The New York herald., 1922-07-23
STEEL CURTAILMENT
DUE TO RAIL STRIKE
Blast Furnace Operations Fall,
Owing to Inability of Mills
to Obtain Coal.
ROADS TO MINES CHECKED
Prior to Walkout of Shopmen
Foundries Got Fuel From
Nom Union Fields.

NOn-UniOn Fields.
PITTSBURGH, July 22.-The coal situ-
alton has become rather acute. chiefly
because Of the railroad strikes that be-
roads serving West Virginia and Ken
tucky fields The n-re prolongation for
little bit longer of the coal strike that
has been in progress since April /
would not account for the present coal
situation. Steel producers are now
faced with the question whether they
or their customers will first be forced
To curtail operations materially.
During the first three months of the
coal strike steel production increased,
while no cases developed of steel con-
sumers calling for lighter deliveries on
account of their operations being af-
fected by shortage of coal. Thus it
might be said that three months or
the coal strike affected neither the con-
sumption nor the production of steel.
but what the next few weeks will bring
remains to be seen.
Blast furnace and steel mill opera
tions already have fallen off a trifle.
the decreases in production being
traceable chiefly to curtailed deliveries
OF West Virginia and Kentucky coal, the
railroads. in that territory being seri-
ousy congested. Connellsville coal and
coax deliveries also are reduced.
The iron and steel trade has no doubt
that 1t Is the development of the rail-
road strikes. not the continuance of the
gftfl< 1xpk - IT.
at the moment.
Small lots Of some finished steel
products are bringing higher prices for
early deliveries, but In general the
market is quite steady there being many
conservative mills unwilling to push
their price advantage.
Good Demand for Sheets.
1t is rather surprising how the de-
mand for sheets keeps up In this
district. Since practically all sheet
mills are sold far ahead and are having
difficulty getting adequate steel sup
plies. due to fuel and railroad strikes,
every possibility exists that the demand
VIII grow still heavier in the near
future. BUYERS will endeavor to place
their tonnages In several directions in
order to assure themselves of supplies
and thus demaDds will be pyramided.
AT present buyers include all classes of
sheet fabricators. although full finished
automobile sheet buying Is in the lead.
Galvanized sheets for many purposes,
chiefly building, continue in heavy de-
nand. and the call for blue annealed
also Is high. The American Sheet and
Tin Plate Company has mot announced
It's prices for the fourth quarter as yet,
hut will likely do SO in tire next ten days
~ I'll 49, A.
meet the leading interests third quarter
prices of 2.4oc. for blue -annealed, S.15c.
for black. 4.15c. for galvanized and
450c for automobile sheets. while
Others are maintaining quotations at
level SO, 81 and IS ton in advance
OF those prices. The leading interest is
maintaining an operating rate of SO per
cent, with the independents slightly be-
lew that rate.
Tin plate took sudden squirt forward
In new buying activity in the past week.
and this is attributed to the reports
from the canning industry that the pea
pack is greater by 10 to IL per ccent.
than ever before. Can makers also are
preparing to care for the corn crop.
which because of the warm weather is
expected to be large. and more corn
than any other vegetable Is packed in
tin. Not only did new buying pick up to
the extent of a. few hundred thousand
base boxes. but specifications on con-
tracts also. increased slightly. Shipments
are continuing at high rate and opera
tions likewise possibly SIS per cent. rep
resenting the general average of the
leading interest and the independents
Many mills are feeling the pinch of a
shortage in skilled and unskilled labor,
and due to this and other causes the
American Sheet and Tin Plate Company
has reduced the number Of it's tin mills
In operation. The price remains un-
changed at s4.75 a base box, 100
pounds. Pittsburgh rs
While embargoes on iron and steel
scrap exist here and there. these are
not serious so far. and such as are on
seem to come rather from the Gus
TONER'S condition than the railroad
strike. Although new buying here is
practically absent the scrap situation
remains strong. sellers having enough
faith in the future to await Develop
ments. Some buyers of heavy melting
steel will not pay over $3.50. while 1t
IL doubted that anything is available
here to-day at less than SIT. The situa-
tion in Eastern PENNSYLVANIA possesses
strength due to recent purchases by the
Cambria Steel Company.
ETkCeH aNOE SCIhGISs
The market in bars. shapes and
plates Is in favor of the sellers and
can be quoted from 1.60c. to 2.00c., a
rather wide range. but most of the
mills are quoting 1.60c. to 1.70c. On
the whole there Is probably a heavy
tonnage going on books at this price.
but little is heard of this business, In
trade circles. for the reason that no
mill wishes to become publicly known
as willing to quote a 1.60c. to 1.70c.
price In any case. Thsy save the price
for the most desirable orders
A Tightening condition has developed
in the supplies OF sheet bars by reason
of fresh restrictions In production and
the menace of there being an additional
restriction, but this has been balanced
NY q decrease in market demand, so
that the market Is simply holding steady
at the old level Of s35. Pittsburgh or
Youngstown. None Of the producers
seems disposed to take on any consid-
erable tonnage at this price. but there
is no definite hint that any other price
would be more acceptable. Billets and
slabs remain quotable at s35. but the
price Is practically nominal since no
transactions are reported. Forging bill
let's are quotable at $35.
The pig iron market has not reflected
the Increased stringency In coke. Mer-
chant furnacemen are decidedly reluc-
tant to sell. and would not sell anything
like large tonnages at going prices, but
buyers are staying out Of the market.
A few weeks ago there was a reason