives for the Zaragoza and Alicante
Railroad Company Of Spain, The Chi
cago and Northwestern Railroad Com
pany has virtually closed contracts fol
thirty-four locomotives The Illinois
Central Is In the market for fifty
Mikado locomotives. The Norfolk and
Western Is inquiring for prices fol-
twenty-five engines, The Illinois Cen.
trial is expected to order 1000 freigh,
cars, The Chicago and Northwestern ID
reported TO have closed for 500 auto.
mobile cars and IL preparing to order
5000 freight cars. The Bangor and
Aroostook IL sale to Ia ordered lOC
and the cuba Company 500 freight cars
The Buffalo. Rochester and Pittsburs
has contracted for 500 steel under
fnn.aaa uI4h aha Pxaaand ltAal Ca Cara