New Britain herald., 1917-03-29

Steel and Pig
 Iron Markets
The Iron Age says:

The Iron Age says:
 As this issue goes to press, steel
 makers are in conference and the
 prices at which steel mill products
 will be supplied to the government are under discussion. Without regard to the concession which will be made. 1t is to be remembered that the total consumption for government purposes
 does not bid fair to exceed per cent.
 of the country's productive capacity.
 Much of 1t, of course, will get first
 attention, and by that fact penalize
 domestic consumers in respect to de-
 livery and price.
 Representing an effort to serve the
 government with material without re-
 gard to other obligations of the mills
 it is not yet believed that any price
 reductions are likely in future pur-s
 chasing for the governments of the Allies. Signs are that general export ing will carry stiffer prices rather than otherwise. Domestic buying has been of no inc. considerable magnitude in the last few weeks, in anticipation of the readiness with which a high market augments with a demand. And here there has been the specter of the gov ernment with its great resources and
 the ultimate possibility of it's needing material on a gigantic scale. One sign of the present distortion Is fur ther delay in shipments of boiler tubes because of the government program with its fleet of little as well as big ships.
 The week has been like those of the last two months; higher prices have been established for certain products Important this week is an advance of $5 in billets and sheet bars. In fact. a sale of 1,500 tons of sheet bars Is noted at $2.5O above the $70 of the present market and for delivery at mill convenience. One of the striking advances in a division which has been spectacular was in plates; a price of
 Sc has been accepted on 5000 tons of hull plates for the first quarter of
 next year, and it represents only half
 of the amount the buyer was desirous
 that the mill should take.
 Advances in pig iron must still be
 written. In basic the advance has
 been no less than $3, with round
 sales made at the top price, $35. In
 the last ten days it is estimated that
 business in basic in the Central West
 has exceeded 100000 tons. The fur
 ther advances in foundry and Besse-
 mer iron are for $1 at Valley furnace,
 as established by round lot sales
 Charcoal iron has sold at g above
 last weeks quotations, and a scarcity appears to be developing. Consumers
 are more generally concerned over
 covering the 1918 shipments, while producers are standing off such offers
 in the face of the strong upward tendency. f.
 Cast-iron pipe is again higher, two lifts in one week, amounting to $5 per
 ton, occurring in the East and thus more than meeting last weeks rise in the West. Higher figures have been
 named for Bessemer ferrosilicons.
 A side light on the progress of the
 war is thrown by the receipt in this
 country of an inquiry for 100000 tons
 of rails for Mesopotamia. Fresh lots
 of 10000 tons are wanted by France and Belgium, and Java would buy 18,00O tons. If recent history repeats itself, higher prices will soon be named on wrought pipe and wire. The same pipe mill which took the step a few weeks ago in demanding $4 more per ton, has now changed it's discounts so that on all sizes and kinds of its pro- duct, black as we'll as galvanized, the selling will be about $10 further up on the scale. The same company which several weeks ago was selling
 wire $3 per ton above the ruling mar ket is doing so again.
 New developments are expected next week on sheets and tin plate. Though the country's capacity is put at 5,OOO,OOO boxes more than in 1916, a shortage is feared. The leading in- terest will fix prices for the third
 quarter on sheets and the last half I on tin plate, chiefly, 1t is presumed, to meet the wishes of consumers who
 desire to establish thus early their i manufacturing basis
 The railroad situation has so far improved that prompt coke for fur mace use is now obtainable at $8, against SIS a month ago. None of the stacks of the Carnegie Steel con- pany is idle for lack of coke, but there are 12 undergoing repairs. MNIE. WI TING FANG AN UPLIFT.