The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-03-10
Kali Orders Now Being Placedtor l9l7DeIivery;
Steel Makers Unable to Take Business for 1915

NEW YORK March s.-There Is strong
evidence that the entire capacity Of the
large steel companies FOR 1916 has been
sold. including reservations for mill
rollings as we'll As firm contracts. or
course there Will be some flling in -
ders placed as h. always the case under
such conditions. and The extension 90
Specifications against contracts placed
some time since also may b. expected. 4
most significant feature developed yes
terday vas the placing of contracts Tor
ABOUT tu.uuu tons OF standard section
rails Tor delivery during the first hall
Of 1917 In addition TO the 10000 tons
for the Chicago Great Western. prvtI-
ously reported several roads in the CEN
trail vest have placed contracts with the
Illinois steel Company. Several misccl-
lanoous orders also have been taken b.
the southern and eastern mills. iuclud-
ing $1,000 tons for the Louisville 4
Nashville and 5000 tons FOR the kansas
city Southern. In the aggregate about
10000 tons have been sold since the first
OF March.
II j. estimated that the United states
Steel Corporation subsidiary cOmpanies
az the close Of February. had untitled
tonnages on their books amounting Co..
something IN excess of $500. O00 tons.
IL ~. thus Indicated that there was 'tn
increase Of over 100 900 tons in untitled
business during the month. In fact.
some rumors are that the sales were
much heavier. In December. 1900. when
the steel Corporation reported inter
company business. the untitled tonnage
on the books 81 the subs diaries was
N.4Nt.1lh tons so that the untitled tom
maze to-day Is the greatest in the his
tory or the corporation. both relatively
anu actually Indeed, the sales includ-
INK the contracts existing between thc
various subsidiary companies, on thy
first or March are understood TO have
been approximately lO.6Oo.ooo tons.
Reinforcements are being placed on
The Trims line I'm the steel industry. IN
Client furuaces--Vcterans In service and
for years ruslnE In "A long earned rest
renewed. modrIized and r'ViNitI"d. are
benNlllv. ohio. blast furnace ut the
United States Steel Corporation ready
for operation FOR about a week. Will be-
introduced tu the torch ON Friday. The
Mingo furnace also. A. lS uud.rst uod. will
, BE- placed In commission at the end ct
the week. New open hearth furnaces
too are contributing To- the supply of
steel ingotS m a measure scarcely
thought possible few months ago.
During February the United states Steel
Corporation - understood Go have pro-
duced as high as 10000 tons pt iuguJS
ia "a single day. but ,f course this rate
was not maintained through the month.
During March. however. there is promise
that even this performance Will be
cChpsed.
The fabricatiug shops IN February are
understood Co have booked contracts fu.
al least $4,000 tons OF structural steel.
some estimates are even higher. orders
Tor lIH.uun TO l-W.uuu IONS were reported
specifically and the balance ls -.l-
mated. the latter including orders taken
10y fabriCating shops that 30 NOT rtuur.
directly To the Bridge builders society.
The bethlehem Steel Company since rh.
first 90 March i- reported fu have taken
contracts FOR about %. 600 tons of plain
structural steel. including the sales all
ready reported in the metropolitan dis
triCf
sales OF pig iron aggresatns 10000
tons came Co the surfac, yesterday. in
Guiding 10000 tons al Pittsburgh and
10000 tons IN Alabama. At Pittsburgh
$4,000 tons OF has. We're sold at sl.sI
$50 az tho furnace. one sale - 10 600
tons OF be-S,Ugr was made and inquiries
are heavy. including 10000 tons for ship
ment over tho last half OF the year.
Since March . pIg iron sales have agerr-
gated nearly 5uO.O tons stocks of
iron ore ON Lake Erie docks March . ar.
reported as t.2un.NOu tons. or 100000
tons less than at the corresponding time
= last year.