New Britain herald., 1917-08-02
Steel and Pig
 Iron Markets
The Iron Age says:


 products by the Government, in some cases with prices stipulated, but for the most part at prices to be fixed la ter, Is in contrast with the continued aDstent1on of private buyers from the market. There is little dissent from the View that present conditions are likely to last fer some time and that 1T meantime some of the price peaks come off the steel trade will not suf- fer.
 Along with intimations that the in- quiry into steel making costs will take longer than was counted on are signs of a more reasonable attitude at Washington as to the prices to be paid for steel products. But the un- certainties of the situation are enough to stir up good many manufacturing consumers of steel over exaggerated reports of the amount of the coun- try's output the Government and its Allies are likely to require.
 For the most part-there are some exceptions-steel manufacturers are quite willing to see the present check on the long continued bidding of buy CTS for material under the fear that they could not get enough to continue in operation.
 Chief of passing developments have been the buying of 15O,0 900 tons of rails by the Government for the build ing of double track railroad from it's French port to it's battle front a marked reduction in output of steel works and rolling mills due to the ex- treme heat in all producing districts, and the efforts of manufacturers in steel and metal-working lines to have exempted from conscription enough ny,, >1<,x-, l,o1 xI terialS where it is.
 The Washington Governments rail- road operations in France will be on large scale and d vast engineering program is involved. There will also be considerable buying of light rails for portable tracks. The standard sections just bought are 80-lb rails Either Ressemer or open-hearth rails will be accepted, $3S per gross ton be- ing paid for the former and $40 for the latter. For angle bars 1925 was paid, and for track bolts and nuts $5.51. Deliveries are to be completed 1 by Oct. 1. The Steel Corporation took | 9O,0OO tons of the rails and the re- mainder was divided between three l companies.
 Over against the above prices for 1 rails, which are those at which rail- roads bought last year for late 1917 | delivery, are current sales at 100 per cent higher. At Chicago a 70O-ton sale of rails has just been made at $85. For the Governments French , railroad, 300 locomotives have been placed, and there are negotiations for 17,000 cars. About 100, 900 kegs of spikes are wanted.
 Frances plate purchases through J. P. Morgan & Co.,, of which 25,00O tons was reported last week, run up to about 6O,000 tons. at &c.,, for hull steel and S.50c., to &c.,, for boiler steel.
 The holding up of certain export rollings has been the first effect of the mbargo enforcement and the effect on prices of resales of some materials for which irrevocable credit had been provided is having some considera- tion.
 In the present situation all price tendencies are toward easier condi- tions, but with mills booked so far ahead the change thus far is scarcely On sheet offerings by jobbers in the Central West have been below the prices of some mills, or on an S.5Oc., basis for black and blue an- healed and TO- soc, for No. 28 galvan- ized.
 Export as well as domestic inquiry for plates continues heavy. No sud- den increase in the percentage of plate mill output taken by the Gov ! is expected, and there is a very considera ple tonnage available <. for the general market The new . plate mill of the Jones & Laughlin Steel Go. has just been started.
 Next to the enormous earnings made on contract prices we'll below those now current the striking facts