New Britain herald., 1916-02-03
STRIKES REDUCED
 PIG-IRON OUTPUT
For Three Weeks Prices Have Gone Practically Unchanged
Especial to the Herald.)

New York, Feb. 3.-The Iron Age says today:-Pig- g-iron production in January fell off slightly from Decem- Der rate, but the loss was due entire ly to the strikes at Youngstown The 45,O00-tons reduction there was nearly made up by the blowing in of fur naces in other districts. In January the country's output was 3188,344 tons of 102,850 tons day, against s. 2O3,322 tons in December, or 1O3,333 tons a day.
 There was a net gain of 12 in the number of active furnaces last month, 307 being in blast Feb. 1, with a capa city of 1O7,1 tons a day, against 295 on Jan 1 with a capacity of 1O5, 400 tons day.
 Demand Will Increase
 It is thus seen that barring inter- ruptions from extreme cold or storms, which are likely to come in February and March, or new strike outbreaks or embargoes, there is ahead a further moderate increase in pig-iron produc- tion. In foundry iron as well as in the merchant trade in steel-making iron there are indications also of in
 
 will show how the balance will be struck between the two as regards prices. If another buying movement sets in. of which some signs appear, there may be further stiffening. For three weeks pig-irOn prices have gone substantially unchanged
 At Pittsburgh it is possible to shade pany has bought 5O.OOO tons of North iof1 half of the year. At Cleveland there have been sales of 5000 to 1000 tons.
 Effected By Strike.
 AtPittsburgh it is possible to shade the prices recently considered as the market for basic and foundry irons, but the moveme there has been scarcely enough to make a market, the holders strike cutting down the local consumption of foundry iron.
 The embargoes on iron and steel in- tended for New England that were re- leased ten days ago are on again. The Pennsylvania Railroads new restrlc- tions at Pittsburgh apply to iron ana steel to he moved east of Trenton for lighterage and to all such shipments into New England. Manufacturers are resigning themselves to the probap1l- itv of intermittent embargoes, particu- larly in the east, over a period or months.
 Hit By Weather.
 The acute shortage in semi finished steel is little affected by the new steel capacity recently started. At Duluth severe weather has cut down expected output At Cleveland the new open hearth production is limited and Will be absorbed locally. An Illustration of the remarkable conditions created bv war demand is the shipment or billets from Joliet, H., to Ensley, Ala'' to supply wire mills, while the steel usually furnished the latter is being rolled into large rounds.
 Some open-hearth steel rom the south is still going abroad as blllets. Recent sales of nerican steel in Eng land have been at about S55 for Z-ln. and Bin. Bessemer billets, f. o. b. Liverpool and $60 for 4X4-ln. open hearth billets.
 Sold Up for Year.
 With all that has been known of the pre-emption of much rolling space for the second half of the year, there will be surprise al the statement that at Chicago the leading interest has al- lotted it's expected production for that period among it's customers and IS now regarded as sold up for the year in heavy products. In these sales plates shapes and bars went at 1900 to 2c., Pittsburgh. Another producer in the Chicago district is entering last half contracts in a similar way and in other cases in that territory rolling schedules have been made up into Oc- tober.