The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-02-21
Steelmasters Pushing Extensions to Meet the
Growing and Pressing Demands for Their Products

NEW YORK. Feb so.-Developments
IN the past week again wildly remind
ran high in the feverish days Of 1893
and 1900. preceding the organization Of
the United states Steel Corporation.
Consolidation and mergers and rumors
OF others impending then. as now. kept
me industry IN "a fcrment OF expect
ancy. The expanding OF old plants and
me building OF new works TO take adj
vantage OF the high prices prevailing
Tor mill and furnace products are being
pushed to-day with the same vim and
haste IS sixteen or seventeen years ago;
but with the advantages OF modern fa-
chitlcs and practice II Is possible to
make greater Roadway in shorter times
man In 1893. There H. promise. there
Tore. under present circumstances that
steel productive capacity will be in
creased at the rate OF upward OF p
VVv.ovO tons annually in the next six
months; possibly more. The incentive
70 rapid construction grows with each
81 ton advance in prices. and the up
ward movement has been powerfully ac-
CELEBRATED since February 1.
The magnitude Of business to-day,
however. ~ many times greater than Il
was before the steel Corporation came
INTO existence. Productive capacity. too
has been more than tripled. In many
respects conditions differ from what
theN were in 1893. but the main factors
governing prices OF the various products
are the same.
some errors and misstatemenis con-
corning prices and steel statistical facts
nave been given publicity IN the last
week nder the circumstances II IL
wen 70 look again at prices in retro
Sp'ct. IN the past week the advance
OF - per ton I'm the prices Of bars
plates and shapes was the most dra-
matte incident that has occurred in the
industry 70 rseveral months. The other
notable changes were an advance Of
70 per ton on shafting. 50 per ton on
wire products and skelp, and 25c per
box on tin plates.
Since the beginning OF tn. war in
Europe the prices OF steel bars and
structural shapes have advanced S25
per ton. and steel plates S26 per ton.
Ihese prices do not include the round
steel bars sold for the manufacture or
war munitions The price of steel bars
are stil s. per ton below the highest
level i'm 1893. Structural shapes how
ever. have reached the maximum point
while steel plates are S11 per ton below
the highest point touched In 1899.
The indication is that prices Of wire
products. whic hare largely based upon
bars. VIII again be advanced i'm the near
tuture Wire nails to-day are selling
az 2.1Uc a pound. which is an advance
81 SlA per ton since the beginning Of
the war. but the highest price over es-
ihhllShed was 3.2Oc In Decem hsr 1899.
So that a further advance Of SIS per ton
Is necessary before the previous highest
record Is ecltpSed. Plain wire to-day is
selling at 2.l5c. which Is an advance OF
tit per ton since July 81. 1914 The
highest price evor recorded was 0rc.
IN 1900. To-daNs price is SIS per ton
less Painted barb wire is held to-day
AZ 2.f5c. showing an advance of $40 rer
ton since tho beginning OF the European
war out to-day "a TrlU. ls s21 Der ton
under Tho highest price prevailing In
1900 Galvanized barb wire is bringing