New-York tribune., 1922-10-29
Lack of Labor |
And Cars Curb
On, Steel Output
Production Would Go For.
ward If Workers and
Transportation Equip
menf Could BE Found
spectal piapatch % Yte Trltane

PITTSBURGH, Oct 2s.-The busi.
ness of the steel mills is trsmping on
the heels Of labor supply and transpor-
tation. IL workers could be found and
cars obtained, output Of the mills
would frward in bound. Lack Of
help and railroad equipment are ac-
tually siowin down operations in some
places. notably in the Mahoning and
Shenango valleys, where dependence
must be placed entirely upon railroads
for incoming supp les Of raw mater
ials. In Pittsburgh and Wheeling the
situation is easier because the rivers
afford a freight hihway for brining in
coal and coke and for interehanging
steel in process Of manufacture be-
tween various works.
Some manufacturers predict that no
matter what the demand may be trans
portation and labor will limit the pro-
duction to about what ii now is for at
least some month to come. There,
however, will likely be an increase in
pig iron production for there are sew
eral idle stacks ready to biloxi In just
as soon as coke requirements can be
met. 1t is currently reported that an
other advance in labor may be an
nounced within the next few weeks.
Predict Say in Operations
Industries in the Shenango valley
not includin some plants that have not
operated for two or more years ars
running about rs per cent Of capacity.
Operations are averaging around 80
per cent in the Mahoning valley. but ir
Is TIE opinion of leaders in the indus
try that this ratio will not be main
taned through the winter. Some are
predicting that it will sag to so per
cent.
The shenano valley reports that
there would be d quick recovery TO
normal If the mills could get coke and
steel The American Sheet & Tinplate
Company this week Was orced to cut
operations per cent at the tines pate
mill in farrell because o lack Of tin
bar. The American Steel & Wire is
also handicapped because 1t cannot es
a supply of rods. The Carnegie Steel
Company is runnin every department
with the exception Of the bar mill,
which will start durin the second week
of November. The sheet mill OF the
American Sheet & Tinplate Company Is
also runnin at full capacity.
The stee' business has brthter QUE
look at tine t1oHleSleau oteci WI NJ
and the Duquesne plant OF the Car
negie Steel Company. owing 20 the
fact ehst the bic plants secured more
railroad cars this week to ship steel.
Auto Deliveries
The scarcity OF railroad cars has re-
suited in many of the steel planes
slong the Monongahela Valley hiring
automobile trucks 70 deliver steel with
In a distance of fifty miles.
In general way prices are scfesa-
ing. due to the decline in costs OF raw
materials. chiefly ccal and coke, enter
ing into iron production. This has
heen especially marked In sheets-
Makers who rejected tonnages four
weets ago offered under $500 and 4.e0e
for black and galvanized, respectively
are now accepting orders at S.s0c and
4.5Oc levels. The latter prices repre-
sent the independent market at shie
time.
Fully 25.o00 iron workers Will benefN
directly and indirectly from che BIZ
monthly settlement covering bar sro0
shipments for the sixty-dsy period ends
ing October 90. Puddlers will receive
a horizontal advance Of $1.i8 per ton
in November and December, or Sfo.1&s
comparing with 1898 paid In Septens
Der and October. Finishers are al.
vanced from rate 32h per cent sbove
the base to 44s per cent