The sun., 1916-04-20
POLITICS SWITCHES
STEEL TRADES EYES
Orders Forgotten as War and
Labor Clouds Appear
Above Horizon.
NEW PIG IRON CONTRACTS

situation. In watching the war
clouds and in taking note OF the rising
stars on the political horizon than In
obtaining additional contracts for steel
products. At the meeting OF the sales
agents Of the subsidiary companies OF
the United States steel Corporation
held yesterday A. we'll as at the prior
meeting Of the presidents Of the same
companies in this city on Tuesday all OF
the subjects were under discussion.
On next Tuesday the directors of the
Steel Corporation will meet in regular
session to consider reports concerning
the business transacted during the frst
quarter OF the current year. when ii IL
expected that net earnings aggre 2ating
SCI 800 600 will be shown, but estimates
vary all the way from sjs0o0.OO0 to
s6s,000.000. The quarterly dividend on
the common stock will also he acted upon.
but the steel trade anticipates no in
crease from the II. per cent previously
declared.
Railroad companies have placed con-
tracts for standard and heavy section
rails in the last ten days aggregating
over 900 tons. including the Pcunsyl-
vania tonnage distributed last Saturday
or the remaining 100000 tons about
100000 tons has been reported specih
cally. although not officially 100000
tons additional Is yet to be announced.
including supplementary CONTRACTS for
the Rock Island, -. Louis South
western and the Southern Railway.
Even the Great Northern Is reported to
have placed orders for 10000 tons, in
Guiding the Lake superior ami TshpemiHg
order for 300 tons from the Illinois
Steel Company No division has yet
been made Of the 10000 tons awarded
the Steel Corporation by the Peun.yl-
vauia Railroad between P.ttsburg and
Chicago mills. Distribution 10 the other
rail mills also WAS on the same percent
age basis as IN 1915 that Is 80 per cent.
| to each OF the Pennsylvania and cam
bria companies and per cent. each to
the Bethlehem and Lackawanna COM
pan!es.
The railroads continue actively in the
market for structural work and for ma
chine tools for shop equipment. In
| quiries come from an unusually large
number Of roads ~ the central West
! and some Of the Eastern lines are also
preparing new machine lists. The Min
neapols. St Paul and Sault ste Marie
| has placed a contract for ore docks to
he constructed at Ashland. Wis. reluir-
| ing l.625 tons Of structural shapes with
| the Minneapolis Steel and Machinery
| Company. More bridge orders are de-
veloping in the Western territory
| Industrial companies continue actively
| in the market for structural steel for
! plant extensions. as we'll as for ma
! chinery, Notwithstanding that the ca
| pacity of machine tool makers has been
sold for delivery far into the future.
| The demand is especially active for tur-
ret lathes used in TIE machining Of eN-
| ploSive shells. Tie Bethlehem Steel
| Company has placed some Sub-Co.ir.,rts
| for time fuses and has also distributed
| some orders for the machining Of shoils
| The LATER l. said 10 cover hr,we.u auu.-
| 600 and 900. 600 shells I'll, st .lp.aYh
| Lead Company has placed an order for
! @20 tons of fabricated steel for an cN-
| tension 10 a cnder plant AT Hercules.
| Mo, with the Wisconsin bridge and Iron
! Works, and the Yates Machinery COM
pany has given an order for 80 tons
OF structural steel for a machine shop
10 be constructed a; Beloit. Wis. to an
independent fabricator.
M!llikcn. Bros, Inc. have received an
a
struc'cd in Atlantic City. calling for 100
tons Of fabricated steel To the North
eastern Construction Company has been
awarded the general contract for the
custom house 10 he constructed in VII.
mington. y. G. Bids have been taken
! on the 500 tons Of steel required and
the contract Is expected to come TO an
Eastern shop Unusually keen compe.
'i,ion was Developed for his order, the
( "a
delivered
steel mills IN the Pittsburg district
have placed contracts for about $4,000
tons OF steel making iron. including CO..
600 tons basic for the Youngstown Shce,
and Tube Company. Several other stee
companies are still actively negotiating
for large tonnages of either heesemci
or basic, While the demand In the East
crn section for low phosphorus iron is
still active. No additional sales OF
foundry iron were reported in the loca
district yesterday, while one inquiry was
withdrawn, hut there are still sevora
, important contracts under negotiation,
There was some agitation IN trad,
. circles yesterday due to rumors tha
have been in Circuat ion for several day!
: that some large contracts for high ex
. the Russian Government were Oh th'
point of being cancelled II has bee,
known for several months that thert
was more or less friction between som,
Russian inspectors and some Of tn,
American manufacturers Of shells. hu
. II was not expected to lead to seriou,
complications until within the last few
days 1t Is possible that some OF theS
: contracts may he relet. It is also inter
cstng Ia note that In this connection
. there have been large offerings of roun.
} steel bars for resale, 1t being asserte,
, that not a few OF the offerings aros
from reflections by foreign inspectors.
= Tho Garfield Smelling Company hn
!. placed a contract for 4i0 tons Of fabri
: fue Mt Garfield, Utah, with the Mime
apolls steel and Machinery Company
Several additional small building con
tracts have been placed IN the lorl
district with the Eastern steel Com
pany and with Millkcn Bros. Inc call
ing for an aggregate OF about 600 ton
o of steel BIDS are being taken on
0 school house to he erected In Sprin
re Valley y. " and for the 81 JoSep
n Aouinas parochial school in Brooklyl
Each will require about 100 to $50 ton
a OF steel,
- Export demand for commercial Shnpc
0 of steel has increased largely during tn
n past week, including steel plates, shape
shoots, pipe ard sLe,n 10Y Europe :,
| 4, sl,n lN,,.,