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SS WY MSA WE ESS

Vol. LXV Cleveland, September 11, 1919

trike Talk Still Fails to Excite

Iron and Steel Industry More Concerned With Getting Out Tonnage to Meet Growing Obligations Than With Unionism Threats —Much New Business Being Passed Foreign Orders Are Heavier—Steel Output Gains

OTHING in the week’s events has modified [he recent invoking of the federal anti-dump- the refusal of the iron and steel industry to ing statute by domestic producers against English become excited over the prospect of any makers of ferromanganese has caused the latter to thing resembling serious strike troubles. The Gom withdraw their low prices of $95 and $100 sea- pers’ message to the President is looked upon largely board In some cases sales at the complained-of as an incident in a widely-staged propaganda to im prices have been suspended. press the employers, the 85 to 90 per cent of the Export sales of iron and steel again

workmen in the plants who have refused to affiliate are on the upgrade afftr the sharp

Export Sales Pick Up ernment figures just published. China

afforded a way for the more conservative labor and Japan again are in the market

with the newly-formed unions and the public. There slump in July revealed by the gov-

is a well-defined suspicion also that it may have

leaders to redress an awkward position produced by liberally and South America continues an active the impossible claims and threats of radical agitators customer. European demand is light excepting Spain on which a showdown is overdue and to merge the which has been taking the advantage of exchange in matter with the approaching conference on general jts favor to buy American steel and resell it to labor questions already called by the President. Just nearby countries. The heaviest week’s sales reported now the troubles of the industry have more to do jnclude 10,000 tons of ship plates and two lots of with getting out tonnage to meet current demands 24,000 boxes and 5000 boxes of tin plate to Japan ; than with controversies over unionism. 10,000 boxes of tin plate to China; 7000 boxes of

There are various indications that consumption tin plate and 1000 tons of galvanized sheets to of steel in a number of finished lines is running Spain; 9000 tons of steel bars to Argentine; 6000 considerably ahead of production with the latter tons of wire to Cuba and South America, and 15,000 held back from capacity tonnage by labor shortages boxes of tin plate to Chile. A 20,000-ton billet sale

and other operating difficulties. Car shortages also is held up at Chicago by the exchange situation. It are a factor. The notable instances of this are is estimated that recent export sales have easily been wire products, tubular goods, sheets, tin plate and from 10 to 15 per cent of mill output. A leading

bars. Specifications in all these products are ahead Pittsburgh independent as the result of heavy foreign

f output with the result that buyers are exerting bookings advanced its export figures on all products

increasing pressure and are encountering greater this week $3 to $5 per ton.

difficulties in getting desired deliveries. New orders, \ good index to the general and diversified char- some of them very attractive, for delivery this acter of present distribution is the surprisingly large vear are being declined. Pipe line inquiries aggre percentage of material that is passing into use gate several thousand miles. An _ unsatished tin through the jobbers

plate inquiry calls for 200,000 boxes. There is a report in Chicago that a

large buyer in that territory has closed for 100,000 tons of malleable

Despite any drag on finishing opera- Report Big

tions, crude steel output is working

> S . ’ f - Steel Output up steadily. August yield of the Iron Sale and 100,000 tons of foundry iron Increases works was at the annual rate of over for 1920 delivery at this year’s prices,

38.500.000 tons of ingots or more but definite information of any such transaction is than 3.300,000 tons in excess of July, and represented lacking. While many buyers are seeking to cover for 85 per cent of the record period of October, 1915. next "year, the general Opinion of producers continues Ingot production in 1919 to date amounts” to 86.4 to be that it is not wise to sell so far ahead at this

per cent of the 1918 figures for the same period time and the run of sales is light

675

676 THE IRON TRADE REVIEW

SEPTEMBER 11, 1919

THE fRON TRADE Review

A weekly publication devoted to the iron, Steel, Foundry and Metal- working Industries

Published Every Thursday by THE PENTON PUBLISHING CO., Cleveland

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Entered at the Postoffice at Cleveland as Second Class Matter

Papers, Inc. IN THIS ISSUE

PAGE ee rn Pi. « o.o6 daweaesecnes’ weeeeme 675 DM 65.566060 006 6anuseebeus Me dade ocbheb¥nesceds 676, 677 Inonw, Stent AND SORAP PRICKB... 2... cc Becccccccccs 678, 736, 738 ee OUI, oS owe bb 66 one deceeececésceccvesee 678 IRON AND STEEL MARKETS. cae i inde bmn ee e0s one 679 To 688 INSTALLING AND OPERATING AN INDUSTRIAL CAFETERIA........ 691 eeeey We Creme Oe TE BORE ccd vedeceseccccveccsoces 696 Iron aND Stee. Famine Exists iN Russia.............0000. 696 New Coke Piant Serves Onro River FURNACES............ 697 Pounemy Seeks DIPPICULT WORK... cccccccccccccccccccccce 701 Revive Bessemer Practice mn Earty Days................ 706 duuy Expomrs Cur ALMosr 16 BALP....cccccccccccccccccce 708 Peewee GP OCGA, BO ADVANGE BP. oc cccccccccccciccccecs 709 rr i i 2. ose os cee edebabeceeccteccecsce 710 es a ce Sach con cance etesecesecbcne 711 ey EA. cc wc weed ecebecbscedenséces 712 rr ee ee Oe .. . W cck padecced concent 713 Must Face Fiemcest COMPETITION............ccccccccccces 718

UNCERTAINTY

Gompers Plays A Bold Hand

AMUEL GOMPERS’ telegram to President te Wilson, suave in tone yet intimidating in

effect, urging the latter to use his good offices to induce the Steel corporation to grant a confer- ence to the representatives of the so-called organized workers of the steel industry purely is for public consumption. It is a mixture of the same exaggera- tion, untruthfulness and downright bluff which has characterized the present movement engineered by labor agitators to force a recognition of the ur ion by the iron and steel industry. It is an effort to bring about through the intervention of the gov- ernment or rather through the federal administra- tion that which the newly-fledged unions are not able to accomplish through their own strength or efforts. In that respect it is an admission of weakness. Nobody knows more surely than

Gompers and his associates that they have been talking in big figures but that the numbers of their claims largely are made up of ciphers. They know that if they attempt to call a strike that the effects would be insignificant in direct proportion to the strength of their membership. This is because their extended expenditure of time and effort and no little

September 11, 1919

money over a period of months has brought com- paratively few recruits to the ranks of organized labor in the industry and ‘these largely from the foreign and more ignorant classes. As stated in a recent issue of THe Iron TrapeE REviEw on high authority, a complete canvass of the iron and steel industry shows that but 10 to 15 per cent of its employes at most have accepted union membership and these chiefly in the auxiliary trades such as machinists, carpenters, bricklayers, etc. These figures are eloquent of the right of the American Federation of Labor to speak for the hundreds of thousands of employes of the iron and steel in dustry or to invoke the aid of the President, directly or indirectly, to the furtherance of its cause. ‘The American iron and steel industry is open shop be cause the rank and file of its employes want it to be open shop.

The inference is plain that the unions having failed to intimidate the manufacturers by their claims of strength or to force the latter into a con ference which could be tantamount to a recognition, now are playing their last card. ‘There is only one real end for which the American Federation of Labor is striving in this controversy and that is the recognition of the union. All the other items enumerated in the original set of demands are of so trivial or general a character that they assume th ridiculous when it is considered that in behalf these the agitators would essay a strike which on their own words “would paralyze industry” and create an “industrial crisis.” These demands have been put forth to give numbers to the alleged grievances and to lend a semblance of reason to the unions’ cause in the public mind which 1s little informed regarding the ectual conditions of em ployment in the steel industry. ‘They mean literally nothing in themselves. All are subordinated to the one aim that unicnism shall gain a footing and a recognition in the iron and steel industry, some » It they

7 } i

thing which it has never been able to « can maneuver it by fair means or foul to gain

seat at the table with Judge Gary and other leaders

of the steel industry, the presidents of the various unions claiming a voice, undoubtedly would « sider that they had won a real victory, not to speak of their having saved their faces. And undoubtedly they would be able to put the fact to good effect in the future in their mischievous endeavors to em barrass the country’s premier branch of enterprise. The union leaders have carefully refrained at any time from any statements which would d their exact membership in the iron and steel in dustry. It is clear that if they had the right to speak for the majority of the industry, or even for a large proportion of it, that the leaders of the steel industry being men of common sense and of busi ness judgment, scarcely would decline to give them a hearing on the basis of any actual or imagined grievance. IJowever, they speak only for a small

faction of the industry which they have been able to

recent

entice into membership by various methods in months. There is no lab« r

cleare r case of the autocracy of Or-

ganized than the threats of the decided

minority against the steel industry, no more offensive assumption of arrogant privilege than Gompers’ message to the President. It is incon ceivable that the President of the United States, chief advocate as he is, of the self-determination of

‘les and classes should allow himself to become for the

peo] the tool,

consciously or. unconsciously,

propagation of unionism where it is wanted neither If the President should how-

by employer or employed.

yield to Gompers’ blandishments or threats, ever, it is to be hoped that the steel industry’s reply will be direct and to the point. The industry has the country in these days of unsettlement and the pur- suit of false standards, to talk straight and vigorous-

The President manifestly would need the real

strongest kind of a case and it owes it to the

ly. facts and the public would welcome them.

Europe's Food Supply and Steel

CCORDING te France some progress is being made in

the more recent reports from

coping with the high cost of living. The French have been suffering extremely but their

condition has been not much different from that of

all Europe. These “hard times” abroad have been

of the greatest detriment to the restoration of normality in foreign trade and of no little influence upon the sales abroad of American iron and steel. The news that an abatement is in sight, that Europe is at last beginning to see the return of better times, the forerunner of normal conditions,

spells confidence and security to American industry.

For the United States there is a most intimate relati between the European food crop and the \merican iron and steel industry. It does not

Europe will harvest a crop in to all That

appear a yet that 1919 suffi iently large meet needs. is

due to the long drawn out negotiations over the peace treaty and the necessity of retaining many thousands of men under arms. Good progress has been made, notwithstanding but it has been a strain. Next vear the Europeans will be able to feed themselves much better and they will have time to think of something other than the bare

necessity of obtaining essential raw products and

instruments of production. Once a good crop is harvested, the Europeans will have the inclination to

sions.

turn to improvements, betterments and exten-

The American iron and steel industry has no reason to feel uneasy over the trade conditions in

THE from TRage Review

677

the ex-belligerent countries. European food crops will remove the most serious of the difficulties in trade now encountered in making sales to that continent. Building Plants in the Open MERICAN manufacturers have gained an enviable reputation for boldly striking out from the beaten path of precedent when they believe that advantages will be derived from

such action. This is proved in an impressive man

ner by the growing tendency to build new industrial

plants in the thinly-populated are: on the out

is skirts of cities rather than in the congested districts.

With few exceptions most of the industrial plants

erected during the past few years have been built several miles out from the congested districts of the cities in whieh they are located. This tendency

has resulted in the rapid growth of new manutfac-

turing centers of a distinctly different type from

those which in earlier years grew up in the centers of many American cities. As a rule, the new struc- tures have been built in cities where a large amount of excess land was available for future extensions. On account of the thinly-settled districts surround- ing these industrial centers, a number of the more progressive companies were able to build up com- munities for their workmen. In cases where this was true, engineers were given full opportunity to develop model communities conforming with the latest ideas for the happiness and comfort of em ployes. Moreover, the shift in location of the na tion’s industrial works, automatically relieves the congestion of railway tracks and structures in the

already-crowded porti of large cities. Everyone

realizes that any development which tends to elimi-

nate the necessity of directing bulk shipments of freight through the downtown section is to be en couraged.

Another result of the new policy regarding the

location of industrial plants is the wider oppor tunity given engineers for designing plants better fitted to provide adequate lighting, heating and ventilation for workers. Instead of the multi story structures frequently found in the congested

districts, the new plants in the outlying sections of

the city usually are of the single story type cover

the More- over on account of the large amount of space avail- to

ing large areas. This design is preferable to

other from the standpoint of the worker

able, employers are able provide recreation

features not possible in plants situated in close

The

manufacturers who are building large plants outside

quarters. increasing number of important

the city limits indicates that the days of the old industrial works, huddled together on a small area

are numbered.

678 THE IRON TRADE REVIEW September 11, 1919

Corrected to Wednesday Noon SCRAP, WAREHOUSE, ORE AND OTHER PRICES ON PAGES 736 AND 738 Pig Iron Open-hearth, Philadelphia ...... 42.50 Polished staples, Pittsburgh...... 3.40¢ to 3.50¢ Bessemer, valley $27.95 mebenge Philadelphia ....... 38.50 Gualvenized siuples, Pitisburgh..... 4. lve to 4.20 e ; WP ccvccecces ceece . easemer, Pittsburgh ........006 38.50 ; ili Bessemer, Pittsburgh eecccccocs ee 29.35 Bessemer, Youngstown rs Fae 38.50 Chain, Pilir g. S rip Steel Basle, Willey .nccccccccccces ee 25.75 borguy, Pitisvurgh ...........- 51.00 (In cents per pound) DME seceecocccesce 27.15 Forging, Philadeiphia .......... 55.00 Chain, 1 in. proof coil, Pitts.... 5.75¢ Basic, delivered, eastern Pa...... 27.00 to 27.25 SHEET BARS Sheet piling, base, Pittsburgh... 2.55¢ Basic, Buffalo, furnace........... 26.75 Open-heath, Pittsbugh .......... $42.00 Could rolled strip steel, hard coils, 1% inches Maileabie, Pittsburgh ........ oe 23.65 Open-hearth, Youngstown ........ 42.00 and wider by 0.100 inch and heavier, base per Malleable, Chicago, furnace...... 27.25 Bessemer, Pittsburgh ........... 42.00 lu pounds, 5.65¢. Malleable, Buffalo, furnace....... 27.25 to 29.00 Bessemer, Youngstown .......... 42.00 Sheets Malleable, delivered eastern Pa... 29.75 to 32.90 SLABS , 4) - Pittsburgh and Youngstown. 41.00 sneET me BLACK WiKE KUUS ANU SKELP ‘ ) ’ FOUNDRY IRON SILICONS Wire rods, Pitisburgh ... és. «« ae 2 EB eee . ...- on : oe 2 > “ No. 28, bessemer Pa wewecce 4.35¢ Ee dd 5 6 aeons 1.75 to 2.25 Grooved skelp, Pittsburgh........ 2.45¢ No. 28, open-bearth Chi 4.62¢ No. 2 Southern foundry ..... 1.75 Ww 2.20 Sheared skelp. Pittsburgh........ 2.u05¢ shes TIN MILL BLACK ata No. 2X Eastern and Virginia.. 2.25 to 2.75 ‘ > k No, 1X astem .........00. 2.75 and up Shapes, Plates and Bars ae ees): t35e Pewee yp o On No. 28, bessemer, Pitts. ....... 35 No i Chicago srececceeeses 2.25 to 2 Le (In cents per pound) GALVANIZED No. 2 foundry eastern ...... 1.75 to 2.25 Structural shapes, Pittsburgh... . 2.45¢ No. 28, open-hearth. Pitts. ..... 5 T0¢ —— — a = Z.unde No. 28, bessemer, Pitts. ....... 5.70¢ : - Structural shapes, New York.... 2.72¢ 2 ot ‘hi 7 No. 1X, eastern delivered Phila. .$30.50 to 31.50 — giructural pears. Chicago x A 2 Te Ne. 23. apm a ee AUNEMLED 6.9¥e No. 1 foundry, Chicago furnace... 28.00 Tank ptates, Pittsburgh ........ 2.65¢ No, 10, open-hearth, Pitts 3.55¢ No. 2, foundry valley, Puitisburgh. 28.15 Tank plates, Chieugo .......... z.¥ze No. 10. bessemer, Pitts. ....... 3.55¢ Ne. 3 foundy, Buffalo .......... 26.75 to 25.90 Tank plates, Philadelphia ...... 2.895€ No. 10, open-hearth, Chi. ...... 3.82¢ No. 2 Northern, Beston ........ 32.90 Tank plates, New York ........ 2.92¢ No 10, open-hearth. Phila 3.795¢ No. 2 foundey, Cleveland furnace. 27.25 Bars, soft steel, Pittsburgh... 2:35¢ Full ‘sheets hedule 136. os No. 2 foundry, Ironton furnace... 27.5010 27.75 ure, sort steel, Chicago. war ad 2 be 7 ‘ — 9 No, 2 toundry, Chicago furnace... 26.75 ~~ Bars, soft steel, New-York... 2.62¢ Tin Plate No. 2X, eastern del., Phila...... 29.50 to 30.50 Rars. soft steel, Philadelphia ... 2. 505¢ (Per 100 Ib. box) ” » » wate ” u sS . P * . No. 2X, easier, N. J. tdewater.. 29.55 t0 30.55 Bar iron, common, Phila........ 2.595¢ to 2.745¢ Tin plate. coke base, Pitts...... 7.00 No. 2X, eastern, Boston .......- Bul wuu, wooumou, Chicago Z.t0Ze No. 2X foundry, Buifalo furnace... Kar tron, common, Cleveland ‘ 2.f2e Iron and Steel Pipe No. 2 foundry, del., Philadelphia. . Bar iron, common, New York-... 2.62¢ to2.77e Ses PRichenth to suit Sestende No. 2 foundry, N. J. tidewater.... 28.35 to 29. 85 Bar iron, common, Pittsburgh 2.75¢ ™ 92 galas wanes Biark Gale Ne : —— apr ar steal 26:75 t0 27.50 jtard steel bars, Chicago....... 2.55¢ Base, Pittsburgh “Per cent off No. 2 southern, Cincinnati ...... 31 35 % tw 3 ' — a7 r No. 2 southern, Chicago ........ $1.75 Rails, Track Material + 2 Pd 1g eee +4, . oe > a4 on 4 q i " or " — 39's o oy 2 — + a pe oa a. 35 Standard bessemer rails, mill.... $45.00 Fcll p'p: schedule pag: 2 ooo ee! bag Standard open-hearth rails, mill.. 47.00 B il r ae 2 suse, Boston osseeees 36.00 Relaying rails, light. St. Louis... 28.00 to 40.00 oer ubes we, 3 comme, Gt. Lous ...... $1.00 relaying rails, Pittsburgh....... 39.00 to 41.00 Steel, 3% to 4% inches, Lc. 1........ 40% Virginia, No. 2X, furnace ....... 29.00 amgie vars, Pittsburgh t 2.75¢ Iron, 3% to 4% inches, ¢. 1.......... 16 Virginia, No. 2X, Philadelphia... . 33.10 yee hos, Chica =p appear 2 75¢ ° Virginia, No, 2X, Jersey City..... 33.40 Light aie °5 _ 4s. nil..... $2.10 to 2 45 Cast Iron Water F ipe Virginia, No. 2X, Boston........ 33.70 Spikes rallrend. Pittsburgh . : : a0 8 35e Without War Freight Tax Gray forge, valley, Pittsburgh... . 27.15 Track bolts, Pittsburgh 4.50¢ (Class B Pipe) Gray forge, Buffalo..........+.+. 26.25 to 28.00 Track bolts. Uhieago arene oats 4.62¢ Class A pipe is $2 higher than Class B. Gray forge, eustern Pa........... 28.00) to 29.00 : - ——_ “29, Four-inch, Chicago $58.80 Silveries. 8% rst 40.25 to 43.00 Track spikes, Chicago.......... 3.62¢ k ~ Te ~~, *idbeebhonen ++ = mages NN aoa eae le cllaleld = > Tie plates, Chicago............ 2.75ete 2.90¢ Four-inch, New Yors.... ' re Ohio Silveries, 8%, Chicago..... 46.80 i Six-inch end over, N. Y 4.30 Tennessee Silveries, 8%, Chicago. 44.05 Wire Products Six-inch and over, N. Y......... 52.70 to 53.70 Low phos, standard, Phila....... 39.80 to 41.80 - Four-inch, Birmingham ......... 51.00 Low phos. Lebanon, furnace..... 35.00 (10¢ Ibs. to jobbers, carloads; retailers Se more) giv inch ‘and over, Birmingham 48.00 Low phos. standard, Pittsburgh 39.00 to 40.00 Wire wails, Pitisburgh........... 3 $.25¢ to 3.50 . sa oa. —wt a 5 Pils >ittsburgn . Gs 3.00e to 3.10e H Bands. Shafti Charcoal, Superior, Chicago...... 32.75 Plain wire, Pittsburgn........... — os cops, bandas, arting Galvanized wire, Pittsburgh....... 3.70¢ to 3.80¢ floops, Pittsburgh 3 O5e Coke Barbed wire, painted, Pitts...... 3.40¢ to 3.50¢ eat Pittsburgh 1 Ae Sol eleaouial 3.05¢ (At the ovens) Barbed wire, galvanized, Pitts.... 4.10c to 4.20¢ Hot rolled strip steel 4 Pitts Cita Connellsville furnace ...........- $4.75to 5.25 Cut nails, Pittsburgh |. c. 1. a pase stamping quality ............ 3.30¢ Connellsville foundry ............ 6.00 to 6.50 Coated nails per count keg, ‘Pitts. 2.85¢ to 3.10¢ Cold finished steel bars. Pitts., Pocahontas furnace, nominal...... 5.75 to 6.00 os haa — Tere 3.60¢ Pocahontas foundry, nominal...... 6.50to 7.00 Cotton ties, lots of 1000 to 3000 bundles, New River foundry, nominal...... 8.50 to 9.50 $1.76% per bundle, mill New Kiver furnace, nominal...... 7.50 Cotton ties. 3000 bundles and over, $1.74% per Wise county furnace, nominal..... 5.75 to #£.90 Market Report Index b “ dle. es Wise county foundry, nominal.... 7.50to 8.00 ° Pacz Rivets Ferroalloys , a at Structural rivets, Pittsburgh : 3.90¢ Ferromanganese, 80 per cent, de- Weekly Market Review..... 675 Roller rivets, Pittsbureh... 4 une livered producers’ price...... $105.00 to 110.00 Pig Oe ete er, rae 6/79 Rivets yy in. and smaller Pitt 60—5 off Ferromanganese,- 80 per cent, pu 68 English ¢.i.f. Atlantic ports. . nominal oon oe er “> Nuts and Bolts Spiegel, 18 to 22 per cent fur- C FO seccevssesereceecssssene Oe (Prices f. ©. b. Pittsburgh) UE: ceshiviends ese 33.00 to 35.00 ay eR sus srh ee tanes os 682 CARRIAGE BOLTS Ferrosilicon. 50 ner cent, spot RN ii. PEE eo 683 (% x 6 inches, smaller and shorter) and contract, delivered ..... 85.00 to 90.00 Plates 683 Rolied thread .......... Miexene 50-10 of Ferrotungsten, standard, per a CE ceccevecdseseesseserse —_ ee er eae reas ath 50 off | pound contained, furnace... .. 115to 1.30 Ps 23 60csccnes ae Wade 683 Larger and long ; 10-5 off Ferrochrome, 60 to 70 per cent ee eee ee Oe ee 684 MACHINE BOLTS chromium, 4 to 6 per cent —-r > Ihe : ory ) (% x 4 inches, het pressed nuts) cubes. ces youn’ contained, Nuts, Bolts, and Riz ets eae 684 ——e Res 60 off Se Cs: vavvecesacend 28 to 39 cents Merchant and Cast I ipe.... 684 i "nae . 50-10 of Ferrovanadium, 35 to 40 per ne eG AEE EL OE 685 Larger and longer...... jedes 45-5 of cent, per pound, maker's fur- T. Mate c Cold pressed semifinishe 4 hexagon NE hie Chee wa aaa CADE $6.00 to $7.50 rin f lat LL lg, itis ja iii hit 685 nuts % in. and larger. . 70 of Ferro carbon-titanium, carloads, Structur al § hapes see eeeeee 686 Cold pressed semifinished hexagon producers plant, per net ton.. 200.00 Semifinished Steel ...... .. 687 nuts y% in. and smaller... 75-5 off Bessemer, ferrosilicon, 10 per cent 49.75 -Wire 687 Gimlet and cone point lve screws.. 60 off Bessemer, ferrosilicon, 11 per cent 53.05 Mante ooh Vl - -h ge telltale =“ NUTS Bessemer, ferrosilicon. 12 per cent 56.35 d ony rrous GPRCTE -ccceves 63/ Hot pressed, square blank > T0¢ to 3.10¢ of Ferrosilicon prices at Ashland, Ky., Jackson and Export Market’ ............ 688 Hot pressed, square tapped.... 2.45¢ to 2.85¢ off New Atraitsville. 0. British Market ....:......: 413 Hot pressed, hexagon blank.... 2.7¢ to 3.10¢ of . . . : o t essed, hexagon tapped 2.452 to 2.85¢ of Semifinished Material Coke By-Products ......... 723'' 1): Cad emaed, comm tpped.....-. . 2.85 off BILLETS AND BLOOMS poems” Fee re oO ica ck 724 Cold pressed, square blank........ .. 3.10¢ off (4 x 4 inch) Cold pressed, hexagon blank.......... 3.10c of Open-hearth, Pittsburgh eevecces $38.50 : Cold pressed, hexagon tapped....... . 2.85¢ off

September 11, 1919 THE IRON TRADE REVIEW 679

Prices Present and Past Yesterday, a month ago. three months ago and a year ago Prices are those ruling on the largest percentage of sales at the dates named.

Prices Average prices Prices \ ize | es

Sept. 10 \ Juan Sept Sept. 10, Aug Ju Sept

lvl 1919 =: 1919 1918 viv 191 1919 1918 Bessemer, valley. del Pitishurgh... $29 2% $29.35 $29.35 $36.60 Iron hears, Cleveland $2.52 $2 $ , $3.64 Basic, valley, delivered. Pittsburgh... 27 27.15 27.15 3.40 Iron bars, Chicago mill...... oweces 2.62 *No. 2 Foundry, Pittsburgh......... 2 28.15 28.15 34.40 beams, Chicago ... , 2.72 2.72 2.72 3.27 *Va 9% Fomdry. Chicago, furnace.... 26.7 26.75 26.75 53.00 Beams, Pittsburg 2.45 2.4 2.4 (Hine Lake Superior charcoal, Chicago. . 33 $2.75 31.75 7.70 beams. Philadelphia 2 695 2.69 : ; uae S, WY devs benhes oceene 2 28.05 2.00 1.00 k plates, Pittsburgh 3 ’ 2.¢ t é ‘“Ialleable, Chicago ..........eecees 2 27.25 57.25 50 plates. Chicago 1.92 2.9 2 2 *Southern, No. 2, Brn hin 26 26.75 25 00 Tank pla r ely 2.85 2.8 80 is *Xouthern Ohio, No. 2. Ironton 2 26.75 26.7 0) h et bik Ne 28. Pittsburet 4.25 j 1.30 0 i * eastern del eastern Pa 27.00 TO 25.50 ) s. bine anid No. 10. Pittsburgh 2 ah 44 717, { **No. 2X, Virginia, furna’e : .. 29.00 Ig 25 965.59 0 ' s. galv Ne. 28, Pittsburgh 5.70 70 f 6.2 *No. 2X. evstorm del., Pa'lacelnhia, 29°75 960 29.89 150 ‘v're nails. Pittshurgh......... 3.25 2 Ferromangenese, SO per cent, delivered 107.50 110.00 114.00 250.004 Connel!s t fur 175 1.320 " 6.0 Bessemer billets. Pittsburgh......... 38.50 "8.50 2 00 17.50 ] le foundry enk 6.00 5.20 1.70 7.00 Bessemer sheet bars, Pittsburgh...... 42.00 42.00 $1.50 51.00 Heavy melting ste Pittsbur"t 21.00 21.25 17.25 29.00 (ipen-hearth sheet bars, Pittsburgh.... 42.00 12.00 41.50 51.00 Ileavy meltis tee eastern Pa 19.00 ! 0 16.1 98 50 Open-hearth billets, Pittsburgh 38.50 8.50 38.00 17.50 Heavy meltir Chicato 19.09 20.7 75 19.00 Steel bars. Pittsburgh.......... 2.35 2.5% 2.35 2.9K No. 1 wrought, eastern Pennsylvania. 27.00 2 ) 22.50 1.00 Steel bars, Chicago............ 2.42 2.62 2.42 17 N 1 wrought, Chicag 21.00 23.25 8.70 0 lrou bars, Philadelphia.............. 2.595 2.599 2.59 7 Rerolling Chicage 25.50 29.0 19.25 4

*1.75 2.23 §& on ee2.2 to 2.75 s-lico 70 per cent .

Big lron Sale for 1920 is Reported

Chicago Hears 100.000 Tons of Malleable and 100.000 Tons of Foundry Have Been Taken at This Year's Prices—Definite Information Lacking Fur- naces Still Discourage Much Buying After Jan. 1—Silveries Advanced

Chicago, Sept. 9 \ sale of 100,000 cago district may be undertaken wit! hard to obtain, and the mayjority ol tons each of foundry and malleable jin a short time to fill the demand tl furnaces are refusing to quote pig iron for first half delivery is said which meltet at present find they \ lot of 600 tons of 2X eastern (2.2 to have been closed recently in this annot do fron yrdinary ources ly to 2./ ilicon) was old to an easter distri a the pi pre ling 10 dd oO! to tl t derstood t] | cl sett extil ian ct er 10 delivery this year Selling 1 tol trike ] | ! < 1 p | t irter dé very it $2Y Buftal nage anvwhere ap roac! this tota ticallv settled id that t three ' Two 1undred rn hit to! ot

t the present price would ndix te a terests Pp oducins Silvery } there the ime grade tor the i e ae very cesire on the part ol the scller to may esume within a short time Full id at a delivered ] bove $33 create a backlog early and willing production in the Chicago district w which indicates a spread of over $l ness to resume considerabl obliga be a fact within a short tim rhe 1 the first-quarte1 trading The tion during next year at the present idle stack of the Federal Furnace Co., week's sales handled by Boston sell level of prices Inquiry at present South Chicago. will be blown in next ers were about in line with the n is somewhat slack and Ct + ts mostly weck, and the stack ol the lroquo eral avVCTan< established throughout of 100-ton lots to fill in special grades Iron Co., South Chicago. now being the summer, but this was made up by melters who have sufficient iron’ rcbuilt. will be ready for operation almost entirely of small tonnag for their ordinary needs Inquiry for the first week in December This will lhe 1920 sales did not exceed 2000 1920 delivery is somewhat better. One piace everything in this district in full tons Deliveries on all existing col melter asks prices on 500 tons of activity Southern iron continues to tracts for the present quarter are ré foundry for first half and a.sale of be practically excluded from this mar ported as excellent Reports from 500 tons of foundry for first quarter ket Because of the continued opera foundries aré universally favorable, was made recently \n automobile tion of northern stacks during the many having to turn down busine maker in Indiana has requested that slack season carly in 1919 however and not a few working night shiit all its remaining last half tonnage an excess of iron was produced which Some foundries for the first tim be shipped at once, indicating a de- is servirg to fill the deficit that would their history, are sending work to ire to get its iron under cover as have arisen irom lack ot outhern outside concern The general im oon as pos ible. Req ests ior antic iron Some additional sales of Cana pression 1S that in spite ol this acti pation ¢ shipments are not unco1 dian iron from the Soo are being ity, the present requirements for p mon Many buyers are taking lo made. Some foundries are taking that iron are reasonably well cared from their regular sources of 200 to ron containing an excess of sulphur and that the only large business w! SCO tons without making inquiry \ at regular prices to use instead of can be looked for, is that for first ale of 1500 tons of low phosphorus cast scrap half or first quarter delivery On ron was made recently to a _ stect , Massachusetts machine tool manuifac foundry The situation in the silvery Take More 1920 Business ture isking for 00 tons for last market is peculiar and _ interesting Boston, Sept. 8—One furnace after quarter and several smaller inquirics The only furnac - in the Jackson arother has opened its books 1or a are ¢{ rculating. \ rumor persists tha! county ector now able to ship sil mall sale of 1920 pig iron, and then a large consumer is on the point al Yeries is quoting a schedule of $2.75 ter elling several thousand tons, placing an exceptionally heavy orde1 oO the former pri naming $39.50 has closed them again [Twice a Bui extending well up in the thousand t the furnace for 6 per cent ard $147, falo interest has offered limited ton of tons \ Rhod Island consume furrace, for 10 per cent The freight nace for first half, and twice ha is asking for 400 tons for immediat rate to Chicago is $3.80 \ ‘lennes- withdrawn from the market The delivery The estimated total of sal

e stack is quoting $41.75, furrac« Pethichem Steel Co. has been. sellin for the .past week through Boston or 6 per cent, and $19.75 for 10 p 1920 iron here during the past week sellers is 6500 tons erent, with $3.40 freight to Chicago, ard other furnaces also have. taken Fill-i - . end h:; made sales at that figure some business On the whole, hov ill-in Orders Prevail Production of silvery iron in the Chi- ever, any iron for 1920 delivery is New York, Sept. 9.—Some pig iron

680

consumers are coming into the mar- ket almost daily for such fill-in ton- mages as they are able to plan for definitely, and the general run of these tonnages are foundry grades, with some malleable and charcoal interspersed. Shipments are going forward with regularity and furnaces find the car supply adequate as a gen-

eral thing. No unusual volume oi inquiry is appearing, but there is a fair sprinkling for delivery this year, as compared with the far more pre- valent requests for next year’s de- livery. Sales have not been active the past week, and one large furnace interest estimates its sales for the week aggregated about 3000 tons,

mostly foundry grades. However, an

eastern Pennsylvania foundry inter- est has been able to close for 2000 tons of No. 2X (2.25 to 2.75 silicon) at a shade less than $29 delivered.

Basic Iron Prices Unsteady

Pittsburgh, Sept. 9.—Efforts to sus- tain the market here on basic pig iron at $25.75 furnace, are not particularly One large merchant in- terest here, which in the past few months claims to have booked about 100,000 tons of this grade and in the past fortnight or so to have -taken several thousand tons, does not deny that some price concessions have been made in obtaining this business. The sales by this company have been wide-

successful.

ly scattered among steel manufac- turers in the Ohio valley and the Youngstown and Pittsburgh districts

and while nothing official is disclosed as to prices, the common assumption is that freights were absorbed by the seller. In some cases it is understood trade deals were made. These sales have practically filled up all the im- portant buyers of basic pig iron and current demands are few and small. Demand for bessemer iron also is sporadic and comes chiefly from the steel foundries. Even foundry and malleable grades now are not being inquired for as freely as they were a short time ago. Most consumers are well filled up for the present. A sale of 500 tons of malleable for last quarter shipment is noted at $27.25 furnace, while a smaller tonnage and for immediate shipment was sold at $27.75. The general asking price on No. 2 foundry (1.75 to 2.25 silicon) is $27.25 furnace and small sales for prompt shipment are noted at that price. Small sales of No. 2X foundry 2.25 to 2.75 silicon) for prompt ship- ment also are noted at a premium of 50 cents a ton above the regular mar- ket base of $28.50 furnace. The market appears to be in considerably better shape on foundry and malleable grades than it does on steelmaking iron. It is understood that a valley furnace which has been making besse-

mer and steelmaking grades for the next few months will make malleable and foundry because of the better market in those grades. The Claire furnace, Sharpsville, Pa. will be lighted this week, leaving only one merchant furnace in that district on the inactive list. This is the Ella furnace, West Middlesex, Pa. Sales of low phosphorus pig iron are few and the only transaction of any ac- count recently made was one of 300 tons to a Pittsburgh district con-

sumer at

about $40 delivered Pitts-

THE IRON TRADE REVIEW burgh. About 1800 tons of low phos- phorus recently sold at Burnham,

Pa. by the government has been re- sold in this district.

Production is Main Thought Philadelphia, Sept. 9—Pig iron trade activities in the East seem to

have settled down to continued de- termined effort to get out production necessary -to fill comfortable total of orders on books of furnace companies. New sales in past week have aggre- gated comparatively smaller totals than in week previous and these in- volved mostly foundry, malleable and

charcoal grades. The largest single tonnage sold was 2000 tons of No. 2X (2.25 to 2.75 silicon of which

500 tons was for prompt delivery to an eastern Pennsylvania foundry and machine shop and the remainder to be delivered through the year. Seller was important Philadelphia district producer, the delivered price being slightly under $29. Most Philadelphia sellers admit market is unusually quiet and ascribe it to pending labor activities which they hope will reach definite climax in next 10 days. Sev- eral sales of carloads up to several hundred tons of foundry iron have been made at the market which sell- crs seem willing to hold down to around $30, furnace. The Baltimore & Ohio railroad inquires for several hundred tons of foundry and about 100 tons of charcoal iron but general inquiry also is quiet especially for this year and producers are loathe to quote for next year until better ap-

prised of new costs. While practi- cally all Virginia furnaces are out of this year’s market with possibly

one exception, this seller is confirm- within

ing itself to delivery only next 60 days. and is getting from western users for mixtures, price

equivalent to $32, furnace, for higher silicons. So far this month this mak- er has booked several thousand tons of this business ascribing reason to scarcity of higher silicons in Middle West. Delaware river soil pipe mak- ers are growing busier through build- ing revivals. No new business has developed in low phosphorus and both basic and bessemer grades are slow. The Alan Wood Iron & Steel Co. will blow in one Ivy Rock stack this week on foundry making two active, and the Muirkirk furnace, which now is in new Baltimore hands, was relighted yesterday for new cam- paign on charcoal.

Selling Small Lots for 1920 Buffalo, Sept. 9—Moderate tonnages

of iron were sold in this market last week. Certain old contracts were wound up, and some iron taken for next year. Producers are gradually getting around to quoting for next year’s delivery, despite the fact that they are not very strongly in the market. Demand is good, particularly for 1920 iron, and if cost bases were more certain, there is no doubt a good buying movement would take place. In view of existing conditions,

producers are not pushing 1920 iron.

New Business is Light

Cleveland, Sept. 9—New business in the Cleveland district is comparatively light due to the fact that most of the uncovered requirement