New Britain herald., 1917-06-21
Steel and Pig r
 Iron Markets
The Iron Age says:

The Iron Age says:
 While the question of government prices for steel products. Is being made political football in congress. with no outcome yet from the tumble of price-fixing by conflicting depart ments, boards and committees. the markets both for iron and steel 60 on advancing with no signs of con- tfol. Many producers have stopped selling in the face of high offers from eager consumers. Others, as in the case of the leading wire in- terests, have refused to advance their prices. But such action does not have the intended effect.
 Activity in the wire trade has been for som time largely in the products of independent makers. Two of these have just announced . $4 price for wire nails. which Is soc per keg or $10 per ton advance over the nominal market o recent weeks. Other inde- pendents who lately withdrew prices are expected to follow.
 In other lines there have been similar upward lurchings, refined bar iron and rivets advancing $10 per ton at Pittsburgh. Ohio silvery irons ara $1O per ton higher, foundry Irons $2 to g. coke soc to $1. cast iron pipe $2, and some grades of scrap $2 to $b.
 The efforts at Washington to de- press prices on steel for the govern ment and its Allies have had no quieting effect on tho general market. On the contrary. now that it is known that the consolidated buying for war needs will be on a large scale. there Is more excitement among private h,,,, nd HAnACf 1t. The world wide famine in plates which has sent their price up twice as far as that of other steel products usually sold on the same level. and the fact that the government wants more plates than anything else have com- plicated the price-axing problem. While there is clamor at Washington for a price below cost to plate mills which must pay $50 for basic iron. Japan has gladly paid Sc and 10c per pound for plates and is crowding ship building to the utmost. Japanese buying has caused some sharp bidding up on plates in the past two weeks.
 Until the appropriation is deter mined, the proposed government pur- chase of 100000 railroad cars waits. Not unless 1t becomes clear that Wash ington will not be . buyer are the ratl- roads expected to take the initiative; but the one certain thing Is that cars will be bought and on . large scale.
 Manufacturing consumers to greater extent are trying to get mill protection on finished steel for 1918. but as yet with little success. Such efforts seem to be no more retarded by present prices than they were ono year ago when the market was more than 50 per cent. lower.
 Fabricating plants had the lowest bookings of the year in May, the months business representing only 56-.5 per cent Of capacity. Such companies arc thus able to take an active part in tho Governments plan of steel fabrication for ships and are preparing for it.
 A total of S1,OO0 tons of steel was awarded by the government to the various steel companies in connection with 1t recent contracts for 9.000.000 S-in. shrapnel and high explosive siderably below what the Allies paid
 The sheet mills are getting large tn- quiries as the result or government ac- tivities presented in contracts for helmets, ambulance bodies, camp stoves, munition buildings and equip ment for submarine chasers.
 Steel mills are behind in shipment of both billets and sheet bars and output of sheet and tin plate mills has suffered, in consequence. Large ship ments of shell steel are still being made to the Allies from Central West ern mills. Forging billets have sold at ovA i~<@ billets at $96.
 Tho Bessemer pig-iron market has Quieted down. A sale of basic in the Central West was at close to $51 at furnace. or $1 more than in the pre- at $53 at Central Western furnace. but earlier buying of 10000 tons for electric works at Cleveland was at $50, Valley furnace. Southern foun- dry iron has bounded up to $46 for No. 2 at Birmingham for this year, and iron for such delivery Is in scant supply.
 All pig-iron markets show moro in prices as higher fig- ures are reached. Alabama iron for this year shows . range of g, and in southern Ohio iron from $50 to $55 has been the swing of the week's . quotations. On per csnt silicon iron the transactions have been all the way from $50 to $70, and for 10 per cent. silicon $90 has been paid.
 A labor shortage has developed at Lake Superior iron mines. particular ly on the old ranges, and indications are that the production of some ship pers will be from 10 to 15 per cent. short of sales.
 CIRCUS ELEPHANT AT LARGE
 Springfield, Mass. June 21.-Ele- phant hunting was added today to the attractions of Beckett hill town west