The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-01-07
INCORPORATION ADDS
TO ITS LAKE ORE FLEET
Great Activity in Preparation
for Big Movement in
the Spring.

| lHe marine SupSlulHfy OF tne mica
States Steel Corporation. in acquiring
the Haywood fleet of six vessels from
the Acme Steamship Company has now
a fleet OF eighty-one steamships. twenty
one barges and four tugboats and acows.
a total Of LOG vessels. A year ago this
company was operating only seventy
two steamships ON the great lakes. but
some years previous the fleet included
as many as 112 vessels. Included In
the total OF eighty-one steamships to-
day are three vessels Of IL, 600 tons
burden now under construction which
will he ready for service during the
1916 ore season.
Great activity in lake shipping has
been noted several times recently. Two
weeks ago there were reports that fully
100 steamships operating on the great
lakes had changed hands in the last
three months. To date. however. only
fifty ships have been actually sold by
lake interests. A most important recent
transaction is the purchase of the Mitch
ell fleet " thirteen boats by rickands.
Mather a Co. Of cleveland, as already
noted. The Mitchell fleet was operated
under the name Of the Cleveland Steam
ship Company, with "A carrying capacity
OF 900, 900 tons. pickands. Mather &
Co. are the owners Of the Interlake
Steamship Company. which now has a
capacity OF 100000 tons carried by
ffty-two steamships and two barges
ono ore boat il now building for this
line with "A capacity OF 1900 tons. The
price paid for the Mitchell fleet Is re-
ported 10 have been n little more than
So oo. ooo
There are runors IN the trade that
the lrterlake steamship Company with
It's recent acquisition is to become a
part Of tn. proposed merger of the
youngstown Sheet and Tube Company.
the cambria Steel Company and the
l.ackawanna steel Company. No con-
firination Of this report can he secured
In fact. some Of the highest authorities
In the steel industry say that the pro-
posed merger will not he contaminated :.
at least not at the present time.
In the la,t three months the fifty lake
steamships ,hrt have changed hands. in
GLIDING all 81 the carriers owned by In
dependent shipping interests. are esti-
mated t. hnV" - capacity Of 1000. 600
tons. Fifteen independent Interests
haN" disposed of their ore carrying
boats. Among the recent transfers are
five boats purchased by Ogilvey. Nor
ton 4 90. and capt. ". g. Richardson.
These boats have carrying capacity ~
$500" tons Of ore each trip.
1t Is said that lake shipysrds have
contracts for the building OF eight ore
ships to he delivered in time TO be put
N service during the 1915 ore season.
including seven boats Of 1000 tons ca
pacity and one ~ $500 tons capacity
Contract has also been placed for one
or two ore boats for construction IN
1917.
The United States is now the largest
producer Of electrical steel. thirty-two
furnaces having been constructed during
1916. There are now seventy-thrce cleo
trical furnace In the United States and
eight In Canada. which - an increase OF
IS per cent. with the produC-
tive capacity at the beginning OF 1915.
4 year ago Germany was In advance OF
the United States in this line. 1t is
estimated that 500 electrical furnaces
are now being operated throughout the
world. 4 year ago the number was 2l3.
and in 1910, when there were few fur
naces In the United states. the worlds
total was 40. largely in Germany.
The Delaware steel and Ordnance
company. which was recently inCorpor-
atcd with a capital stock OF SO. 600. OOO
TO acquire the property Of the Diamond
State steel Company. Wilmington. Del.
has recently purchased the Temple fur
mace located AZ Reading. Pa. from n. II
Adams and associates. This blast fur
mace was blown In late In November.
The Wilmington plant. which includes
five open hearth furnaces, is being re-
modelled and improved as rapidly as
possible for the execution 81 some de-
sirable contracts for semi-fnished steel
and steel rounds said To have been
taken in the last sixty days.
The Wheeling Stee. and Iron Com
pany at Yorkville, Ohio. has placed con-
tract for plant extension calling for
/ SOC tons Of fabricated structural steel
with the Fort Pitt Bridge Company.
The Missouri, Kansas and Texas Rail
road. in addition to the orders for 1900
tons OF bridge work, divided among three
different fabricatois. as previously notes.
has placed a bridge contract calling for
800 tons OF steel with the American
Bridge Company. The Clover Leaf Rail.
road has inquiry in the market for 200
tons OF bridge work. The Lake Shore
"a inIuiring for approximately 1000 tors
Of steel for bridge spans, while several
other mail bridge Inquiries. previously
noted, amount to about 900 tons.
The Cleveland and Youngstown Rail-
road Is preparing specification for a
freight terminal which will require sew
eral thousand tons OF structural steel.
The Chicago and Great Western Rail
road has recently withdrawn its inquiry
for 500 box cars because of the high
prices for construction asked by the
car shops. one thousand cars of the
1000 reported to have been ordered by
the Missouri. Kansas and Texas will be
built 10y the American Car and Foundry