The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-05-11
FELTON, RECOMMENDS
MORE IMPROVEMENTS
In Letter to Directors He Calls Atten-
tion to the Need Of More Outlay in
Capital to Meet Competition Of 9th
or Steel Manufacturing Concerns

Because of keen competition on the
part of other steel manufacturing con-
Germs. President Z. c. FELTON,. of the
Pennsylvania Steel Company, in re-
port made to the board of directors of
that corporation, declared that the
company must continue to spend large
sums of money in the near future for
improvements.
The following section of the steel
president S report pertains to the Steel
ton plant:
"While the Improvements planned
in 1913 and now nearing completion
will enable your subsidiary companies
to increase their output of the eruder
forms of steel, and will greatly reduce
their operating costs, these improve
ments must not be considered in any
sense as final. ne says. ''large sums
must be expended on your plants in the
near future To enable them to diversity
their lines of products. and keep pace
with their competitors. The most proht-
able directions in which to extend your
business are now being considered and
plans are being made for financing the
new construction necessary. The busi-
hess Of the Pennsylvania Steel Com
pany is largely dependent upon the rail-
roads of the country. The railroads
constitute the bulk of its customers,
and when they are out of the market
as purchasers the business of your COM
pany suffers.
This statement is practically sum-
ming of the announcement made when
the 1914 improvement plan was gwen
to the public. That plan included the
erection of the big chain of mills at the
west end, all three of which are now
in condition 70 be operated. In these
mills diversified product is possible,
instead of but one product, steel rails,
which the rail mill only could roll
The report also shows that the plant
was operated at about fifty per cent. of
its capacity in 1914.
Under the 1918 improvement plan.
the following departments have been
completed. or are we'll under way: Open
hearths and Bessemer, consolidated and
completed with greatly enlarged out
put; the 2,000-ton forging press, COM
pleted; billet mill. remodeled, now
known as merchant mill No. ,. com
pleted; the erection Of chain of three
mills at the west end, practically COM
pleted; blast furnace No. 8. nearing
completion. and an eve bar mill COM
Ileted. The total amount expended on
Improvements by the company at the
Steelton plant in 1914 was given as s2,-
54S,s62. all of which was charged to
capital
Announcement was made az the ex-
ecutive office of the Steelton plant this
morning that the company had placed
bids on part OF the 13S.000 tons of
steel rails needed by tine Pennsylva-
MIA railroad during the present year,
but taat the LATTER corporation had NOT
vet given out contracts for its supplies
in rhis line. In rhe meantime rhe local
rail mill has been idle for ten days with
NO present prospect of early resump.
tiOn.
Seven ocen hearths are in operation
this week. but announcement was made
that several of these would be taken of
at the end of the week unless large
sized order was received in the mean
time. The bridge and construction de-
partment is the only one at the plant
that is being rushed. much overtime
being made by tine employees in the ef-
fort 70 complete on time the 1900 tons
of structural steel for the Remington
Arms Company. of Connecticut