New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1918-10-10
Steel and Pig
Iron Markets
The Iron Age says today:

Pig iron was produced in Septem-
Der at 113, 942 tons a day, the high
est rate in the history of the in
dustry, representing a gain of 4,6O0
tons a day over that of August. The
concerted effort for greater output
yielded fruit sooner than expected,
and some Improvement in coke quality
reported here and there.
The fact that October, with it's 81
days and generally favorable weather,
is always set apart for record break-
ing, points to continuance of the
good work begun last month. The
September total was 3,418,27O tons,
or 113 ,942 tons a day, against $780,
585 tons in August, or 109,341 tons
a day. Yet IA furnaces blew out last
month and seven blew in, making a
net loss of seven. The total. in blast
Oct. / was 365.
September production was at the
rate of more than 100000 tons a
year, against less than 40,000,00 tons
year as the August rate, while the
official figures for the first half of
the year were only 1S,227,730 tons.
Over against this encouraging re
Spouse to appeals from Washington
and from France, there is this week
the first evidence in Pennsylvania
steel plants of the inroads of the
prevailing influenza. Steel output in
eastern Pennsylvania has been cut
down and now Pittsburgh reports in
creasing severity of the disease and
fears for mill operations.
However, the Steel Corporations
report for the past week was quite
favorable-92.7 per cent. of blast
furnace capacity and 100 per cent. Of
ingot capacity in operation against 80
per cent. and 97.S per cent. respective
~ in the preceding week.
Ferromanganese and spiegeleisen
production went above IS 900 tons last
month, or about $4,000 tons more
than the best previous record. The
manganese situation is easing beyond
expectation.
New requirements from France
mean the further concentration of
mill operations on rails, shell steel,
barbed wire and steel for cars. The
orders of the Allies have materially
increased. Some Encouragement of
priorities may be necessary, in view
of the more acute situation developed
this week. A large northern Ohio
shell forging plant was closed down
for three days for lack of steel and
is now working at but two thirds
| capacity. The effort to have some
| government department prune their
| shedules has had little success.
| An urgent demand has been put to
| the railroad car builders for the
. American Expeditionary Forces. fol-
! lowing the recent award of about
! $4,000 cars The present call is for
! 40 315 cars, involving upward of 3oG,-
! 900 tons of steel.
Though this means the further tse-
lay of deliveries of rolling stock of
| home roads, continued close control
| of traffic is expected to avert the chaos
! of last winter.
! A further statement from the Steel
! Corporation concerning the eight-hour
| basic day shows that the rate of pay
| for Sundays and holidays will be the
| same as for other days. Thus, in
! blast furnace labor, where there is a
| regular force each day of the seven
| and each man gets one day. off in
seven, it will be the policy to pay
straight. rates for eight hours work
on Sunday and time and a half for
, the additional hours. 1t is ruled also
}
will receive a SO per cent. higher rate
for work done in hours beyond the
eight.
One lot of $4,000 government motor
trucks for Deem Der June delivery
calls for 22,50 tons of chromevan-
adium steel at a time when alloy steel
mills are badly congested with orders.
Passenger car builders are not getting
steel promised and are making sub
stitutions in spring parts. A lead
ing producer is insisting on consum ers
accepting steel of 0.06 per cent sui
phur resulting from poor coke. De-
mand for shell steel discard by
rolling mills is in excess of the supply.
Orders for France include $50 miles
of portable track and $500 frogs and
switches placed with one plant and
an Ohio gun plant for new contracts
will require 5000 tons of electric
chrome nickel steel.