Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-28
IRON AND STEEL WORKS
INCREASE PRODUCTION
BY FIFTY PER CENT.
Boom in Industry Began
Last September and Is
Attributed to War Or
ders-Skilled Labor in
Demand.

An improvement of 50 per cent. in the
iron and steel industry since last Sep
tember is estimated by Philadelphia man
ufacturers and dealers, who declared to-
day that a small boom has come. Fac
tories formerly running on part time are
now being operated at full capacity, and
others that have been virtually closed
down are working at normal rate of
production.
The tremendous influx of war orders
from the Allies has caused a marked
decrease In the city's unemployment, so
prevalent during the last year. Iron and
steel mills are the direct beneficiaries of
the large demand for war material, but
the indirect effect has been the stimula-
tion of many lines of business, through
the coordination of the many industries
According to labor leaders in the iron
and steel trades, there Is no reason why
skilled mechanics should be without en-
ployment today Thousands of men who
walked the streets and searched for any
reasonable position to enable them to
stRve off disaster for their families
throughout the winter may now earn
normal wages, and II desired, In most
cases earn time and half time. So
urgent is the need for skilled artisans,
notably In trades that deal with the
production of finished metals, that i'm
mense bonuses are being offered to the
more skilled workmen. This Is especially
true OF the tradesmen who nave been
employed in factories that have manu-
factured munitions of war. The recent
increase of pay of % per cent. granted
to arsenal workmen by the War Depart
ment was an effort to prevent the men
from forsalSing Government employ for
private concerns which have signed con-
tracts with the allied powers OF Europe
In some Instances the war in Europe
has been responsible in a negative way
for the boom In local industries. The
Hess Bright Manufacturing Company re-
ports that they have not single contract
with any European Power yet they are
reapIng the benefits of the conflict In the
same measure as firms which are manu-
featuring actual munitions or equipment.
Their increased business is due to the
blockade of German products. These ma
terials have to be manufactured in this
country owing to the stoppage of the Ger
man trade routes and the company Is
employing a large number OF men In an
industry that was not contemplated when
the company was developed An officer
of the concern today said:
WAR has certainly made business good
Indirectly we are benefited by the
have furnished steel ball bearings. But,
apart from this increase In our normal
production, we have had to face COM
plete reorganization OF our methods OF
production. The British blockade, which
closed our ports to German goods, has
forced us to turn to the manufacturing
of our own raw products. We have had
to employ a much larger number OF men
than heretofore and the prospects for
some time TO come are that we shall be
unusually busy"
Niles-Bement-Pond Company reports
that they are employing more than twice
as many men as they did two years ago
The firm states that they have all the
work they can handle, and that they
are forced to work not only full time.
but also three nights weekly.
The j. G. Brill Car Company states
that It is again working at normal capa-
city, and has no quarrel with eAlstlng
conditions The Standard Roller bear
ing Company makes a similar report.
The shipbullding companies are ousler
than heretofore Several important con-
tracts are under construction at inc
New York Shipbuildlng Company the
William Cramp & Sons Ship and Engine
Building Company reports that eohulllOhs
are very much better.
Both the Baldwin Locomotive Worhs
ana the Midyale Steel Works are again
approaching normal activity me 10
comotive works Is reported recently as
closing a contract for many millions OF
dollars for ammunition for the Alliss'