The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-10-09
STRIKE AIDS STEEL
MILLS IN THE EAST
While Operations in West and
Middle West Restricted,
Other Sections Busy.
HEAVY SALES REPORTED
Major Part of Large Bookings
in East Is Tonnage That
Was Held Up.
HEAVY SALES REPORTED

While the strike has held back opera
tions In the steel mills Of the West and
middle West Eastern mills have been
profitins and. according to weekly trade
reviews on steel and iron conditions, large
sales by the factories have been re-
corded in the last week. Heavy export
buying is also feature Of last weeks
market, Japan placing good sized orders
for shipbuilding material and France
and Belgium for steel used in re-
construction. The Pennsylvania Rail-
road has swelled during last week ton
mage accepted with an order for $4,000
tons Of car repair parts.
Eastern mills quite q sHerally," says
the Iron Trade Revietc, report heavy
sales during last week. In fact a num-
Der report moro new tonnage than in
any previous week since the armistioe
was signed. This Is made possible by
the fact that the Eastern production
practically has not been affected by the
strike. so that Eastern mills have been
able to take practically all business Of
fereds Part of the heavy bookings by
the Eastern mills during the last week
comes from customers OF mills which
have been shut down by the strike, but
the major portion was comprised Of ton
mage previously held UP.
'The Pennsylvania Railroad has
placed orders for $4,000 tons of car re-
pair parts. Considerable shipbuilding
tonnage Is being placed and great i'm
provement in this direction Is expected.
since the shipyards. and particularly
those in the East. are figuring on a
great many new vessels. The Navy De-
partment has taken bids on $4,000 tons
Of plates for battleships 81 and 50. ia be
built at Mare Island and Norfolk.
"The export demand for iron and
steel Is growing and Ia beng estimated
at 100000 to 100000 tons Of steel
month, not including pig iron. Japan is
the heaviest single buyer and IL closing
for large quantities OF shipbuilding
material Included In the export book
ings Of last week was tonnage Of shapes
for repairing wrecked windmills In
France and Belgium The demand for
structural steel Is good. and is reflected
by the fact that lettings in the Eastern
$4,000 tons. Considerable activity fea-
tured the Eastern scrap market during
last week. and i've Eastern mills, re-
assured as to conditions. purchased q
total Of nearly $4,000 tons of steel
scrap"
with the back. Of the strike
broken" says the Iron Age, "chief inter-
est IL centred In conditions which the
Industry now faces. Return to normal
operations will be slow. and with shift
ing Of labor that has bean going on and
aggravated losses by emigration the
market for some months will definitely
belong to the seller.
Large producers are expected to hold
down prices. Increasing demand Is de-
veloplng for next years needs. but little
success IL had In securing bookings Pre-
miums are offered freely for prompt
shipment No cancellations have been
received even by mills totally idle. and
the strike shutdown will force consider
able 1919 business into 1920.
Pig iron production in September o.
441,5 54 TONS while 301. s34 tons less than
that Of the thirty-one day month of Au-
gust was larger than Julys output OF
2.<fs.541 tons. The daily average make
was 1885, ss.Ie6 and 7s.a4o tons for
September, August and July respectively.
The effect n me strike IL shown in q net
loss OF 10a furnaces on the active list
Most Of them were banked as October
came in, but many are In operation.
Against q rated capacity of s3.360 tons
daily for the 265 furnaces. active Sep
TENDER 1, the rate Of production of the
/ 50 furnaces In blast on october ! was
only 50,I00 tons, indicating to how large
an extent the larger furnaces were Grip
pled.
Activity in foundry iron stands out in
the week. Southern prices at the new
level of S28 are strong. and elsewhere 81
and % q ton premium has been paid for
early shipment Railroad inquiries for
rails for next year indicate preparation
for the expected reversion to private
ownership. In view OF the sustained
heavy demand II Ia encouraging that
Pittsburg sheet mills are operating at 70
per cent capacity. As high as 2.7o
centa, Pittsburg basis. has been paid for
carly shipments Of steel bars. and West
ern buyers Of plates have offered Eastern
mills tina equivalent Of $2.so cents Pitts
burg.
"Iron and steel exports for August
were rs per cent. greater In value than
those Of July. and the tonnage, 6s6.ss6
tons, Is IS per cent above that of July.
August's machinerysexports reflected an
Increased valuation of sA,ooo.ooo over
those Of July.
american prices on machine tools for
French car works totalled 1000, 000
francs. The German total was 100000
francs. Tho French Government, on con-
sultation, told the buyers they were justi-
fed In going to Germany"