The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-31
Trade Reviews Report Trade
Is Continuing to Gain All
Over Country.
UNTITLED ORDERS PILE UP
Usual Summer Lull This Year
Has Not Been Heard of
as Yet.

There is continued Improvement in
steel operations throughout the coun-
try. the weekly steel trade reviews in
dictate. blast furnaces being started
afresh In many mills. Unified orders
still accumulate despite the fact that
during the summer there is generally
let up in that class Of tonnage. Those
facts are taken by men in the steel
trade to indicate that the Improvement
made manifest in the last few weeks
has been permanent and that the steel
industry once more Is on the way to
prosperity.
Increasing operation of blast fur
naces and steel plants" says the Iron
Age, lis still the rule and the tendency
is rather emphasized In the Pittsburg
district. The Carnegie Steel Company
is now operating forty-six out of fifty
nine blast furnaces. having started up
fifteen in the past month. Its steel
ingot capacity Is now operating at 10
to 80 per cent.
What is notable throughout the in
dustry is that untitled orders are
accommodating in midsummer month
often marked by slackening.
Higher prices have become effective
in a few lines. Most of the mills have
announced a IS per ton advance on all
wire products for export but In the
case of Canada have confined the ad-
vance to wire rods, which are now SGT.
Several Independent sheet mills ad-
vanced black sheets So per ton on July
% and galvanized sheets 81. Three
other sheet mills are practically sold up
for the year. On some automobile
sheet sales for the first half of next
year one or two mills realized IS per
ton over to-day's prices. The sold up
condition of bar mills Is emphasized,
but prices stay where they were.
Railroads Must Ruy Soon.
While some steel companies have sold
$50 per cent. of their capacity in July
their bookings continue unbalanced.
being less than capacity in plates, larger
size bars and in all railroad products
Meanwhile the Inevitable day of railroad
buying Is nearer, with indications that
on some products prices will be higher
than at the time Of the Railroad Admin
istration's great refusal.
The activities of the labor unions have
been most marked lately at Cleveland
Chicago and in Western Pennsylvania
outside of Plttsburg. At Cleveland q
strike on a steel works railroad for an
eleven hours pay now given for ten
hours work caused a partial shutting
down of mills and a banking of furnaces.
At Chicago the building trades lockout
continues but its early termination is
expected.
Our cable Indicates but little advance
! out of the chaotic conditions in British
and Continental steel trades. The seven
hour day has cut down Welsh coal out
put, and steel producers are further at
sea over uncertainty as to costs. Some
steel plants have closed down. Japan is
b1yins Welsh tin plate freely. Belgian
rods have sold at fiji 5s. Z. o. b. Antwerp
German works are greatly hampered
by lack of raw materials and by rising
labor costs, 1t Is arranged that Sweden
shall provide large quantities of ore in
future, but the coal scarcity Is marked
and railroad facilities almost at the
breaking point Many rolling mills are
down to a 25 per cent operation.
Siemens-Halske and other electrical
works have been closed by impossible
demands Of workers. For thin sheets
the syndicate price Of German mills is
900 marks per ton, but dealers have
actually obtained 1000 marks The
steel syndicate Is to liQuidate AID q. new
one will be formed, leaving out the
saar works and some others.