New Britain herald., 1916-01-21
DELIVERY TROUBLES
 MORE AGGRAVATED
Condition Dominates Whole Steel
 Situation

New York, Jan. 21.-The Iron Age said yesterday:
 The delivery troubles with which buyers of steel have contended for weeks are now more aggravated than at any time and this condition domi- mates the whole steel situation. New business has been quite secondary since the opening of the year.
 While the Pennsylvania Railroad has relaxed the embargo on export steel products at Pittsburgh so that shipments are made of anything for which vessel room has been provided, the New England embargo continues and the situation there gives manu facturers much concern. Many meta1-w orking plants are operating only from day to day, and all are depicting their stocks, with the prob a bilitv in some cases that matters will be worse before they are better For the brass industries in Connecticut the holding up of spelter and copper shipments at Western points makes the outlook particularly bad Some iron foundries in New England are on the verge of a shutdown
 Situation of Steel.
 While Central Western shops which work up rolled products are getting more steel because parts of New Eng land can get none there is still a limitation of output at a number of plants because the mills cannot SUD- ply all the raw material wanted. Act ual shutdOWns are few, but the lack of plates has caused intermittent operation in a few cases.
 Our Chicago report cites the case of an implement company which planned to produce 24,OO0 machines but has had to cut the number to 18,00O because sufficient material could not be bought. Instances like this are an offset to all that is said about high prices curtailing con- sumption.
 Restrict Building Work.
 In structural lines particularly, steel at SIP to $15 a ton more than was paid in the spring of 1915 may be expected to restrict building opera tions in the coming season. Yet in December the fabricating companies booked orders representing 121 per cent. of a months capacity. Manu- featuring additions in the steel and munitions industries count for much l building lines in New York and else where there is co~np1aint that not enough is coming -p.
 Steel companies may be quoting higher prices to hold back business for the second half; but the fact is that from the advance to 1.S5c., Pitts burgh, only recently made one large producer has now gone to 1.30c. on bars and shapes for third and fourth quarter delivery. For vessel plates for that delivery 20. is asked.
 Shipyards Taken Contracts.
 Lake shipyards have taken con- tracts on which deliveries cannot be made before 1917. Four Norwegian boats have just been placed with the leading Lake builder and two vessels with a Pacific coast yard. Other work is in sight, including two large vessels for the Cuban ore trade. No end can be seen to the full operation | of all shipyards.
 Railroads are giving out car orders | which recently were withheld because 1 prices were considered too high. The l Pennsylvania Railroad has just or l dered 5OOO of the cars it once with i drew and in all about 12,000 cars are l; now actively before the market.
 Freight Rate Staggering.
 Late rail sales include 3O,OOO tons to the St. Paul, 5000 tons to the l Pittsburgh &, Lark Erie and 4OOO tons i to India, with 20OO tons for Portu- l guese East Africa practically closed. A 1 new inquiry for Russia is for 60,0O0 l tons, but a $60 freight rate is stag gering.
 In war steel bars a 3OOOO-ton sale | for delivery after July has been made l to the Allies agents. On shrapnel ] bars such contracts can still be put through at SC. On large steel stock 1sc. and higher is asked. For France about 5Oo,oOo tons will be taken at suitable prices for deliveries running into next year.
 The pig-iron market has been less active, but producers policy is evil dently based on the expectation of further advances. At Buffalo sale of 10000 tons of hot metal for the second half has been made. Prices are generally strong at the same time Buffalo iron has been sold below SIS at furnace and competition from that | quarter has been felt in various dis i tricts.