The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-06-05
LESS BUYING OF STEEL
FOR PLANT EXTENSION
Orders Placed In Past Week
Smallest for Period
This Year.

The fabrIcatinG shons took orders for
steel buildings. bridges and manufacture
Ing plant extensions last week reuuir-
ing about Il. 900 tons OF fabricated
shapes. In the last two weeks orders Of
this character have amounted 10 only
$4,000 tons, being the smallest weekly
sales this year. The May contracts
aggregated about 10000 tons. but the
total officially reported may he larger, 10
cover some business that was carried
over from last month Railroads were
responsible for 20.s5O tom Of Tho total.
as compared with $1,000 tons In April.
sss
II Il an interesting fact that busi-
mes In fabricated structural steel IN the
metropolitan district. which includes
Greater New York and northern New
Jersey. has fallen OF about 3 10 10 per
cent. since the frst Of January. although
the volume OF business throughout the
country has Increased ~ per q The
total sales OF fabricated steel In the last
i've months have been $4,000 tons. ~
compared with "A total OF a56.0 0 tons
during the corresponding period last year.
Under ordinary conditions sales In tbs
metropolitan district are from 20 TO %
per cent. Of the total made throughout
the country. To maintain this average
wv wv Fht'f ttlSS NV btst W
January should no $4,000 tons. but they
were only about 10000 tons. or approx
imately tho same AS during tho CORE
%spouding period Last ear. In other Sec
lions OF the Eastern district there was
"A substantial gain. especially In New
England. where extensions 20 manufac-
turing plants developed an unusual vol
une Of business. The greatest gain. how
ever. ia reported In the interior in the
South. where tho Increase In business
has ranged from 40 10 80 per cent.
greater than the Tonnage secured last
year.
The falling on In steel building work
IN tho last fortnight seems 10 be inter.
preted by consumers az indicating a
drop In prices OF structural steel In the
near future. This IL hardly probable
however. except possibly on some large
contracts. because tho structural mills
have capacity sold for eight to eighteen
months, the Jones & Laughlin Steel Com.
ANY reports this capacity sold foi
eighteen months. Thu other large in
dependent mills as well as the steel Cor.
poratiou welcome the decrease In bust.
ness because OF their oversold capac city
Fbricators. however. that have stocks
will doubtless be benefited from the de.
mand for early shipment Of small lots.
Tenders have been asked on 500 tons
Of fabricated shapes for the Colonia'
Trust Building to be erected IN Phil,
dclphia and on zoo tons OF shapes for a
highway bridge to he constructed al
Salem. y. J. Tenders Mil be received OF
Tuesday on a few hundred tons of steel
for the Kings County Court House.
Sales ~ pig iron last week aggregated
only 10000 tons In all districts. 81 which
only about 10000 tons were reported In
the territory east Of the Allegheny Noun
| tains. In the Pittsburg district about
$1,000 tons OF steel making iron were
sold and 10. ono tons NJ Northern basic
were sold for delivery at -. Louis. The
| total May sales we're $4,000 tons. q.
compa red with April sales R~geregatinH
$40. 900 tons. Since the frst Of the yea
merchant furnaces have taken contract.
for 1926. 600 o OF steel making and
foundry grade.