Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-03
Orders Valued at S240,0OOI-
900 Placed Since January |
and Crest Has Not Been
Reached, Leaders Declare
by Associated Press.l

NEW YORK, Feb. 29.-Orders aggre-
eating 1000 900 tons valued at Sz4o'-
OOO. 600, have been placed in the steel
market since January / and the crest
OF the boom has not yet been reached
according to statements made here today
by leaders in the industry.
The orders placed in the last TWO
months indicate profits to the mills OF
$50. OUU. 600. half of which is expected to
flow into the Golfers of the United States
Steel corpora ton. Even this tremendous
tide of prosperity. il is declared, Will
be surpassed before the close of the
wear 1t is pointed out that prices have
advanced SIS and SO since New Year
day and further advances are looked Tor
lr the near future, which will eclipse
the record of 1899 and 1900.
Reports from different parts of the
country reveal strong efforts to improve
and extend existing plants with the
prophesy that the productive capacity of
the United States will have been in
CT ca sed by 1917 at the rate of 4,OOO,OOO
tons annually.
Apart from the direct effects of the
European war; the industry has been
given a tremendous impetus by the or
ders placed for equipment by the lana
and water transportation companies
which are almost swamped by an UNI
precedented volume of traffic.
II is estimated that since January ],
contracts for railroad equipment and for
steamships calling for 100000 tons OF
steel at a cost of S126,90O,00 for con-
struction have been let. = The orders
booked by the car shops alone are valued
at S49.5OO, 900 and locomotive builders
have accepted contracts involving total
of S19,ovU,000.
SHIP YARDS CROWDED.
In the shipbuildinS industry every
American yard is said to be engaged 10
it's fullest capacity for several years.
orders have been placed for 43 boats
since January and 3S4 ships are al
ready under contract, 275 for the mer-
chant marine and 50 for the United
States government
IT is estimated that 40 per cent or
the export steel sales have been for the
manufacture of war munitions in Eu-
rene. In addition. heavy sales have Deen
made to domestic manufacturers or
shrapnel and high explosive shells which
will eventually find their way across
the Atlantic.
February's sales of war munitions are
estimated at 1000 tons for direct eX-
port and total war sales since the first
OF the year at 100000 tons.
! one indication of the mighty effect
| of the European war on the steel in
dustry is shown in figures presented by
the bureau of foreign and domestic COM
merce which shows that the total for
eign shipments in 1915 were 3,513,453
( tons, an increase of % per cent over
/ the previous maximum established IN
I1g13 anG nearly 135 per cent greater
| than the exports in 1914. AS the total
Ia Sbinn1anfE in 1919
were estimated at 24,0U0,0OO tons the
! exports were IA 1-2 per cent of the
whole as against 10 per cent in ordinary
years.
/ The prosperity in the steel market has
also spread to the pig iron industry
which is reviving after a period of de-
preston In the last ten days sales
| in all distributing districts have aggre-
gated 900 tons. more than hair OF
which was steel-making iron. The total
sales in February were in excess of
500. 600 tons and since the first Of Jan
uary 1850, 900 tons. 1t is pointed out
also that the steel companies generally
manufacture their own pig metal and
are dependent upon the open market for
/ only a fraction of their requirements.
About one-fourth of the total production
OF pig iron is sold on the open market.
RECORD FOR PIG IRON.
| The production ana consumption VI
! pig iron last year was record-brea6lng
and open market sales were in excess
| of 100000 tons. Steel men predict
that the 1915 production will surpass
! this record.
The swift rebound in the whole steel
and iron trade from the extreme de-
preston which it experienced in the
months following the outbreak of the
European war has caused ferment of
expectancy which is being compared to
the feverish days of 1899. There is
good deal OF talk about an inevitable
reaction, but as proof that no such re-
action can come in the immediate flu
ture it is pointed out that the esti-