Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-20
STEEL TRADE BUSY
ON FEDERAL WORK
Interests Are Giving Undivid.a
Attention to the Necessi.
ties for War

An in.o.oz. + NEW YORK, Oct "a
TO be centered on Governn,o,. O"Vlnus
Nhether 1t be orders direct from W. y.SrA NorA
Un, vi contracts from manufacturing aas
~ - 5iaNlle work for the Governrosn.'
,,o5i,.iSIs steer trade interests are se v1t..e
war. 'o necessities for
-, hecently or,,t,y some orders have com. :, a
aiuIacturers which at first vera ~. ~ ue
TO be for regular domestic 80 uelleycd
nut closer scrutiny brought az,
'hat the steel was wanted IN ~ le iad
WIN contracts which have bson sta
!or ali sorts of articles by the Fedsrpi p,Scea
Ihat the steel Industry Of tb,. -.
WI no more than its share in tha n'g nr.ng
"i'u't'Ioh IS stated by every ono ,yi,h eW N
authority to speak. The largest "..n any
as the smallest, steel companies a., "u
NltualIy give over their produo,Ja.
.1 Dc uoie with as is willed by those gud,uo y
tne United States through tbo euung o.i.4g
times now at hand. '' eiiuca
IL has been agreed between ~. 49,,
ToI,,,IIittees on all branches and the W.,
industries Board at Washinpton a.. var
output OF steel plants of the courtr,' .T es
pe kept as near capacity as Is nhvs,o.r-
possible, and work on new Dlants ,,hioh ~,
ne ~uSeu Tor increasing the productior -
prouucts especially needed, such as Mat
etc" Is being rushed as never before. ''''
rms Is indicated by the fact that ~.
new llO-lnch plate mill Of tine Carnsris
SJeeI company at Homestead was startsa
Il lew dlys ago. In ordinary times NM.
plant would not he more thln 65 10 IA ns,
cent completed now, considering the tims
spent on construction, but the abnormal
suited in an earlier opening than even
some of the most optimistic had looked for
when the work was started.
Steel company officials agree with tbs.
views expressed by Judge Gary, thlt tbs
additional prices fixed by President Wilson
as result of the agreement between the
steel committees and the War Industries
Board are fair and equitable, and the treat.
ment received at Washington has created
firm belief among the leading steel men
that future price fixing on virtually every
steel article will he satisfactory.
The activity of this country in the eauIp-
ment market for cars and locomotives 10 be
used in the countries of the Allies will bring
in some big orders to the steel companies
for various products necessary for the
building Of the equipment. Naturally when
the steel orders are paced it win be re-
CURED that the material is supplied as soon
as possible.
Considerable attention Is attracted to the
efforts of Japan to purchase big rounds In
this country. The inquiries have been COM
ing to the steel companies and some au-
thorties are not averse to admitting that
in their opinion the large rounds will BE-
broken down into slabs and rerolled into
plates If the orders are placed.
1t will be recalled that before the ex.
port embargo was placed on steel products
by President Wilson Japan had large orders
on the books Of some Of the makers for
steel plates on which 1t had been agreed
to pay high prices. Deliveries of these con-
tracts cannot be made because of the ban
In the market the only features are re-
ported sales of pig iron to regular con-
sumers at $33 per ton, the Government
fixed price, and the further reductions IN
old material. Offerings of scrap continue
large, with few takers, except at conees'
sions
In this connection 1t is interesting to know
that an offer made from the Pittsburgh ds-
trict of 1000 tons of scrap Of $50 per t@oa @
brought out bids ranging from S25 TO S-o
per ton and that eventually the sale was
made at see or $4 under the offering price,
The same conditions are reported IN us
order scrap district, although the recss'
sions are not always as large as an tns
case recorded,