New Britain herald., 1917-05-17
Steel and Pig
 iron Markets
The Iron Age says:

The Iron Age says: M The governments needs in steel are still indefinite and producers are pa tiently awaiting the development of it's plans. Meanwhile the uncertainty hampers consumers as we'll as the mills, and there is g. growing belief that domestic users of plates will find more rather than less difficulty in supplying th1ir wants.
 The Joint buying of war steel, cop per and other metals by the govern ment and its allies, predicted in this column two weeks ago. Is now plainly indicated from Washington. The more rapid development of the ship building program is looked for at the same time in the effort to increase the country's output of vessels con siderably beyond the 100000 tons that has been counted on for this year.
 The estimate of some authorities that eventually the ship plate capacity of the country will be almost entirely taken up by the government Is sur prising in view of an output last year of probably 1,750,000 tons of sheared plates over IA inch in thickness, be- sides more than 1,500.000 tons of uni- versal plates and plates under 1-4 inch thick. Even if 100000 tons of steel vessels couuld be built in 1918 that would represent less than 1,00O,- 900 tons of plates and structural shapes, of which the latter would be more than 20 per cent.
 A definite step toward starting the fabricating shops of the country on ship work is the government canvass now under way to ascertain the ex- tent of available capacity for steel fabrication.
 The letting of government contracts for big guns, for rifles and for shells has already put many plants in vari- ous lines at work and several large machine tool contracts have been closed, with others pending. Some round purchases of shell steel to go into government contracts are under way.
 While Arrangement of mill sched- ules to meet government wants Is not yet a serious factor. apart from a rather heavy inroad on plate mill ca- pacity in the Pittsburgh district, the railroad situation is again worse and rolling mill congestion in western Pennsylcania Is cutting down output. particularly in the heavier products. The omission of pig iron and steel from the preferential freight lists of the railroad board of Washington, if persisted in, will mean g. further re- duction of 20 per cent in car supply at some works.
 Government activity in limiting ex- ports of tin plate has sent prices soaring, neutral buyers making offers such as $25.75 for 100000 double boxes, and one mill has quoted $15 per base box.
 Efforts to get steel products for ex- port and for home consumption show that high. prices are no obstacle. Wire rods have sold at $s5, &s7.5o, $9O and as high as $95, and small bile lets at cents per pound.
 Railroad buying lately held back by increasing uncertainties, is starting again. Recent rail sales of the Steel Corporation. in pare for 1919, have amounted to 60,00O tons. A Russian inquiry is for 25,000 tons of 67 1-2 pound rails for the department of the Caucasus but Russian business under present conditions is getting scant at tention. The New York Central is in the market for 300 locomotives and 1000 cars and it's car purchases are expected to reach 5000. None of the steel carworlks is running at more than 50 per cent. capacity. chiefly be- cause of short supply of steel.
 Plate prices are still without limit On 1000 tons of hull plates to Canada 10.40c, was paid and on tank plates 7.26c. is now common. with 7.5Oc and Sc. asked by some central western mills.
 1S@ n,s$< HDfy Ia buying has not yet affected mill speci- fications and shipments of bars and sheets to that trade continue heavy.
 The wire rope required by the gov ernment and it's allies, chiefly France. at first put at 5000 tons. Is now esti- mated at 24,0o0 tons for this year. Maitufacturers have arranged for It's distribution, and wire manufacturers are to meet on Friday to apportion the requisite wire.
 Fabricating works took contracts in April representing 61 per cent. of capacity. On convention hall at Clevelafd. 3,25o tons, $17S was bid for erection and fabrication and 500 days were asked for the completion of the work.
 Pig-iron markets show little feature and buying for the first half of 1918 again lags as prices asked for such delivery come closer to those for spot iron.
 The government is making a survey of the ferro-manganese situation through a committee representing ina- porters as we'll as domestic manufac- turers. Steel companies are to report stocks on hand, requirements in the remainder of the year. and expected receipts under existing dontracts. It ,e fortunate that domestic production