The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-04-09
THE PIC IRON OUTPUT is
THE LARGEST IN A YEAR
March Production Confirms Reports Of
Higher Rate Of Steel Operations
Rail Trade Has Not Flourished
Lately-Wire Operations Brisk

New York, April 9.-"The Iron
Age" says the pig iron output of
March is clear corroboratoin of the re-
ports of recent weeks as to the higher
rate of steel works operations. Since
January l the net gain in furnaces
in blast has been A and the yearly
rate, which on January was 18,000,-
600 tons, had mounted to the aston
ishing figure of 06,O0O,00O tons on
April 1. The increase in three months
was thus A per cent, practically all
of it in steel making pig iron.
Pig iron production in March was
2,063,S34 tons, or 6'6,575 tons day,
against 1,674,771 tons in February,
or 59,S13 tons day. On April / fur
naces in blast numbered 191 with ca
pacity of 1851 tons day, against
176 active on March / with capacity
of 63,033 tons a day, The present rate
of production is the highest since
April. 1914, when the expansion of
the early months of last year was
eliminating.
Steel companies generally booked a
smaller tonnage in the past week than
they shipped. While it is we'll recogniz-
ed that to advance prices when capa-
city is greater than consumption
checks forward buying, opinion as to
the future is still hopeful. At the same
tire it is admitted that the continu-
ance of 10 per cent. operation would
be difficult without better railroad
buying, unless this country should be
called on to ship steel abroad at the
present or even greater rate in the
next six months.
Youngstown district steel works
have led in activity in recent weeks.
Their output in number of cases has
been more than 80 per cent. of capa-
city, due to the fact that Youngstown
mills produce chiefly wire, bars, sheets
and wrought pipe, for which demand
has been much better than for rails,
plates and structural shapes.
March was marked by high rolling
schedules in semi-fnished steel, rails
and plates at Carnegie Steel Company
mills. Orders were sent to the mills
for $4,000 tons of billets, sheet bars
and rails-the Largest month s total
in more than year-while 112 900
tons of plates were rolled, of which
$4,000 tons were turned out at Home
stead. The greatest previous record at
the Homestead plate mills was 10000
tons for month.
The rail trade has not flourished
lately and the distribution of the
Pennsylvania railroad s order promises
to be further delayed. The Canadian
mill at the Sault is reported to have
closed two further contracts with
western roads for over 5000 tons
each and the Southern railway has
placed $500 tons at Ensley. The Nova
Scotia rail mill is credited with 3O,-
0OO-ton contract for South Africa,
with other African business pending.
In wire mill operations which in
March made records at a number of
plants, foreign orders cut a large fig
ure. The spring demand for home con-
sumption evidently has seen its high
point.
The bar mills have had better orders
from implement works and for con-
crete reinforcing. Prices have been
better maintained in the Central West
than in Chicago or in eastern districts.
Fabricating works are making as
low prices as at any time in six
months and work is coming up so slow
ly that improvements in this respect
is mot in sight. In the west building
contracts are more numerous, but none
are large.
Discounts on steel boiler tubes have
been increased in the past were by
four points on tubes up to and in
cluding IA inch and three points
ON 3 IL to 13 inches, but all differ
entails to jobbers and retailers are
wiped out, SO that the new prices rep
resent relatively slight reductions on
most sizes.