The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-02
RAILROADS TO CARRY
OUT Big PROJECTS
Improved Earnings Cause
Taking Up of Many
Old Plans.

Via fIanS.
Railroad companies are preparing am
bilious plans for the construction OF
for a heavy tonnage Of fabricated struc-
turai steel. Revenues Of nearly all the
transportation lines Rave Increased
greatly in the last elk months. as Is
evident from the extraordinary state
ments being issued by the large systems
Part Of the net revenue apparently Is
TO be put into improvements. and many
projects that have been held in allegiance
for the last ten or fifteen years because
OF lack OF funds probably will now be
carried out In April railroad struc-
tural work. mainly bridges. called for
~ 900 tons of fabricated shapes. In
March this year bridge contracts called
for 1900 tons OF steel. The February
orders aggregated $4,000 tons and The
January orders called for $4,000 tons
Of structural material. In April last
year railroad bridge orders aggregated
II. 900 tons. Last months orders were
thus double those placed In April, 1915,
keeping up the ratio Of increase made
during the first quarter OF that year.
The Lehigh Valley Railroad has
awarded contracts for seven or eight
bridges. calling for $500 tons OF struc-
turai steel. to the Pennsylvania steel
Company. according to reports yester-
day. Bids were submitted last Satur-
day on 1900 tons OF structural shapes
for thirteen SINAI, bridges to he con-
s,ructed on the Pennsylvania Railroad.
II is expected that awards will he made
within the next ten days. IN Buffalo.
Rochester and Pit,sburg has taken bids
on "A few small bridges. and the New
York Central and New Haven are still
IN the market for similar work. but
the tonnage is very small.
One OF the interesting railroad projects
now takin: new life IS that for the
Buffalo terminal OF the Delaware. Lack
awanna and Western Railroad. This. II
Is estimated. will call for abou. 5000
tons of structural steel. Bids probably
will be submitted some time during the
current month.
II will be recalled that the George A.
Fuller Construction Company. after
securing III. general contract for build
ing the Pennsylvania Railroad Hotel
last March. placed the steel contract,
which. 1t was estimated a, that time.
called for about 10000 tons Of steel. with
Post x McCord. Ilans are not vet COM
p'ete. but the indication IS that fully
IL 900 tons OF steel will be required. with
a probability that fully 10000 tons Of
fabricated shapes will eventually be re-
Quired. Present plans call for twenty
stories only. The American Bridge Com
pary probably will furnish the material
TO Post ~ McCord. bu: the contract may
not be made until plans are completed.
The hotel 10 DC constructed II, New
FORK city by the New Ycrh Central Rail.
road is taking more definite form. II IS
now understood that 5000 to $4,000
tons of structural steel will be required
in the building Hotels. apparently. are
greatly in favor in the Metropolitan dis
trict II wsS reported yesterday that
the Statlcr interests will construct n
large hotel building OF Fift!eth street
and seventh avenue which will require
about 10000 tons 81 structural shapes
T. Will be recalled that the same Interests
already haN" successful hotels ~ Buy
talo. Cleveland ana Detroit. Recent
orders were placed for the Improvement
Of the buildings in Detroit and Cleveland.
The Northumberland Construction
Company has h.,r awarded a contract
for 500 tons Of fabricated steel shapes
TO be used In the construction Of a boiler
house in Philadelphia for the A:.anti,
Refining Company. Dyer Bros. nave
taken an order for 500 tons Of steel for
u building 20 be constructed At San
Francisco for the Pacific Building Conn
pany. Tho Vacuum OIL Company Will
/ tab, MD. ta.Iu.- nv, sNs Nn,ef :, =. f,., ~
seven small factories to be constructed
at Paulshoro. y. j, requiring 500 ons
OF steel shapes.
The Public Service Commission Will
receive tender or May Is and IS Cor the
building OF two additional subway sec.
tons al Fourteenth stree. Plans. as
prepared by the Engineering Department,
indicate hat about 1900 20 1900 tons
OF structural steel Viii bo required.
The Midvale steel and Ordnance Com.
pany Will receive bids to-day on tho
construction OF u gun shop, wh!ch will
require $500 tons OF fabricated struc-
tural steel. Recent heavy orders re-
ceiyed by this Ompan from foreign
Governments make additional factories
Necessary. II is expected that improve
ments will be mode at T'ottstowi. Pa.
According to a cable message received
by d coal operator here yesterday. tn,
Spanish Government has placed a con
tract for 1000. 600 tons Of steam coal
with a rrm in this country for ship.
meut over the next two Years. The prize,
thst was announced. however. caused
the trade 10 be skeptical in regard to the
closing OF the contract.
It Is understood that the Boston Elc.
w ted Railroad Company has virtual,
placed "A contract tor two lit bridges &c
be constructed over tie Mystlc River
one I for the city ~ Boston with al
indept. ''rt bridge shop l.1ho tons o'
strur ma, steel VIII he used. TIL,
S%outhrrr New England Telephone Com.
pany building 20 he CONSTRUCTED at New
Haven, requiring 1000 tons Of structural
steel. is s,!ll pending.
There are unlurS that the MCClintic,
Marshall Construction Company IL pre.
pairing TO Increase the capacity Of Id
fabriCat'ng shops at Po'tStown. Pa.
but no definite Information can be OBJ
teamed.
Consumers Of foundry iron in tht
Eastern territory are still actively ~
the market for high and low silicon and
for high manganese iron for shipment
over the last half Of this year and tn,
first half of 1917, IT il understood tina,