The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-01
FRANCE BUYING STEEL
AS FAR AHEAD AS 1917
Contracts Reported Closed for
1907 900 to 200. 600 Tons
Of Bars.

I NC Sill'ElNhU REPRESENTATIVE VI wv
Crcusu, Works Of France, who were
actively negotiating last week for heavy
toinagos of round steel bars, are re-
ported 10 have closed contracts for loo.-
600 10 2o0, 00o tons for shipment over
1915 and the first quarter OF 1917. The
Brlar nm steel Company is credited
with having secured a portion of this
business. Last Friday. however, the
latter company refused bids Of $50 a
ton from the Creusot Works. This
price is equivalent to 20 cents a pound.
Most of the American mills that have
steel to OFFER for war purposes are ask
ing from three to four cents "A pound.
one steel interest was willing to shade
three cents a pound. 1t seems probable
that a portion OF the French prospective
contract has been closed. Negotiations
continue on several hundred thousand
tons. The crcusot Works are also stu
In the market for 1000. GOO to =. 900. 900
{ inch forginvs for 1915 and 1917 de-
livery. .
New inquiries FOR round steel bars
amounting To- $4,000 tons. 20 bc manu-
featured to British and French sp,oiii-
cations, were put out yesterday. There
We're also inquiries FOR 10000 tun" uf
finished material and for 10000 ton, OF
plain wire. it Is understood that the
AtAAAfA = A"tF a''NA OF 60
csptcd by the United states steel Prod
ucts Company. but that SOM" details arc
yet To- be- arranged. This viii throw the
wire business into the February instead
Of the January record. Sales of btrbed
wire were, mad. for export IN January
aggregating about $4,000 tons. About
1000 tons OF wire rods were also sold
for foreign shipment during the last two
weeks.
American steel manufacturers who
have heeu negotiating with representa-
tiVes OF foreign consumers recently have
learned that the allied governments are
determined not 10 pay the high prices
now demanded for steel rounds and for
bill.ts 10 be used in the Manufacture OF
high explosive shells. The foreign in
terests say that they know the costs NJ
the American manufacturers and that
they consider the profits being made
eNorbitant. They also assert that the
American manufactures who favor
European consumers In the present cris5s
will be the ones favored at the end Of
the war. when large steel contracts will
bc placed. They also assert that If the
| American manufacturers insist upon en-
brilliant prices they will be responsible
for the failure OF the Allies in the
present conflict.
II l. encouraging 10 tho steel com
| pani,e to learn that tho railroad equip
ment contracts placed In January called
for $50. 900 tong Of steel IN various forms.
The rail mills booked orders for zoo 600
tons of standard, light section and
| girder rails, Including ABOUT IS ,0oo tons
! for export. About 5000 tons additional
are pending for domestic and foreign
sNipment. The merchant locomotive
builders reported orders for only sixty
fve locomotives. but with the l0' 20 be
built at railroad shops the full January
contracts amounted TO 10 engines. call
ing for about 40 q tons OF steel.
Car contracts placed in January ac-
cregated %. l06. including 1000 for he
French Guvanmcni. which, however.
we're virtually included in the December
record. Two thousand Of these ears are
TO be built in Canada, Several other
small contracts, Including the January
total. are to he built ~ I'll" Dominion.
Considering the conservatism of 'rarr-
p%ortation companies the ~Jtnu'ry recorl
is more than satisfactory. TN" urgent
| requirements of the railroads also seem
likely TO result IN further liberal orders,
otwithstanhiu that several inquiries
lrave recently been withdrawn
INC American Bridge Company has
been awarded "A contract for 1000 tons
OF fabricated structural steel to be used
in the construction OF the West Farms
elevated railroad extension for the Inter-
borough.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
has placed contract for ten small bridges
and for the Chestnut Ilill line electrlfica-
ton at Philadelphia with independent
fabricating shops, calling for an aggre-
gate Of 900 tons of structural steel.
The New York Central Railroad Com
pany is sim taking bids ON 80 tons Of
steel for | beam bridges and for 200
tons Of structural steel for fourteen
| small bridges, A contract for zoo tons
Of structural steel to be used in the rom
struction of Mlsericordla Hospital at
Philadelphia has been awared to Morris
Wheeler. A building at Reading. which
VIII require $50 tons of structural steel.
will he constructed by Nanderstucken &
Ewing of Philadelphia. The Gucrber
Engineering Company has been awarded
n contract for 35n tong of structural
steel for u high school to he constructed
at Bethlehem, Pa,
Manufacturing plants In New England
are again In serious straits because
of the enewal ~ tho embargo ON coal