The sun., 1918-09-16
STEEL MILLS TRYING
TO INCREASE OUTPUT
War Demands So Great Finish.
ing Plants Arc Forced to
Limit Of Production.
SHELL ORDERS SWE'
Pittsburg Factories Called %.
to Supply 33,00O00o for
Early Shipment.
speciai Despatch 10 THr ST..

crease steel prOductlon ana are also pay
ing considerable attention to conserva-
ton Of the commodity War demands
are so heavy that quite a number Of
finishing depa rtments In the steel plants
are hard pressed In supplying them
Munitions, steel for shipbuildinG. and
the kind. are placed In classes IA and
A priorities. while class defines steel
for the most important commercial Uses
that are helpful in furthe;ing the war
aims of the Government. The preference
list comes after that, and only few Of
the mills can get beyond classes "A and
A. Thus II Is seen that commercial de-
mands are still untitled. The War IN
dustries Board issued another preference
| list last week, but that has nothing TO
do with the previous one in relation 20
M iron and steel products II is for
the guidance of the draft boards In de-
termining industrial exemptions. 1t Is
expected that in the course of a couple
Of weeks answers will be coming in to
the auestionnaires sent out to 10000
manufacturing consumers OF steel, ard
hopes are entertained that quantity Of
steel can be found that will prove salts
factory to the board and save a further
| redist ributionf Of steel, which is bound
| to be difficult problem.
During the last few weeks the Rail
| road Administration has been reminding
| the War Industries Board that its needs
were passed by earlier in the year for
more pressing requirements in shells
| &C., and now that the winter Is ar-
preaching the railroads must be taken
| care Of to avoid the disastrous expert
ence of last winter. when thousands o.
cars were loaded and left on side tracks
\ because of lack OF motor power. dad
when the coke and coal districts were
helpless for the want of cars. The Rail
| road Administration is insisting on quick
| delivery of a large amount of steel,
| in fact. the Director-General demands
J 10000 tons of rails a week until further
notice, which can hardly be furnished.
| Demands are passing from tho Gov
eminent to the Director of Steel supply.
while the Fuel Administration is corr
stantly on the heels Of the Railroad Ad.
ministration for better transportation
| Rail Conditions Improved.
| A very important meeting looking -
relief was held in Pittsburg last week
| between Director General William C.
| McAdoo, j. Leonard Replogle and A. W.
| Galloway, director of bituminous coal
| production, at which plans were adopted
| that they say will bring about a much
| better state OF affairs this winter than
existed last year. Mr.. McAdoo was en-
| thusiastic in discussing the improved
| railroad conditions after his trip West.
\
| shells were made by the Government
upon foundfies and machine shops Of .he
| Pittsburg district during last week, and
| the local War Resources Committee
! quickly modified to meet the immense
| order, which calls for 100000 sem
steel shells of inch and inch sizes.
and 100000 ~ inch shells Several
hundred manufacturers and mach''s
shop superintendents met at the Cha0'-
l IF Commerce. n WadDee1ay II'Tipr
the direction of President Robert S. Ga
| land, himself large manufacture i'
iron and steel products. number ~
United States officers from the Ordnance
Department were also present and ey-
planned the urgent need Of the shells he.
ing manufactured and shipped as soon
as possible. A visit was previously
made to the American Radiator Com
pany's plant at Buffalo, where sen!-stee'
shells are being produced, and at thH
Pittsburg meeting all the technical Dc.
tails OF manufacture and shipment wera
! elucidated. Keen interest was manifested
by the iron and steel men OF PittshIrC
and a committee of five leading men o.
the trade was appointed to mobilize tho
plants. of the district to assist IN filing
the order even ahead of the time spec
fed by the War Department. Small ma
chine shops will be used in assisting IT,
mills and it is confidently believed t''t'
with the usual vigor manifested by Pitts
burgers the 100000 shells will be do.
livered to the Government before the
time set. the date Of which has not bean
made public.
Tinplatc Output Restricted.
With the 70 per cent. supply OF steel
to which the tinplate mills will he re-
stricted for the last three months ~ the
year, the tinplate output for the calendar
year promises to be tribe undo 81
| 100000 base boxes. or at least 5000 0ho
boxes short OF the expectations enter
| tained hitherto. on the basis Of fIl
! supply OF sheet bars Throughout the
| year. The War Industries Boards de-
! cision to cut the supply to 20 per cent
4 beginning October l, was announced To
I representatives OF the tinp,ato industry
at q conference In Washington reCenl|"
and has since been communicated % all
the manufacturers. Production Of tr-
plate in August was n triNe over 2,90N.-
900 boxes, and was about G per cent.
. less than the July production. Whch IN
Z its time was regarded ms n remarkably
I high production for n summer month
Even with the decrease. August Is re-
garded as having made verv roo'
showing. The 40 per cent. allotment
means 20 ner cent. Of tho tonnage ~
s. sheet bars allotted through decision
y reached late in May. by which ancriHh
u quantity per week per mill vas 10 IL
Z furnished. The distribution Of ta3A'r
v Is still under the restrictions hitherto n
>, force, combining the distribution - Gov
" eminent orders and use for food row
la,ners, AS between containers .DN '.h-
plate makers and the can mn"crs 80
under obligations to take care NJ p".'h'
able food crops nrst. but containers '"r
wide variety OF food products n" re'
ognzed as permitted TO be furnished u
y possible. while non-food uGs A." 81 =
prohibited. There are lkelv 20 h' 'H-'H'
regulations in this matter IN N"'
future. imposing restri',to"s ~
:. quantity of tinplate to he us'd fog q :
~ food products as can without 500 "'- 80
iculty be packed In other ooutn n".- '.
T. the manufacture of which can To- ''-
tailed on account Of there NeIrc .4ia7
d. stocks of the products in .'h 6. 1'
retailers hands.
Steel Curtniimcnt for = MONTH"
II Is distinctly understood thai 't" ~
per cent, steel supply just arrange '2'
tin plate mills Is only for the laS' -"'
months of the year No promise (" me
as to what will he done for J'r' NE
and later months, II is rrcoSul'' -
Washington that there ought I" DO '''
ter than a 20 PEI cent. supp,
early months OF 1919. but no pr" se'
are made, except that the subj $50
be taken up some time i'm Dc.,M..
Estimated production Of coke '''
week ended September :, was -.