The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-03-04
NEED OF SHIPS PUTS
PRESSURE ON BUILDERS
Inquiries for Thirty More YES
sells, but Yards Are Sold
TO Capacity.

Activity IN ship building continues.
Domestic and foreign shipping Interests
are urgently In the market for ocean
going boats. large and small. There
are also pressing inquiries for lake
boats. II IL estimated that the In
auiries are for more than thirty boats,
but shipyards. especially those on the
Atlantic coast. have the capacity Of
their ways sold through the first half.
and IN some Instances through the whole
of 1917. Additional contracts could be
taken only for delivery during the first
half of 1918. but under present condi-
lions It seems ineNpedient for ship build
ere TO make additional commitments
Even the high prices now prevailing
apparently viii not tempt some OF tho
marine yards to accept new contracts.
Under the circumstances shipping In
, ~terests are thrown into the open mar
ket to purchase ships already af'oar or
those which are now under contract at
the shipyards.
The Observation-Disclosures interests. Il
II understood. have recently refused bids
OF $i.a5O.O0O each for two or three of
the boats now being constructed at the
Sparrows Point yards Of the Maryland
Steel Company. Although these vessels
when completed will cost the transporta-
ton company less than half OF the
prices now bid, the offer Is not suf-
h~clently attractive. as Il would require
the expenditure ~ even a larcer amount
to duplicate the building contract.
some foreign Interests are actively
negotiating FOR the purchase Of one or
two ships now being built on the Pacific
coast. For a 1000 ton boat the owners
are asking $1,000, 600. but the would-be
purchasers. while In urgent need. are
not yet ready to pay this price. Several
domestic companies also are negotia-
ting for tank boats now under construc-
ton. and 1928 per ton has been bid
unsuccessfully by an oil company. Sew
eral lake boats are also being sought
by shipping interests AZ from $500. 900
To $500. 600 each. depending upon the
tonnage. According to reports circulated
Yesterday, one boat being built by the
Union Iron Works on the Pacific coast
on speculative account may be sold in
the near future.
The New York Municipal Railways
Corporation has virtually placed "A con-
trac, for 5000 tons OF contact rails.
40 pounds or heavier to the yard. with
the Bethlehem Steel COMPANY. The
'''h' "iAi VII W. " o.buo tDliN VI
running rails for the same corporation.
II is understood that no additional con-
tract ,ails viii Ice purchased at this
time. although IL will be recalled that
The recent inquiry was for 10000 tons.
Additional Inquiries for standard rails
for domestic service have come out In
the last few days, making a total of
about $1,000 tons now under negoiia-
ton.
The Chicago. Burlington and Quincy
Railway H. ia the market for 1000 box
Cars and 500 automobile cars. The AL
,egheny Steel Company Is still taking
bids on eleven fat cars. The Copper
River Railway IL about to place an order
toe four coaches. Tie Contra. Railway
OF Brazil Is likely 90 close "A contract for
six locomotives with an American shop
and the Anaconda Copper Company Is
about n buy two switching engines
The Chicago. Milwaukee and st. Pau
has placed n contract for 300 tons OF
tie plates with "A Chicago mill.
The Long Island Railroad has placed
an order for transfer bridges calling for
1000 tons Of steel with the American
Bridge COMPANY. The Philadelphia and
Reading Railroad has given an order for
the Walnut street bridge AT Philadel-
plIia, requiring 1870 tons OF steel, to the
Pennsylvania Steei Company. The Gem
trfl i,aiiINd Of New Jersey Ia about to
award a contract for a bridge AT Allen
town. Pa. requiring 500 tons OF steel.
several additional contracts for steel
build b.. work 40 New York city have
been closed, Including 100 tons for the
B.oomingd,ile Bros, store at Ffty-n.nth
street, which will be fab lcated by the
Hay Foundry and Iron Company. The
American Byidg, Company viii furnish
$50 tons of shapes for the Middletown.
y. Y, bank. II viii be recalled tina, the
frst bids submitted were rejected, The
contract for the Waite loft building in
Sixty-n.nth street has been awarded TO
the ilcdden Iron Construction Company.
About go tons of steel ara necessary.
The Interbo-ough Rapid Trausi, Com
pany has paced an order for 500 tons
Of structural steel for sub-stations with
Lewis +. Shoemaker & Co.
Thu Carnegie steel Company has re-
Gently taken supplementary orders for
rolled and forge steel for locomotive
building from the Lin Locomotive
Corporation and from the American
Locomotive Company. Another contract
for 1000 to 10. 900 tons OF steel for sim
lluT Duf l'OSfS u WI VIC t''it ~ cNihb
closed in the Pittsburg district
Activity continues in pig iron In all
sections of the country. Some urgent In
uuiries are under the surface. but are
none the less patent In establishing con-
; idence among blast furnace interests,
, Additional sales OF speculative iron
have been made In the East as well as
In the central West. including one lot Of
, 5000 to 1000 tons OF southern iron.
which will go into consumption In the
Eastern territory,
II. y. Wood 4 CO.. ~receivers, Phila
delphia. recently submitted the lowest
? tender to tho city of Boston on $500
' tons Of cast iron pipe, while the Warren
, Foundry and Machine Company Is the
: lowest bidder TO furnish 500 tons of 8 to
!, "a inch Pipe to Pittstield, Mass.
The National u Company has re-
: vised cards. making the advance In prices
announced February 20 two points,
! equivalent to 81 per ton for standard
block steel pipe under I2 Inches.
4
!. The c.. Il. Lessig Iron Company has
Increased the pudding rate OF iron 20