The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-02
STEEL OUTPUT FOR
1915 NEAR RECORD
Official Figures Needed to
Show Whether Business Of
1913 Was Beaten.
RAILROAD ORDERS GROW

Tho 1915 steel story was phenomenal
So close was tho output to tina, OF
1913, which was the maximum produc-
ton year in the history OF the country.
that IL will require full official returns
to make tho exact facts known. The
indication Is. however. that the output
Of both ingots and rolled steel products
In 1915 was record breaking. The out
put o: insots was 31.500.O00 tons: in
1918. It was officially reported. $780,
s74 tons wers produced. Upon this
basis approximately 5000. 900 tons Of
semi and fully finished products were
rolled. exceeding the 1919 production ~
over zoe. 900 tons. Comparisons with
1914. year Of the greatest depression.
show . recovery which three months
40 would have been oonsidersd impos-
sibie.
ThA steel mlus we're keenly disap.
pointed in the orders for railroad equip
mont piscsd during the 0rst eight months
OF b rear. and most Of the largo rail-
way equipment manufacturers turned
with avidity to war contracts to ksso
their plants In operation. Tho improve
ment that came in the second quarter
wa largely due to export contracts for
cars n locomotives. During the lase
quarter of the year. however. especially
in October and November. tho railroads
placed relatively large ride for cars
and motive p0wer Contracts for cArA
including the orders placed with railroad
shops. ~ well as with merchant build.
ers. and for export az well a. for domes-
tic shipment. aggregated 142.43s, which
was an increase of IS per cont over the
contracts placed in 1914. During the
latter year there had been q drop Of
10 per cent. in car orders compared with
1913.
Locomotive builders secured contracts
from abroad in large measure before the
nrst OF July. Since that time dounAOtio
roads have been moro generous in piac-
Ing contracta Including the orders
placed for building at railroad shops the
contracts booked during Tho year asgrs-
gated 2.0S4 engines. being an increase
OF % per cent. over the orderv secured
during the preceding year. In 1914. COM
pared with 1913. there had been a de-
crease OF 65 per cant in the buying Of
motive power. Several important con-
tracts are now under negotiation and
There 10 reason to expect decided i'm
provement In tho buying OF locomotives
In the next few months.
The rail mills show an increase Of
1876 per cent. In orders booked durins;
1915. as compared with the contracts
taken In 1914. Total sales were 3,5s7.-
900 tons. Of which about 1000. 900 tons
are for delivery in 1916. The largest con-.
tracts ever taken by the rail mills. how
ever. were in 1913. when orders for Owe"
1900, 600 tons were booked. The rail
mills have a capacity OF over 5000, 900
tons a year, but a large part of the
capacity was utilized temporarily II
1915 to roll round bars for tho inanufxc-
ture Of war munitions.
One Of the most brilliant records OF
the year was established ,by the fabri-
eating shops. with sales OF l,441. 900
} tons. of which 236. 900 tons were ,on-
tributed by the railroads for bridge
work. Tho volume of business was in
creased ~ per cent, as compared with
1914. and increased ~ per cent, as COM
pared witt the 1919 contracts. A large
part OF the gain was secured by indie
pendent fabrlcators.
While railroad equipment contracts
made such a favorable showing during
the last few months of the year. the total
tonnage Of steel required-5.531, 7S0 tonA
, was scarrely more h IS PEI cent.
OF the total contracts booked by the steel
companies. This was a gain. however.
OF S3.7 per cent. compared with the ton
mage required In 1914, but a decrease of 35
per cent. as compared with the tonnae.
. required In 1912. The bridge work placed
by the railroads increased IS per cent.
compared with the contracts placed In
1914. In the last week the bridge or
ders distributed by the railroads call for
i 1000 tons. the heaviest weekly orders