The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1916-01-03
Steel Output for the Past Year May Even
Surpass Record Breaking Tonnage Of 1913
BorH rnoors AND noLLED PHo.
OUCTD WIN LARQE4T EVER.
Output OF ne Last ax months OF the
Tea Just nnded Prsnoms-
na1y Large

The 1915 steel story was phenomenal.
20 Close was the output TO that OF
ton year In the history OF the country.
that II Will require full official returns
TO make the exact facts Known. The
indication II. however. that the output
OF both ingots and rolled steel products
In 1915 was record breaking. The out
PsStt or insots was 10000 tons; IN
sI+ tons were produced. Upon this
basis approximately 5000. 900 tons OF
rolled exceeding tho 1919 production by
over 100000 tons. Comparison with
1914 year OF the greatest depression.
sible.
The steel mills were keenly dlsap-
pointed In the orders for railroad equip
ment. placed during the first eight
months OF the year. and most OF the
large railway equipment manufacturers
turned with avidtty TO war contracts to
keep their plants In operation. The i'm
provement that came In the second quar-
ter was largely due TO export contracts
Tor cars and locomotives. During the
last quarter OF the year. however. espec-
tally In October and November. the rail-
roads placed relatively large orders for
cars and motive power. Contracts for
cars including the orders placed with
railroad shops, as well as with merchant
builders. and for export ms well as for
domestic shipment. aggregated 1s2. t36,
which was an increase OF % per cent
over the contracts placed in 1914. Dur
ms "a year NltTG ndu Dttn a drop
OF 20 per cent in car. orders compared
with 1919.
Locomotive builders secured contracts
from abroad In large measure before the
first OF July. Since tina time domestic
roads nave been more generous In plae-
dns contract: the or,
shops the contracts booked during the
year aggregated 2.044 engines. being an
increase OF 5s per cent over the orders
secured during the preceding year. In
1914. compared with 1919. there had been
a decrease OF 50 per cent I'm the buying
OF motive power Several important
there Is reason TO expect decided i'm
provement In the buying OF locomotives
In the next few months.
The rail mills show an increase OF l36
per cent In orders booked during 1915.
as compared with the contracts taken
in 1914. Total soles were 3.5S7.OOO tons.
OF which about 1.6OO. O0O tons are for
delivery in 1916. The largest contracts
ever taken by the rail- mills. however.
were in 1913. when orders for over
100000 tons were booked. The rail
mills have a capacity OF over 5000. 00Q
tons a year. but O. large part OF their
capacity was utilized temporarily in
1916 TO roll round bars FOR the manufac-
ture OF war munitions.
one OF the most brilliant records Of
the year was established By the fabri-
eating shops. with sales OF Ian. 600
tons. OF which 23b.0OU tons were con-
tributed by the railroads for bridge
work. The volume OF business was In
creased 40 per cent as compared with
1914, and increased 90 per cent. as com
pared with the 1918 contracts. A large
part of the gain was secured by inde-
pendent fabricators.
While railroad equipment contracts
made such a favorable showing during
the last few months OF the year. the totol
tonnage Of steel required-5.5Sl.76O tons
was scarcely more than 10 per cent
OF the total contracts booked by the steel
companies. This was a gain. however.
of S3.7 per cent. compared with the tom
mage required In 1914. but a decrease Of J5
per cent as compared with the tonnage
required in 10 The bridge work placed
by the RAILROADS increased IS per cent
compared with the contracts placed in
1914. In the last week the bridge or
ders distributed by the railroads call for
1000 tons. the heaviest weekly orders
since October. bringins the total Tor
December TO 10000 tons.
The consumption OF pig iron In 1918
increased about 35 per cenr az compared
with 1914 and decreased about 20 per
cent as compared with the record break
ing melting In 1913. The total supply r
over $4,000. 900 tons, includsrg stocks.
production and impOrte. A little over
100000 tons was Withdrawn from con-
mpti through Exports Of "A little over
100000 tons and stocks OF i.SO0. 900 tons.
Consumption ~ psrentlyASas slightly In
excess OF production during the year.
Merchant sales or piE Hsl in 1915
were approximately .000.0 O0 tons. being
with one exception. The largest yearly
transactions In the history - ne trade.
The maximum sales " ere made IN 1912.
estimated at 7.465.9UQ tons The Deem
Der. 1915. sales we're 10000 TONS.