The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-09-05
MORE MILLIONS SPENT
ON STEEL FOR WAR USE
Sales of Metal in Past Week
Mean Making Of Shells Cost
ing $685. 600, 200.

puvers and sellers OF munitions
vorkcd fewer hours yesterday hut did
a large volume of business. sales OF
about 5000 tons Of steel shell bars were
completed. New negotiations were
opened for approximately 10000 tons
In lots Of 0.00O. 10000. 10000 ana
three lots OF 5000 tons each for ship
ment oyer the next three to four months,
In the last week sales OF blooms. bill
let's and bars TO he converted into
war material exceeded $50, 600 tons In
All sections and more than three times
this n is still pending. This
means that the steel mills booked or
ders last week for $4,000 900 worth
Of war steel and that the prospective
contracts will bring s42,OOo,oO add
tional into the Golfers of the steel COM
panies. Impressive as these ngures are
they are only a fractional part " the
cost of the completed shells. The Soo'-
600 tons of steel sold last week repre-
sent nearly II. 900, 900 shells, which when
ready for effective use on the firing line
will have cost the Allies In excess or
s325, OOO, 600. Three times this amount
will have been expended or the COM
pletion OF the contracts now under
negotiation.
Events make 1t evident that the book
ing OF war contracts does not place an
American manufacturer exactly In a
field OF clover. Specifications for high
explosive shells are rigid and inspec-
tors are exactlng I'm enforcement. neces-
sarily. Munition bars must he rolled
from ingots that have sustained "A heavy
discard, increasing the cost of manu-
facture. Many complaints are also being
| received because of shipments being
held up for trivial re sons. In one
instance a shipment OF $1,000 tons of
rails and the necessary track supplies
was blocked because "A few spikes were
missing to complete the full order,
Shipments made TO France, II Is said,
| are being conducted admirably, sys-
tematically and expeditiously, but ship
ments to Russia are being more or less
delayed for various reasons.
The United States Steel Products
Company. the export department Of the
| United States Steel Corporation. it was
reported yesterday. booked another con-
tract for $4,000 to 1000 tons Of -four
, point barbed wire for export into the
war zone. Shipment is to made over
the first quarter Of 1915. Heretofore
barbed wire contracts have been made
| only for shipment over the remainder Of
the current calendar year. In money
value the order represents Ss6O,OOO.
Railroad equipment orders are rela-
lively light and no very large contracts
are pending. The Louisville and Nash
Vile, however. is said to be on the point
of closing for a u tonnage OF rails
with the Stee, Corporation. The Penn
| sylvania Railroad II negotiating for
1900 tons bridge work and the Southern
Is taking bids on II bridge calling for
| 500 tons Of steel shapes, The Erie Rail-
road Company has ordered Ave locomo-
tiyes for the American Company and the
Utah Copper Company has ordered six
| locomotives from the Baldwin works.
Ma Inc Central Is having 1900 car centre
! constructions built by the Standard Steel
Car Company. calling for 1900 tons
! steel. The American Car and FOUNDRY
Company will construct 200 box cars for
the Nashville, Chattanooga and ~.
| Louis, requiring 1000 tons structural
steel. The Pittsburg Crucible Steel Com
pany has ordered eighteen fiat cars from
| The Pressed Steel Car Company. The
| Clark Car Company has taken contracts