The sun., 1918-08-12
MORE STEEL MILLS
MAY SOON Be BUILT
Pittsburg Hears War Board
Will Sanction COnstruc-
ton Of Plants.
NEED BLAST FURNACES
Neville Island MunitiOn Works
Expected to Turn Out First
Gun About January 1.
NEED BLAST FURNACES
Spccini Despnfch TO THE suS.

Special Despdtch TO TIE suS.
P1TTsBuRo, Aug. 10.-It Is said In
trade circles here that the War Indus
tries Board will very soon sanction a
largo number OF construction projects
for the iron and steel industries. while
there Is nothing official in these rumors
hopes are expressed that they may
come true, for II will involve the appll-
cation OF the necessary pressure all
along the line to provide materials
transportation and labor to insure the
completion OF the work In record time.
II Is known here that the Government
officials have made careful investi-
CATION as to the kind of construction
required. as 1t has been found that on
account Of the largo Withdrawals OF
crude steel in favor OF the manufacture
Of shell steel and plates the remaining
supply falls short in allowing the An
!shing departments OF the industry "a
work full time. Merchant, wire, pipe
and sheet mills are operating at about
20 per cent OF capacity. and a new
construction programme. It Is believed
would involve the erection of additional
open hearth furnaces. Theaehortage OF
pig iron that now hampers the steel
making industry and an inability &c
meet the demands of Great Britain
France and Italy means that there
would have to be number of bias,
furnaces built. Then would come ir
the increased by-product coke produc.
ton. which Is now three times as heavy
as existed three years ago.
The Carnegie Steel Company hat
been producing pig iron at 81 per cent
Of rated capacity Of the 81 furnaces ir
blast. and about IS per cent. Of rated
ingot tonnage. but production has beer
romewhat curtalled In the past weei
on account OF the heat. The compa my,
production Of sheared and universal plate
In July was l22.e79 net tons. this beine
per cent. over June production. and
per cent under May production.
Work on Munition Plant Grows.
Work is progressing fast at the i'm.
mense munition works on Neville Island
and the drst gun will be turned Out
about the beginning OF the new year
according to the optimistic prediction OF
some Of the men In charge down there
but who. OF course. cannot be quoted
for obvious reasons. The Ordnance Club
whose membership Is made up Of the
big gun plants Of the country, met ir
this city this week, and for two day.
inspected the new gun plant at Neville
Island. Contracts have Just been lie
for piercing presses and draw benche!
to the Sesta Machine Company. and fol-
steam hydraulic for forging guns e
the Universal Engine and Foundry Com
pany. Provision is made for guns ant
shells up to eighteen inch.
A number OF the tin plate mills re
port slightly heavier production in Jul,
than In June, while a few have shown
considerable decreases. From the in
formation available II Ia probable tina
the total output was about the SAM
for the two months This means, o
course that the July output a day wa
at reduced rate, since July was
longer working month. but conslderin,
that the month was a hot one the per
Torrance Is extremely satisfactory. Be
yond question the mills averaged
greater output in proportion TO capac;t!
than In any previous July. The suppl,
Of bars has been adequate. with per
For some time the distribution OF til
plate has been for direct Government
orders and for food products exclusively
The supplies for the perishable foo,
products have been ample, while the sup
plies for other food items have beef
more or less restricted. The cannin,
period will last much longer than usua
by reason of the heavy acreages plant ed
Usually at this date the mills are al
most through with tin plate shipment
against the crops, but this time they ar
far from the end. and Il Is problematica
when there will be any tin plate avail
able for the lines Of consumption tina
have been shut of. There Is SUI
ficient supply for all essential purpose
and there Is a good basis for predicting
that all customers who the Government
feels should receive tin plate will get II
Wage Increase Causes Complaint
When the United States Steel Corpo
ration announced its 10 per cent. wac
advance to common labor last Tuesda
afternoon many other employers ex
pressed their disar0roval There ha
been considerable complaint about It
IS per cent advance last April but tn
objections were much stronger this time
This feeling has been crystallized by tn
Pittsburg Employers Association, whic
claims to represent the employment O
| about $4,000 men and which sent
vigorous protest to the War Labor Pol
ices Board at Washington containin
some strong language and expressin
| the hope that the board will be able I
hold this gigantic corporation With
rea sonable bounds. The protest int
mates that the making OF the advanc
| effective August l was timed for tn
very date upon which 1t became i'm
proper for manufacturers to hold on
| special inducements to common labo
Objection is also made to the policy sal
to be under advlsement by the board G
making the basis day eight hours, whlc
would mean overtime for men who hav
customarily worked ten hours. There |
an intimation that IL the employers ar
permitted to meet the Steel Corporate
advance they will then ask the Govern
ment for increased prices upon contract
now being filled. The War Labor Poi
icies Board is clearly confronted with
very delicate situation. Meanwhile tn
Steel Corporation 10 per cent. advanc
Is likely to become fairly general in tn
| iron and steel industry.
Sheet bars furnished the sheet mil
during July we're insufficient for an aver
age 60 per cent operation. and the GU,
put of sheets ran somewhat below tn
| percentage, as compared with capacit,
There Is no definite prospect OF mate
rally larger sheet bar supplies. 1t be!n
more probable that the increasing wa
steel requirements will necessitat
further curtailment In the quantity @
/ steel allowed to go into sheet bars.
steel Distribution Difficulties.