The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-02-29
RAILROADS BUYING
MORE BRIDGE STEEL
Orders Placed This Month
Total About $4,000 Tons
Pier Bids Rejected.

Railroads placed additional contracts
for bridge work yesterday requiring
1900 tons of structural steel. making
the total orders this month approxi-
mltely $4,000 tons. Thu Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad orde,ed 800 tons Of bridge
steel from the Pennsylvania Steel Com
pany. Orders for LOO tons for the
same road, including a large bridge to
be constructed at Chicago and two
small spans on the line of the road. have
been placed with Independent fabricat-
ing shops. The E.sie Railroad has di-
vided contracts for about 1000 tons OF
bridge work. including one large span
of 500 tons. etwee the Fort Pitt Bridge
Company and the Pennsylvania Steel
Company. 1t L. estimated that, includ-
ing the cost OF erection. these bridges
will require tile expenditure of $245.000.
The bridge contracts placed during the
month amounted to $500. 900. including
the cost OF erection. Since January 1
the railroads have ordered 10000 tom
OF bridge steel. valued at $4,000. 900. Re
Gently some plate girder bridge contracts
were placed at 500 a ton Z o. b. cars.
The f~abricating shops have gained less
benefit from the high steel prices pre-
vailing than most or the other steel
companies. that IL. the shops that are
dependent upon the structural mills for
their plain material. The cost OF fab
vocation has been increased by higher
wages to labor without compromising
advances In selling prices. Most OF the
f~abricators, however. have been able
to place contracts for structural steel
at much lower levels. and some OF these
contracts have not inatured. In this way
profits Of considerable Importance have
been realized. Many OF the smaller
shops are giving regular customers the
benefit Of lower prices for plain material
than are now being charged By the
structural mills. Recent building rom
tracts have been placed on the basis OF
. cents a pound for shapes. while the
mills are charging ga cents q pound
either for nearby or late delivery. In
GLIDING the contracts placed yesterday
the indication IL that the sales OF fabr-
Gated steel in February amounted to
10000 tons. Numerous small sales made
throughout the month called for an az
gregate of about 10000 tons. Including
the cost OF erection the February CON
tracts for buildings, and bridges Will
require the expenditure OF S.25o.ooo.
Tn New York Dock Department has
rejected all bids for the construction OF
the pier to be built at the foot OF Forty
sixth street. North River. II will be re-
called that w. L. Plass & Co. submitted
the lowest bid. but did not qualify: 1t
is understood that new bids Will be
called for soon. About 400 tons OF
structural steel will be purchased even
tually for this pier.
The demand for ferro alloys continues
active. especially for ferromanSanese for
various shipments over the remainder OF
the current year, Recent sales OF Eng
lish ferromangnnes have been made at
$500 a ton ex ship Baltimore FOR April
shinment from Great Britain. Sales of
May and June shipment nave also been
made ut $l,i "a ton. and Tor shipment
from July TO December at $55 a ton
eX ship Baltimore. One cargo OF Eng
lish manganese has recently arrived at
New York and others are In transit.
Total sales of ferrcmanganese in Feb
ruary are estimated at close to 10000
tons. Some moderate sales OF domestic
alloys have also been made within the
last ten days, spot manganese bringing
aS high as scIn a ton. Some resales OF
foreign '-arromaugan~ee have also been
made - the same price Spieceleisen OF
domes' : origin has advanced $40 a ton.
with 'tlcc-at $50 furnace, for shipment
, over tho last halr - this year. spot is
In l'KNY Sll'inlN anu commands a. INF-
mium. The continued high rate Of &C.
ivltv in tho steel trade means large
consumption OF these indispensable al
lows. Gables were received yesterday
from English manufacturers Of ferro-
, manrancse by local agents 10 make no
, additional sales for shipment over the
second half of the year az sli5 a ron.
steel mill. rontinu. TO receive large
! i...,4,|.. .ys ss,.f bora and ltII.tu Ia,
] export. Notwithstanding the determina-
ton OF the allied Governments to make
I few purchases OF semi-finished steel In
: the American market. The high prices
! prevailing here for round steel bars are
, holding some aiS contracts IN abey-
/. au,e. Great Britain recently has in
creased the output of crude n semi
= finished steel and is making large ship
= ments to France, where the blllets are
1 being rolled into other forms. especially
l into bars for the manufacture OF
shrapnel and high explosive shells. Yes
terday II was reported that several In
ouiries for round steel bars. aggregat-
ing 100. 900 tons were put out in the
New York market. but apparently with
=, small hope OF securing steel under 3
cents per pound, In fact, most OF the
d, mills having semi-Nnlshed steel for sale
! are demanding g. cents per pound
I (. o. b. mill. This is equivalent 20 SO
, per net ton.
According 20 reports by wire fron
Buffalo furnace interests yesterday al
embargo has been declared against raj
shipments of pig iron into the New Eng
} land territory. There was also q rumoi
that the Pennsylvania Railroad had re
established the embargo against, ship
, ments OF coke routed over the New
F, Haven railroad. Later In the day this
, report was denied at the local embargo
, clerks Office OF the Pennsylvania Rail
/. road.
. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad hs!
e ordered ff,y MikaJo locomotives from
the Baldwin works and ten switching
. engines from the Lima Locomotive Cor
. poration. The New Haven railroad hal
placed u contract Tor fifty Pacific typs
. locomotives Win the American I.ocomo'
. tive Company. The Russian Govern
a ment il having $50 small easolene loco
Q mot yes built by the Baldwin leocono'
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