The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-10
GREAT INQUIRIES AGAIN
FOR WAR SHELL STEEL
Belief That Sales IN Past Two
Weeks Have Exceeded
100000 Tons.

round steel bars to he used III the manu-
facture OF high explosive shells In this
country have developed into much larger
contracts thar Is generally admitted In
the steel industry. II Is believed that
sales for delivery to home consumers IN
the last two weeks have been AZ heavy
as Tor export and export transactions
for war munitions alone. according ,o
reports, have been I'm excess of 100000
tons probably 500. 900 tons. Numerous
inquiries are now in the market for
both structural and round bars for early
shipment. and the few mills that have
toinages FOR sale are asking premiums
or several dollars per ton over the nomi
nal asking price OF 70. for structural
and &C.. for round bars. T. o. b mill
fittsburg. for shipment over the second
half OF tho year. BROKERS put out SOW
eral new inquiries for bars yesterday.
but met with small success In securing
firm quotations.
The great activity IN copper. spcl,sr
and dutimony in the last two weeks
seems to verify the reports 81 heavy
contracts placed for war munitions. II
Is significant that Notwithstanding the
enormous production Of copper and
spelter prices have steadily advanced
and the tendency is still upward. Amer
lean electrulytic copper ~ London ycs-
terdar was again II higher. making an
advance of q In the last thrr. DAYS.
Manufacturers Of brass. as well as local
dealers, are reported to have placed Large
contracts for spel;cr IA the last few
days FOR delivery Over the second quar-
ter of the year, and prices have adj
Nancrd at least lec. per pound on his
position. Large and heavy buNiug a.,
anttmony Ia he used IN the marufactur.
OF ammunition has h..p ,ttt., a, ..,
Quoted ~ the last week or ten DAYS.
The temand for spot antimony has been
especially active, hut Il is scarce and
difficult to buy today even at i.c. or
SIC. per mound. About the midd ~
January spot was held at about %.i.r.
10 43c. The greatest interest. however.
mas centred In the purchases OF Chinese
md Japanese anthony for shipment I'm
February, March and April from the Far
East at prices ranging from sac. to
Sf'gc. per pound in bond II Will be
recalled that for more than six months
Ms country has been almost entirely dc.
pehdcnt upon the orient for it, -UnpIv
or ~tntunorN tn" high prices prevailing.
however. hay" stimulated IA. production
'l the fdc.rc coast and liberal pur-
yl.as"> have been made for February and
March shipment. OF course there f. no
duty upon domestic metal. Fr.iyh, con.
roo 'fH' HfAF' ~ T. |HAE M l.
tated against purchases 81 domestic
wh'f" February supplies were essential
Domestic consumers OF -o,rel s,.eI
products have been most ANXIOUS to re-.
re!N" assurances from the steel mills
that they VIII obtain ample ~Ipplie5 TO
MI contracts over the second ha'f ~ IN.
YEAR. Consequently not ~ Few OF the
large consumers, and even some Of the
~ a 4. HIFRH. -, To-.
trips to P!ttShurg 10 receive personal
assurances from IA" mills. Il is not a
question OF price, but a guarantee of de-
IN"rlcS mat II required. II Is not sur
priS!ng. therefore. 10 learn that several
of til" largest steel companies. Including
the Carnegie Steel COMPANY ana Ion.s
4 l.aughliu steel COMPANY. h,yc ,c-
ceptcd commitments which Practically
TAX" uN entire plant capacity fo- de
livery over the second hall OF 1916
Some Of the Eastern mills thai, hereto
fore have refused orders for d.lfy,rI..
over the second half have made sales
at higher prices for shipncu, over the
thIrd and fourth quarters Of the year.
Manufacturers Of boilers and tanks
placed some large contracts recently FOR
steel plates ~ prices ranging from -.
TO :l.c. "A pound, even for late deliv-
eri"S I'll" high prizes demanded arc
proving IA hardship To- such consumers.
rs II Is yer" difficult to advance the
price of "A manufactured product. Sales
OF marine plates have Hg,in been made
At 2'ic a pound FOR deliver" over the
FIRST quarter OF 1917. The s~hipvards do
not he-itat" "a pay the advanced prices.
being protected ny the satisfactory con.
tracts for the boats.
Manufacturers in the central IVES, re-
port the placing Of additional large con
trart- of blue duucilcd sheets at prices
ranging from "6I to 97ac. !, mound
Makers ~ steel barrels, who last wear
placed season contracts for blue annealed
sheets at SOC. a pound. IN the last week
have been Obliged 10 pay @.7jc. a pound
This Is an advance Of III per cent.
Most of the sheets purchased In IN. last
two weeks have been by automobile
manufacturers and makers Of steel bar
rels. The STANDARD on Company has
recently placed "a barge contract FOR
steel barrels and other containers for
sI pmeuts of oil
tn" American Steel and wiz. Com
pany reports specifications against rou-
tracts and current sales IN January Dr.
cregating 23O 900 tons. T. deyelnns
however. that new business ,aLeu last
month for domestic account was only
= few thousand tons over the sales NJ
December, while export COutract. were
'"~S than 10000 tons The Indication Is
nat export sales during tho current
month viii show IN Increase OF about
- per cent over m" foreign saloq made
: 10 January.
Tn" demand tor motive power from
Vine railroads ~ assuming much larger
proportions tina seemed hhcly - week
= ago one T,tt.TnII tDIuuurN tf tI.