Evening star., 1915-02-28
Fear Of International CompIi-
cations Over Germany's
War Zone Responsible.
HOPEFUL INDICATIONS
OF BETTER CONDITIONS
Industrial Leaders Emphasizing
Faith in Business Expansion by
Increasing Working Forces.

NEW YORK. February 27.--The fear
of international complications due to
Germany's war zone proclamation,
Americas protest and Germany's reply
thereto were responsible for the very
cautious attitude which ruled the stock
market this week. a keen interest
in the war zone controversy was man
ifest. and the market was inclined to
be weak and depressed. A moderate
selling pressure of investment hold
ings was evident all along the line, this
feature being as evident in the do
mestic. as well as in the foreign trans
actions. Professional liquidation has
not occupied a very large place in
the current transactions, the bears evil
IDENTIFY believing that this is no time
for a raid on the stock list. Though
foreign exchange rates have been rul-
ing on a very low basis, violent re-
action took place Thursday as result
of reports that large credits in favor
of English bankers in this country
were soon to be announced. Thus far
none have been definitely arranged, but
negotiations to this end have been go
ing on during the week.
Meanwhile a careful canvass of the
whole financial situation shows that
while the usual indices of trade and
factory as they might be- there are
nevertheless a number of very hopeful
Indications of better times ahead. Chief
among these is the attitude taken by
the great business and Industrial lead
ers, including three railroad presidents,
all of whom have emphasized their
faith in the expanding opportunities of
the times by throwing their plants wide
open and by materially increasing their
working forces.
Notes of Business Revival.
An important news agency in New
York In scanning the published reports
of specific evidences of an industrial
revival points with considerable satis-
faction to the following facts:
Mills of United States Steel Corpora
at 10 per cent of capacity, gain of
nearly Is per cent in past two weeks.
For first time in four months, the
shape mills of the National Tube Com
pany's plant at LOrain, Ohio. have been
put into operation. and 500 additional
men have been put to work; now 5000
men at work.
Three hundred more men taken on
at the plant of the American Ship
building Company at Lorain. Ohio.
Plants Of the National Enameling and
Stamping Company, at Granite City.
ILL.,. and ST. Louis, now ready to begin
operations. with a full force working
on full time. The ironworkers have
consented to a cut In wages.
American Steel and Wire Company
increased the working force at its
Joliet and Rockdale, ILL.,, plants by
between 800 and 400 men, and a night
shift is to be added. Full operation
is expected by March l.
Third Youngstown Sheet and Tube
Company furnace was relighted, leav
ing only one idle stack in the Youngs-
town plant.
Sixth and only idle stack of the Car
negis Steel Company. at Youngstown.
is being refined for lighting about
March l. Operation Of the Struther
furnace is also promised for that date.
In the Coke Industry.
H c. Frick Company fired SIS addi
tional coke ovens, adding 1856 ovens
to the company's active list in the Con-
nellsville region during the first half
of February.
Second battery of 106 coke ovens.
which are part of 424 ovens built at
the Lehigh coke plant at South Bsthle-
hem, Pa, were charged.
Sixty ovens at the plant of the Sonnet
Solvay Company at BenWood. W. Va,
were started An order for resump-
tion of work at the Riverside tube mill
Another blast furnace was lighted at
the Gary works of the Illinois Steel
Company. making five furnaces now In
operation: 1000 former employees taken
back to work.
Inspiration Consolidated Copper Com
pany will begin operations on large
scale within a few weeks.
The Hancock Mining Company will
reopen its mine at once.
Russia Is in this market for another
large amount supply Of copper metal,
said to be l0,O00,0eQ pounds.
Brownsville Window Glass Company.
Brownsville. Pa. started operations
with from 800 to $50 men,
1t was unofficially reported that the
profits Of the war contracts already
closed by the Bethlehem Steel Company
cannot be less than $20.000.00O.
American Can Company's sales thus
far in 1915 are reported to be the
largest in the company's history, and
the current quarter Is expected to show
the largest net earnings OF any similar
period on record
Swift & Co. announce that their busi-
ness is on a very good basis, both as to
volume and profit.
Since the war started South Bend,
Ind, concerns have received motor car
orders amounting to s16.000.000.
Lima, Ohio. concerns have motor car
eral millions of dollars. including a
Russian order for 1900 trucks
Harrisburg, Pa. concern has re-
ceived a $1,500,0o0 Russian order for
motor trucks.
Beginning Of New Era.
These are specific instances of the
ushering in of new industrial era.
and should play a large and important