New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-04
Steel Industry
Looking Ahead
w thC,onfidence
Some Districts Report Im-
provement, While Others
Show Very Little Change;
Prices Are Uncertain
Wages Are Near Bottom
Trade Holds Prospects, for
Good First Quarter of
1922 Are Promising

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 3.-The steel
industry is neither going forward nor
backward this week. 1t is wavering
like the needle on the battery indicator
OF q motor car, One district reports
advancement and the next reports q
falling off in orders. One manufae-
turer sees good business just around
the corner, his neighbor looks with
pessimism on the whole of 1921. Out
Of all Of it the forward looking sales
departments see the end of the down
grade and just beyond 1t, bumpy level
stretch before business starts up.ciimb
to what is predicted will be . great
nor will the grade be steep, but in
the opinion of the sales heads Of sew
eral of the larger steel companies in
the Pittsburgh district it will be a
steady climb to busy days again in the
industry. Prices are little uncertain,
due primarily to the eagerness with
which some sales heads desire to see
orders come in which they hope will
stimulate business. Wages are down
practically as low as they will be until
other industries are reduced. Living
costs prohibit any further reduction
at this time. Prospects for good first
quarter Of the next year are in plain
sight and many think the last quarter
Of this year will average much better
than the third quarter.
While actual placements $ of steel
tonnage with district mills are aver
aging less than month ago, some in
terests report Mat business is we'll
sustained. A. N. Flora, vicepresident
of the Trumbull Steel Company, War
rem, Ohio, one of the large independ-
emit tinplate makers, states that Sep
TENDER will prove as satisfactory a
moth with the company as August.
Strip steel orders are being accepted
by the 1rumbull Company from vari
ETY. Of sources, though the bulk of such
prediction continues to be absorbed
by automobile builders.
The Falcon Steel Company sheet pro-
ducirg interest at Niles, Ohio, is pre-
pairing to resume imm ediately after
Labor Day, following suspension OF
company has received a number OF
orders for barrel stock which warrant
resumption and will enable steady OPP
erations for some time.
Carnegie Steel Company is also pre-
pairing to enlarge production in certain
departments in the Youngstown dis
trict and may shortly add a fourth
blast furnace to the active list IN the
Ohio works group.
On the other hand one large indie
pendent interest reports that current
business is not sustained and has
even talked of complete suspension.
Thd complete schedule OF opera
ion in the Youngstown district on
September / was as follows:
Youngstown Sheet and Tube COM
pany is operating two furnaces, FIVE
open hearth furnaces, nine sheet mills,
four pipe (two butt, two lap, one
skeip mill, one rod mill and partial
wire mill operations.
Republic Iron and Steel Company is
operating one blast furnace, six open
hearth furnaces, three pipe mills and
seven sheet mills.
Brier Hill Steel Company is opera
ting one blast furnace. four open
hearth furnaces, ten sheet mills (Niles
plant); one plate mill will start late
next week.
Carnegie Steel Company is operating
three blast furnaces, ten open hearth
furnaces, bar and finishing mills.
Trumbull Steel Company is opera
ting four open hearth furnaces, bloom
ing and bar mill, four sheet mills,
thirteen tin mills and hot and cold
strip mills.
Sharon Steel Hoop Company is oper-