The sun., 1916-02-06
ROLLED STEEL ORDERS
PASS MILL CAPACITY
Continued Enormous Demand
for Metal for Use in
Making Shells.

Sales OF rolled seeei products last
week were IN excess OF 100000 tons.
More than half OF this was for export.
The exports included 100000 tons OF
round bars and billets TO be used in
the manufacture OF war munitions III
France. Business Is thus Indicated To-
be coming 10 the mills In excess "i
capacity. which means that q greater
mortgage Is being placed on the future
Shipments must be further EXTENDED
The railroads contributed meaGrely 70
the steel tonnage, but large contracts
for equipment are still under negotia-
| ton.
The most important feature AZ the
moment 10 the steel companies. Is '''
continued enormous demand Tor steer 10
be used in the manufacture OF high eN-
plosiye shells Additional inquiries for
| steel billets, bars and forgings. agsr".
eating nearly 100000 tons, came into
| the market last week. making the total
under negotiation about 100000 tons.
Some deliveries must necessarily run
over into 1917 " tho steel IL 10 be
supplied by this country. But. as noted
during the last few days. there probably
! will, be an increase In capacity in excess
Of 600 900 tons annually by the end
Of 1915.
Since January ! export contracts for
rolled and cas-. steel products have ag-
gregated 40. 900 tons for various delv-
cries extending over tho whole OF the
| current year. II !s estimated that Ioo,-
600 tons have been placed for delivery
during the frs. quarter Of 1917. This
| is especially true OF steel 90 be used In
marine work Negotiations continue on
, contracts Tor seven more boats 20 he
, built on the great lakes and an equal
| number is pending on the Atlant'" coast,
That is. prospective contracts for four
/ teen boats are actively In the market
and much larger number Is In tho
f; background
| According 20 r,imors circulated IN tho
.ast two days the Hydraulic Pressed
steel Company has virtually closed IA
contract for 100000 six inch shells
for the French Government II will be
recalled that tn. Creusct Works have
heen asking Eastern steel mills for bids
on steel forgings for two lots Of SIX
inch shells. one OF 100000 and the
other of 100000 shells.
One OF the most interesting inquiries
in the last week was for 10000 tons OF
steel to be used In the MANUFACTURES OF
steel detonators for the British Gov
! errnent. Great Britain also put out new
inauiries for round steel bars aggregat'
|, inC 10000 tons. English works have
purchased miscellaneous lots OF s'ee
through merchant interests here. argre
eating upward Of 10000 tons. including
billets. sheets. skclp and bars
Structural steel contracts closed las
l Il
shapcs, showing "A decided improvement
0 over the preceding wech, when tho con
tracts booked by the fabr!cat,ng shop'
called for only 1000 tons OF shapes
: Among the contracts. extensions u
1 manufacturers plants called for 500
tons and several similar contracts ar
. under negotiation, Among the princpa
. uraerl placed were: Another extension
: to the Corwi,h plant of the Crane Com
60 pany at Chicago, calling for 1000 ton
d OF fabricated steel which will hs fur
n nished by the South Halsted Street Irol
/ Works: $500 tons for open hcartl
buildings for the Ashland Iron and MIN
E ing Company. Ashland. Ky. and 80
tons for Rn extension 20 the Nest
Machine Company plant al Homestead
Pa. The latter will be furnished nv IN
: Ritter & Conley Manufacturing Company
: Railroad equipment contracts place
laat week call for only 10000 tons q
J rolled steel products, hut fully 10000
tons will he required for constructor
rolling stock now under negotiation
while rail contracts pending agrregat
2 about $4,000 tons, including export ton
+. mage
In November and December. 1915, N
/. rabr!cating shops In The New Yur
y metz opolitan district booked orders 10
100000 tons of steel shapes, OF thi
total two-thir'lq went to tho Amer
can Bridge Company, largely for IN
| construction OF subway and elevate
Y railroad extensions During the CORE
a s,ondlng months of l?li--that Is. y,
!, | venber and Decenber--ordcrs for fabr
! Gated steel amounted to $4,000 tons. G
which 1900 tons we're taken by th
large Interests. Revised reports sho,
THAT the Eastern division OF the Amsri