The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-18
Pig LEAD IS SOUGHT
BY WAR CONTRACTORS
Manufacturers of Munitions
Make Heavy Calls Upon
This Country.

ForclsH manufacturers OF war muh'-
tons are making heavy drafts upon this
country for pig lead. Since March /
sales a~ggreeatinx between 5000 and
1000 tons have been made by New York
dealers and operators. largely for ex-
port. The heaviest buying was for ship
ment to Japan. The result: has been an
advance OF from q cent 10 / cent a
pound in tho last ten days. and prices
to-day are the highest in the history of
the !~ndustry-Sis to SA cents East ST.
Louis. The previous highest price was
made In June. 1915. -. cents. but al
that Time relatively few sales we're made.
II being said that the quotations were
largely artificial. Since March I, how
ever. the market has been supported by
heavy transactions. Buying for export
began at -. cents East -. Louis. fol-
lowed quickly by steady rises n sales
at IA cents, "a cents. rs cents and 3
cents for prompt. March and April 10
shipment TO JNpan via the Pacific coast.
some of these sales were made at 81.
cents to Si2 cents delivered on the Pa
cine coast. and one lot for April ship
ment IL reported 10 have been sold nj
Ses cents. The latter price. however.
lacks full confirmation.
Large inquiries for pig lead for export
prior TO April l5 were again in the mar
MI N'NN'A utN, Uut because OF trplglf
congestion and difficulties Of making
shipments Il Is feared that some of the
metal will not reach the coast i'm time
for shipment on the steamship which
sails Nav ! FOR Japan II is also re-
ported that Russia and one European
Government have also made liberal pur-
chasss In this market. Further large
inquiries are expected from the Russian
Government.
The National Lead Companv. u sub
sidiary of the American Smelling and
Refining Company. is understood 10
have large Inquiries for shot. sheets
and other finished products amounting
TO about 1000 tons. hut teirg unable
to obtain the pig lead is hesitat!ng 20
make oNers TO secure tho business. II
~ understood that the parent
has largely oversold and to-day is re-
fusing 10 make sales at its noninal quo
tatton OF : cents n pound for shipment
from the West. I, Is a matter of some
interest that pig lead was sold as low
as $50 cents n pound In October. 1914
This was the low.,t point ever recorded.
At least since 1850. Lead has been slow
N responding :" large war contracts.
but the present ind cation - that new
high price records are likely 20 he ~s-
The British Government - reported
10 have placed a contract through local
representatives yesterday for 200, 900
80 inch high explosive shells. About
10000 tons OF steel forgings Will he
required. inquiries for which are gu,
Several Other large contracts for pro-
~Jcci.les are understood 10 be on the
point OF closing, and inquiries ar. now
IN the market Cor about 10000 tons Of
ahAl iAra fAU
asking ~, n a pound. The Hv-
draulic Pressed Steel Company. which
has previously taken some heavy con-
tracts for war munitions, - actively in
IN" market for $1,000 tons % light steel
plate.
Eastern rail- mills have taken several
additional contracts for standard sec
ton rails for this Years shipment, IN
GLIDING one lot OF $500 tons closed YES
'erday. several new EXPORT inquiries
for rails are also in IN" market, IN.
Guiding one FOR about 1900 tom OF
light sections for shipment 20 south
America.
Til" Chicago and Eastern Illinois
Railroad has placed 2 contract for =
p!dt" gir,er bridge requiring 600 tons of
structural steel with the Milwaukee
Bridge Company. The Pacific Coast no
partmcnt ~ tho United States steel Cor
porat!ou has secured an order for "a
highway bridge to b. constructed at
Seattle. calling for 1000 tons OF struc-
tural steel. which will he fabricated b,
the American Bridge Company.
Manufacturing giants ~ tho central
West have placed additional contracts
for structural steel amounting To about
1000 tons, including 400 tons for an OK
tension tn the heating building OF the
Detroit Edison Company. awarded to the
Lewis Hall Iron Works $50 tons FOR the
Detroit steel Products Company, to be
furnished by the Donovan Wire and Iron
Company l.0.J tons for u commercial
building at Cincinnati. for r. X. lie
Blond. awarded to W. l.. Schrieb.r
& Sons ls5 tons for a factory building
at Toledo, taken by the Massillon Bridge
and Iron Works, and 40 tons for a
head frame at Hurley, Wis. for tho
Montreal Mining Company. which will
be furnished by Warden Il Allen.
The buying movement IN mig iron con
tlnues 20 ga.n In volume n force. adj
ditional heavy contracts having been
closed in the last ten days at Buffalo
and Chicago furnaces amounting to
grades, for shipment over the second
half of tho year. one furnace Interest
Mt Buffalo has taken W contracts for
5000 tons each, and two other interests
ave reported to have taken IN aggregate
of $4,000 tons at $3.50 to $50 for No.
. y at the furnace. At Chicago daily
sales in the last few days have amounted
to about $4,000 tons. one interest alone
taking orders asgregating $4,000 tons a