The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-19
APRIL RAIL BUYING May
TOTAL 100000 TONS
Higher Prices Probably Will
BE Paid by Exporters Be-
fore Month Ends.

gently In the market for standard and
heavy section rails. In the laet two
days contracts for 100. 900 tons Of stand
ard sections have been placed, OF which
$4,000 tons we're placed by Southern
roads. The largest orders came from
the Southern Railway and Chesapeake
4 Ohio. These two roads are understood
to have bought 10000 tons from the
Pennsylvania steel Company. They
are said to have given additional or
ders to other mills. The Bethlehem
steel Company is reported to have taken
numerous small orders from contractors
In lots OF from 80 To 100 tons each.
a~ggregating several thousand tons. One
order Of this sort placed yesterday
amounted to 400 Ions. Tho indication
is that rail orders placed during the
current month will be close to 1.000.0o0
tons.
The marlborough Rapid Transit Conn
order for 10000 tons Of running rails
and $500 tons " contact rails. The
latter includes 1900 tons ~ AZ pound
sections. the remaining 100 tons being
very heavy sections. The New Work
Municipal Railways * about to place
an order for $500 tors OF contact rails
and 900 tons of running rails. Several
additional export inquiries are also
likely TO be acted upon 1901 but the
probability Is that rails FOR foreign
shipment will bring much higher prices
even before the first Of May. Numerous
small inquiries for standard sections
nre coming from SINAI, railroads in the
south. Small buyers In the North. how
ever. are not going through the for
mali'y Of inquiries. but are sending In
orders at once. rs tho time is short In
which to make reservations before the
price IN advanced.
The National Tube Company has adj
vanced the price Of boiler tubes I
points. or 80 a ton. This makes a
total advance of 10 points. or s3S u
ton. since the minimum price vas
touched In 1915.
Stee, building work in the Eastern tor
ritory. while less active generally. still
shows considerable animation. II IN
said that many OF the fabr.cating shops
are still covered on onnaE contracts
and are able to make satisfactory prices
q, builders. The Berkeley Arcade Build
ing to he constructed on Forty-ffth street
calls for 5000 tons Of fabricated shapes.
which will he supplied by the Hay Foun-
U anu lIo1 ~ Ms IT HurluTFu lolF
Of shapes for the convent of the Helpers
Of the Holy Soul. in Eighty-sixth street.
will he furnished by the Hink,c
Iron Works. The general contract for
the National biscuit Company building.
Long Island city. is reported to have
been placed with Post a McCord Ahou.
800 tons Of shapes will bc required. The
exhibition building. also called a hotel.
{, he constructed by interests identified
with Bush Terminal warehouses;. viii re-
quire about 1000 tons Of steel. The gem
eral contract has gone to Post & McCord.
Apparently little rogress is being made
with the plans for the Commonwealth
Hotel. projected some time since and To
he eventually constructed on the block
bounded by Sixth ard seventh avenues
and Fift!eth and Fifty-hrst streets. 1t
is estimated that about 10000 tons OF
steel Will be required.
The New York Dock Commissioners
will receive pass OH bids tomorrow
for the construction OF two piers at the
foot OF Fi'ty-sixth and Fi~fty-seventh
streets, North River. II was previously
announced hat tenders would not he
taken until April -. Fahricators and
structural mills are being asked 20 quote
on four loft buildings and two apartment
houses which will require abou, 1000
tons u structural steel. hui, the location
Is rot disclosed for the tim. being. The
Bristol Hotel. TO be constructed on West
Fcrty-ninth street. requires 500 tons 81
steel shapes. Henry Steers. wt,o has the
general contract Tor the I.ackawanna
Railroad Company ferry piers at Hobo-
ken. Will proceed with the work. The
contract for the steel work is still pend
ing.
Although Great Britain and Franc.
sre placing no additional new contracts
for war munitions in this country there
continue To De numerous inquiries for
steel bars, blllets and forginSs TO he
used in the construction of high On
plosire shells in this country as well as
abroad. As previously noted, unusual
difficulty is being met in the cndeavor to
place such contracts when deliveries are
required before the first quarter of 1917.
SEVERAL new inquiries for round bars
came out yesterday. amounting to abou,
$4,000 tons. Negotiations continue on
abou; $4,000 tons of bars and hillets.
including one lot Of 100. 0Oo tons. ono of
GO. 600. one OF 10000 and one Of 30. 600
tons of bars and 100. 900 tons OF blll.ts,
the latter Cor export 10 Australia. The
Canadian Car and Foundry Company is
reported to be still negotiating to replace
VI sneiS tthtU several months
ago.
The demand for commercial shapes OF
steel for export IL still Of Interest, and
Importance and the aggregate tonnage il
impressive. but the difficulty OF securing
steamships Is causing much delay In tn.
placing OF such orders. The smaller arr
sregate tonnage offered to the steamship
lines. however. has caused some slight
reduction In water rates. the FIRST con
~cession that has been made for ocean
shipment In many months. The United
taking orders for moderate tonnages of
steel for export.
Contracts for about 5000 tons ot
foundry iron were reported placed yes
terday with Buffalo furnaces for ship
ment into New Jersey. New York and
Connecticut. Mos, Of the orders are for
this years delivery. but a few add
tional contracts have been placed for
shipment over the first quarter OF 1917.
One lot Of several hundred tons Of foun-
dry grade has been sold for export "a
South America,
Several small orders for gas coal have
been taken for export to italy. and no
gotiations continue on large tonnages
for France and Italy. Several inquiries
nov in the market for 10000 and i5o.-
900 tons each are wanted for shipment
over a period of from three to Ave
years. Such business. however. does not
appeal 10 American exporters.