The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-08-15
IRON REVIEW

NEW YORK, Aug. l4.-Th" Iron Age
tomorrow in its weekly summary OF iron
and steel markets will say:
1.-THE stoppage Of the Lake Superior
orc movement by the strike ut upper
Lake Docks for so per cent advance
in wages. the prospect of higher rail-
road freight rates in line with tho OK
pectcd wage increase to railroad work
crs; and the car shortage due /" the
railroad shop strikes: have caused pre-
ducers Of iron and steel TO adopt n con-
scrvativc selling policy. The threat of
A strike in Central Western Steel plants
while not ominous. Is not diSrcgardCd
An advance of Is cents to 81 ton
has been asked by several producers of
Southern pig iron. Indicating that sup
ply and demand are working in IN" sci
ler's favor. Blowing in OF Northern
merchant furnaces continues and Scv-
en- are scheduled 10 resume in tho Cen
trail West. but the volume Of sales is
well maintained
Export pig iron inquiry in New York
Is larger, the total for Hollaed. Scan
danavia. Belgium, Japan. ItaS' and IN"
United Kingdom being moro than $4,000
TONS Frcights to Great Britain are
down TO $40 from Gulf ports and So
600 tons Of foundry iron has been sold
TO British consumers. while $4,000 tcns
OF basic iron for the British Isles IS
under negotiation.
Again Lorraine basic pig iron has
figured in the British market. having
sold at 165 s. or about $3.50. at Scot
fish port. or considerably less than tho
delivered price OF American iron. Coal
outrut in Great Britain has fallen off
nearly so per cent since mid-July and
some blast furnaces in Wales and in
the Midhnds have boon forced to bank.
Steel prices in England have advanced
5 s. to 20 s. per ton. according 10 lat"
cables, and financial conditions are in
creasngly adverse.
In recent sails Of $4,000 tons OF basic
iron in Northern Ohio to two consum-
crs q concession Of 81 a ton was made
on a part of the metal a deal for stec!
being involved: on another lot soc. be-
low the regular price was done.
Leading steel manufacturers are not
disposcd to ask higher prices on major
products for this years delivery but
there Is an upward tendency. and in
some cases an actual advance. in Cal-
vanized shoots. nuts, bolts and rivcts,
and in boat spikes and cut nails.
The Carnegie Steel Company Is op"r-
ating 46 of it's % blast furnaces. 81
S5 nor cent Of finishing capacity In
the Chicago district Gary and South
Chicago are operating but four blast
furnaces each. steel plant operations
are much reduced. and plate mills. sheet
mills and rail mills arc shut down. all
due to the railroad ShopmvnS strike.
independent mills thcr" are stlil run
ming. At Cleveland. whcr" rccoEniti"n
Of a local union is one demand. The
American Steel and Wire Company has
all its blast furnaces and steel works
idle.
The bulk Of 5000 tons Of plates
bought by the Pennsylvania railroad.
was PIT through at $3.50, but III" full
price Of s2.G5 was charged for lighter
gauges. Four mills divided tn" 6.h"h
ions bought ny the Baldwin Locomotive
Works. for the $50 locomotives for l"-
land.
Exporters find som" Indications that
mills incline to domestic business IN
the old upportunist way. as the volume
increases. and TO thu exclusion Of "N-
port orders. Yet repeat orders IRE
coming here from som" countries which
would buy British steel ifun anything
like even terms.
SHIPMENTS Of LAX" Superior ore from
upper Lake ports w"r" ?.l12.4"9 gross
tons. or about l.5n0 600 tons l"s% 'han
those for July. 1915. To August The
seasons shipments wcr" 2!.lS!.SiN tors,
which compares with @9.GHN 90 tons ~
August |. 1913. Thor" WAS larE"
amount Of or" on III" docks = tho open
ing OF navigation md blast fu'nac"
yards wcr" unusually fun Of ore. These
conditions preclude n serious sh"rtag"
of ore. even though In" dock strike
should continue for sometime.