The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-11
GREAT ORDERING now
OF STRUCTURAL STEEL
March Business. 300. 600 Tons.
Exceeded Only Twice in
Trade History.

The volume Of business in structural
steel in March, il H. estimated. was
fully 200. 00O tons This has been OK
"c'ded only twice IN tho history OF the
industry. The monthly statement by
the Bridg Builders society. however.
will probably not show more than
$4,000 tons. which is TOO l,cr cent Of
the shop capacity. because the contract
for $4,000 tons of shapes for which the
NATIONAL Tube company plant At ';ar!,
which vas placed with the American
Bridge Company. being "irterCompanN'
business. IL not taken into account. II
seems. IN the bridge builders returns
nor ~ those of the American Bridge
Company. The most significant feature
is the liberal orders for fabricated
shapes taken 10y outside shops which
do not report directly TO the Bridge
Builders society. More and more of
these fahricators. however. are making
returns from month Ia month.
The rush to place contracts for fabri-
Gated steel during the last ten days Of
Ntrch Is attributed t. tie fact that
many contracts for plain material eN-
pired with tho end of the first quarter
of tho year. and contractors We're there
fore spurred To close business pending
before the time limit expired. Accord
ing to some Of the shops there was an
automatic advance of 81 = ton on fab
ricated steel beginning a April 4.
business placed since tho first Of April
indicates that there is still "A wide varia-
ton in the prices current for both {. o. h.
I and erected structural work. AS illus
tra'ing this point. II ma he noted that
on recent contracts Tor building work
placed IN this territory there Was a
range Of more than ] cent a pound. or
So a ton. In tho prices submitted.
Twelve fahricators about n week ago
offered TO take contracts for CONNER
,isl buildings I'm the East AZ prices
a., ranging from 22J cents to 3 cents =
: pound on shapes. TN other structural
work prices submitted on plates ranged
from 259 cents to 4 cents a Vound de-
liycred.
Tile Cleveland. Chicago. Cincinnati
and indianapolis railroad. known as the
Ri Four. has placed "A contract for 500
tons 81 bridge work with an ,~Hdep.u-
dent fahriCstor. The PENNSYLVANIA
/ Lines West OF Pittsburg have given or
der- to the Fort rItt Bridge Company
for bridge work OIL several divisions.
amounting in about 500 tons. Several
Other railroad bridge contracts are on
the point Of being closed. A contract
for a highway bridge TO be constructed
over the Fox River ~ Arino, wis. re-
quirinG 2l5 tons Of structural steel. has
heen awarded To the Tausau Iron
Works.
chain manufacturers having both
American and Canadian plants report
that u is even more Difficult, 10 secure
supplies from DOMINATION steel plants han
from those IN the United states. Some
of tho canadian works arc hopelcssly
behind IN making shirments on con
tracts. Consequently. more orders for
hiil"ts are being thrown upon the al
ready ovrrhurdcucd mills In this c6uI.
try.
Notwithstanding the improvement re-
ported recently IN moving OF freight
between Now York and New England
points, some complaints are still being
sent to steel companies and manufac-
turing plants One hardware maker in
Now England. in order 70 secure de-
livery Of export freight to ships IN New
York hlvhor, wa" oil god to mako shin
mcnte from the factory in motor cars.
Iialroa1a ar" s'nl actively placing
contracts Tor heavy and standard Soc
tor rails for 1917 shipment. 4, is
~ ''NA' VI ' ' Z !
nearly zoe. 40" tons have been placed in
The las, few days, but details are with
held temporarily. Non. of this tonnage
Was included in the sales reported last
week.
Domestic consumers OF pig iron ar.
again placing liberal contracts for this
years shipment, There has been "A
notable revival In the Eastern section in
th" last t"W days. several contracts
that were iitccl quietly have Just come
T." III" surface, rilcs, sales include basic
and mallcabic as Well as gray foundry
iron for shipment over the second half,
third ana fourth quarters of the ycar,
From 10000 to ~, 0ou tons were REPORTED
Yesterday, making the total orders placed
in III" Eastern territory since April I
about Gi."00 tons.
The New York Air Rrtkc ,'omp,uy
has closed for 1000 ons of pig metal and
another railroad equipment mauufac-
turor is understood to have bought 5000
tons for this years delivery. The
American Locomotive Company. how
ever, is still negotiating for 1000 tons,
n'rl Other contracts range from ZOO 10
1000 IONS each. New inquiries cam. ont
Yesterday for sbou 5000 tons OF foundry
grade from Two Eastern consumers. each
of which will PROBABLY make larger pur-
chasrs han Indicated. II is estimated
that fully 1000 ons of coke foundry.
basic, mall"ahlc and charcoal iron il
NOW M IN this territory. In philadelphia,
there il another inquiry out for 10, O0O
,0aS OF basic and about 5000 tons are ou
the point of being purchased for New
England shipment.