Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-10-18
big IMPROVEMENT
IN STEEL MARKET
Situation Best Since Walkout
and Shows Strike Is
Dying Out
STOCKS OF PIG IRON CUT

Pittsburgh, Pa, Oct. 1S.--The net
Improvement in operations of the iron
and steel mills during the week was
better than any week since the strike
began. an evidence that the strike is
asst dying. The increase in disorders
~ plants IN pointed to by steel men as
:urther evidence that the men Interested
IN maintaining the strike realize that
the struggle is lost and are ugly. Activ-
tiles of the coming week will be greater
Mt Youngstown and Cleveland, and the
American Sheet and Tin Plate Com
pany expects to get virtually 30 per
cent of its sheet plants in operation,
the Pittsburgh district being now vir-
tually normal.
An effect of the strike is the further
evidence Of a pig iron shortage because
many blast furnaces were closed. The
Pittsburgh district has benefited from
the more serious conditions i'll other
places. The Cambria plant at Johns
town is still completely closed and the
hest men have been coming to the
Pittsburgh mills for work. Mill man
ayers are devoting more attention TO
rebuilding organizations than to getting
out tonnagcs and some very skilled ana
well paid men have been refused posi-
tions.
There is a shortage of almost all
kinds of product, but on the whole the
larger producers are inclined TO adopt
n moderate price action so that no great
advance in prices is probable. In
many lines premiums are offered on
going prices for prompt delivery, and
So. 20 has been paid for early delivery
bars. An insistent demand is IN the
market for most goods for delivery next
year. Stocks in warehouses have been
pretty well exhausted.
More Blast Furnaces
The steel corporation has increased
the number of blast furnaces i'll opera
ton, and its subsidiaries are no longer
buying iron in the market. Foundry
grades are all higher and furnace men
all figure on higher selling prices. The
total purchases of the American Bridge
Company for its Pencoyd works aggre-
gated 80, 900 tons. The demand for
foundry iron for prompt shipment in
lots of 100 to 300 tons from consumers
having their regular sources OF supply
cut off continues active Several Ohio
furnaces are still selling early shipment
foundry iron here at 81 to So ton
premium. One interest reports sales
amounting to 1000 tons for next year,
including 1000 tons of malleable.
A considerable increase in structural
steel work has been recorded in con-
tracts placed and the new volume up is
very large, including a l0,O0O-ton lot
for Detxoit hotel and a similar amount
for an East End Pittsburgh hotel. The
American Bridge Company has signed
contracts with the Ford Motor Com
pany for 21 800 tons of steel for the
building for the new Ford plants on
the Rouge river near Detroit The
Ettlt -, -. 4 =. e
New York, has new project involving
$500 tons.
Plate mills are interested in projected
ship work. inquiries being out for about
eighty ships, while half dozen invo
ing 10000 tons of plates have been
placed. Fhe Emergency Fleet Corpor-
alton has bought 1000 tons of plates
from the Carnegie Steel Company at
2,G5. Pittsburgh. The Navy Depart
ment has bids on 1000 tons of null
plates and 5000 tons Of shapes for
river shipbuilder is asking for quota
tionSOn 5000 tons of plates and shapes
for two new boats. The old inquiry
by Missui & Co.. exporters to Japan,
for 23O sets of freight car trucks has
been revived and increased to 800. This
will require about 100 tons of plates,
shapes and bars and about 2000 axles.
Cars for Cuba
The Cuban Railway is inquiring for
six sleeping cars and the Atlantic Coast
Line for four diners. The latter is
also in the market for 100 phosphate
cars, the inquiry for which was made
some months ago and allowed to lapse
The American Car and Foundry Com
pany has taken an order for twenty
five mine cars for the Forks Coal Com
pany. Portage. Pa. 200 mine cars for
the PENNSYLVANIA Coal Company, of
New York. and 800 tank cars for the
Crown Oil and Refining Comnany.
Sheet mills have all the business they
can handle at full operations over the
remainder of the year, and will carry
a large surplus over into next year Oh
account Of the strike Automobile con
Germs were not so well fortified AS was
thought, and are short of material. De
mand for steel bars is heavy. and stocks
of mills and warehouses are about de-
pleted. Consumers that need bars badly
are Offering premiums. Smaller semi
finished steel products are in good de-
mand. but automobile builders are run
ming short of steel. Few orders for wire
products are being accepted except for
indefinite delivery. One effect of the
strike on the tinplate market has been
to sharply stimulate the demand for
stock plate. Operations of tinplate,
wire and tubp mills in the pittShrrvh