The sun., 1916-01-19
RECORD STEEL PRICES
EXPECTED SHORTLY
Export Demand Gaining Stead.
ily-Domestic Require
ments Large.

many foreign orders recently from "a
sense of duty to provide the domestic
consumer irrespective OF price. II seems
probable, however. that prices will be
established on a much higher level In
the near future. Some Of the manufac-
turers have the temerity to express .he
opinion that before the end OF the year
prices prevailing to-day will seem cheap
in comparison with the prices which will
be charged. They point out that current
prices seem high only in comparison
with the low points touched during the
last ten years. Conditions to-day war
rant much higher prices notwithstanding
the great advances that were steadily
made during the last year.
II is significant that the prices quoted
on bars, plates and shapes recently
have been largely uf nominal charac-
ter, az they are the prices which mills
will accept for delivery only at their
convenience. Structural steel bars have
been again advanced 81 IA ton; that is.
from .s5 to 100 a pound for shipment
'at the convenience Of the mill" but. as
noted several times recently. cents a
pound has been paid and will he con-
tinued to he paid for prompt shipment.
When tn" low priced contracts for
fabricated structural steel are worked
out IT is claimed. a much higher level
may I've anticipated; In fact It seems
probable that a campaign will be entered
upon soon during which the consumer
will lie educated to appreciate the me-
cessity of higher prices based on supply
and demand Following the advance In
steel bars another advance In wire prod
ucts may be anticipated. This Is tho
usual course Of events. Wire fencing IL
salahle to-day for export at cents "a
pound. The American farmer is buying
at approximately cents a pound. but
there will soon te a less wide margin
between prices prev ailing for domestic
and foreign shipment.
Greater activity Ia evident in steel
building work in the eastern territory.
Most Of the contracts being placed, how
ever. call for relatively small tonnsges
and the plans now on the architects
and engineers boards Indicate that
similar contracts will be placed during
the next few months. In the New York
district alone about fifteen different
structures are in prospect, including
iive loft buildings in New York city rum
irg from twelve to sixteen stories each.
The largest will require about 1000
tons Of fabricated shapes. A fourteen
story apartment, house is also projected.
The Delaware and Hudson Railroad
Company Will build an office building of
from six to nine stories. Preparations
are also being made for construction
OF a bank building and several CONNER
clsl structures, plans for which will
probably be completed next month.
The M.dvale Steel Company has placed
a contract for the building of an annex
a Philadelphia. calling for 40 tons OF
structural steel with Levering & CARR
gues Worth bros. now a subsd-
AIRY Of the Midvale steel Company, viii
hu,id another plant eNtens.o., at Coates
VILE. Pa. calling for 200 tons Of struc-
,ural steel, the contract for which Is
understood to have been placed with the
McClntc- Marshall Construction Com
pany. The Hinkle Iron Works fas
secured a contract for 500 tons Of
fabricated shapes to bc used in the
cons,ru, ito - the hom. OF Morton r.
Plant At Fifth avenue and Eghty-siNth
street Another independent fabricatyr
Will furnish 2"n tons Of shapes for a
machine shop 20 hc constructed at Paila-
delph.a fpr Schaun n Uhlingcr.
Mlllkeu Bros, Inc. has secured a con-
tract for leo tons OF fabricated steel
for the tu.ldi:g II sugar mill a. Alto
Cedro. cuba. for the West Indies and
' y
Gators have also secured "A contrac, for
300 tons of structural shapes for a sug ar
mill for the Central ortente Company ~
cuba.
The BiuChamton Brdce Company has
been awarded the contract for 900 tons
of fabricated shapes for the Siysou store.
to be- constituted AT Bnghamtun. Ed
litz & Ross have taken contract for
400 tons Of structural steel for l.cnuN
Fails building. and the GEORGE A. Just
Company will fahrica'e $50 tons for q
garage TO lie constituted on East F'fty-
seventh street. New York. Inquiries
will be in the market next month for
| zoo tons Of fabricated steel required IN
the construction Of the Tcngich Hotel
At Albany.
Some heavy inquiries for steel rounds
billcts aud forgings. following the plac-
ing OF 'hc largest contract for htsh
explosive shells given since the war he
gan, are now In the market. Allurlou
was made to this contract. which calls
for the expenditure Of $3.50. 600. .000, ur
sunday last The contract was placed
with Schneider interests Of France. OF
whom trcueot a company. Whitehall
street New York, are tho American rep
res s'n'ativcs, These interests arc the
largest manufacturers of ordnance.
and nich explosive shells in
France. II j. understood that suh-ron-
tracts are now being i'laced In this couu-
try for some of tho shells and tina,
most all OF tho steel will eventually
he secured from American mills
The Samuel l., Moore Corporation, a
Of the Bethlehem Steel COM
panN, is in the market for tnu.rd ~