The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-26
GREAT STEEL ORDERS
AGAIN SEND PRICES UP
Further Advances in a Few
Days-Mills Flooded With
New Business.

pi'u III ~
panics last week In enormous volume.
Bookings by the mills fell only a little
short of 1900. 900 tons-a new high rec.
ord of sales for a week. The momentum
gained by the industry continued to
carry prices upward against the will and
against the better Judgment OF infiuen.
tiai interests, and further advances in
the next few days are assured. Danger
signals apparently are IN effective as
straws before a hurricane. The situa-
ton IL Decentralization "a parallel.
The current month will firmly establish
the highest peak in production and In
shipments of crude and finished steel.
Achievements in tho past three weeks
lead to this conclusion.
The railroads contributed about 600,-
600 tons to the orders secured. Rail con-.
tracts were distributed with "a prodigaI
hand. the total being slightly under $780,
600 tons, Ian ely for shipment during
the first quarter and first half OF 1871.
with the placing of the Pennsylvania
Railroad contract expected moinentarly
rail contracts during the current month
will fail little short Of 100000 tons.
This is approximately the tonnage sold
by the rail mills during tho entire first
half Of 1914. Since January ] the rail
mills have taken contracts within 10000
tons of the total orders III 1914. and
more than l3O. 600 tons greater th... l"1
total bookings in 1913. Compared win
the total capacity ot the rail mills, how
ever. the sales this year are less iti-
pressivc.
Aside from rails. the equipment con-
tracts placed 10y the railroad companies
Las, week call for "A little more than
100 900 IONS of steel. Al least orders
were placed for this tonnage, including
purchases by car shops TO cover the
construction OF cars not yet specifically
reported by the ear builders. In this
category are probably between 3.ooo ana
1000 ears for the New YORK Central
syslen. Locomotive orders placed call
for about $1,000 tons OF steel and an
equal tonnag. is required for the d
struction OF bridges ordered. About TO-.
900 tons will be used for track acces.
sur.cs and miscellaneous structural work.
A.. uin.ng that tho Sew York Central
car contracts have oecn closed. the or
ders for railroad ecu pmeni secured last
weck Sill require the expenditure or be-
tween SIS, ooO. 900 and $40. 900, 0O0. The
rail contracts alone are valued at Sl+,-
So, Goa. Car commitments will require
an expenditure OF $500 oo0 and the
. locomotives ordered are valued at 49,
10000 These are most impressive To-
tails for d single weeks transactions.
According to reports from the central
West, the United States Steel Corpora
ton has produced steel irgots since
March ! at al average rate OF s5.O0V
tons per day, Which II continued TO the
end of the month would mean a total
ntfpu, nf 80 uuO Tons. Indicating n
production of 1,i2j,oo0 tons of rolled
steel products. This will doubtless per-
init the shipment OF 1.i00, 00U tons Of
finished products, Il record which was
hoped for but scarcely believed possible
az the beginning of the year. with
d, this showing the Steel Corporation =
untitled orders at the end Of the month
are likely to be approximately 100000
3. tons.
An '.ormous volume @: husres Is
, stu pctding. Tie prospective railroad
!. equipment orders alone Will call tor
I nearly 1000. 600 tons Of steel. Foreign
+. business l. also under negotiation which
VIII rrquir" the consumption of 400. 900
70 900 1000 tons.
Since March | the railroads have or
% dcred 80 locomotives. making the total
, l'A4 - E4iA' az h''A VI INV .'a'
. nearly $40. New inquiries came out last
o. wocl; FOR r!gh;y-rr nr.nes and thirty
{ were withd- avn. leaving 34l still undo
, negotiation. During the iirst six months
e OF last year "A lItle more than 500 loco
e motives We're ordered. During the hrs.
/, half VI l9li the orders placed az.
: srcgIt SO engines.
= The fabr.cating shops last week
I booked coutiuC:s for commercial build
IuEs. manufacturing plants and bridges
calling for +l,0uu tons OF fabricated
structural steel. The prospect IL that
the tota. orders for The current month
viii be close - 10000 tons. which wi.
10" tn" largest monthly tonnage takei
since July ard August last year. Con
] tracts are silll pending for fully 5000,
tons of live projects in various sections
Tenders having been made on ahou, hall
of this tonnage. while other large PROT
: cots are developing wh'cn VIII prob
ably call foI 100. 600 tons in the mex
sixty day The principal railroad con
tracts last week were placed 10y thu
pcnnsy. yuuia Lines West and by TN
Baltimore and OHIO, While smaller ton
uagcs were ordered by the Boston anc
4 Albany, the Rutland and the st, Paul.
n Shlphu ldcg- aye s,ill an imror,an
= factor ~ the steel situation, havini
- p.i,,I contracts. last week for $4,000
Il tons uf shapes AVID plates. and the boat
30 now under negotiation viii call for twic,
d this tonnage, hut, OF course, II i
l. hazardous 80 make estimates of the ton
- mage that VII actually be ordered q
i ,hat VIII Ice accepted by the mills #
-. the urxt thirty days. The need e.
shipping is almost as urgent as it wa