The Iron Age 1911-10-05: Vol 88 Iss 14

THE [RON AGE =— Established 1855 New York, October 5, 1911 Published Every Thursday by the DAVID WILLIAMS COMPANY - 239 West 39th Street, New York Butered at the New York Post Office as Second-Class Mail Matter. Scbecrigtion Prive, United. States end Mesicn, 95.00 per Annum to Canada, Other Foreign Countries, $10,00 Unie len suet 0.0 om Nee ais cs. ce aos by extending the SoS weneurd dae pee President and Treasurer First Vice-President W. H. Taylor, LA. Mekesl, - - leit 8 @ . W. LFi . Ww. gx © Manager Assistant Manager Branch Offices Philadelphia, Real Estate Trust Building Chicago, Fisher Building Pittsburgh, Park Bulding Cleveland, American Trust Building Boston, Compton Building CONTENTS. Volume Better than PriceQewees iccvsscccoccccscsesevegecdjve 717 The Iron Industry’s Economies Compulsory Safety Devices The Health of Employees SOE as 55.2.0 Ses edad amewwedeae <4 hVenn Labor Agitation and Railroad Machinery Purchases............ Autogenous Welding Not for the Weakened Structure The Sherman Law. at It Works... ...0. 0 ccwsesdsvecsicverees ee WU Cs hn 5a BN AC eon oe VERSE REEL one ae’ Personal Insurance Against The Monterey Iron & Steel Company’ Report Obituary Pag: SrOie Se RN Ua sess Cab ees rn So edta es PAW dc teee Pittsburgh and Vicinity Business Notes Labor Notes he Team We Be NN a oi akc va kccevctccecewaces Ceente Iron and Industrial Stocks Publications The Connellsville Coke Trade The Park Drop Forge Company’s Improvements The Block-Pollak Interests Steel Works Cases Before the Commerce Commission Steel Mill Tlumination The L. S. Starrett Company Declares “Open Shop” Cambria Steel Workers’ Reunion............... i Gndwas 6 ttete The Production of Alloyed Steel in 1910 \merican Export Trade The Fox 15-Inch Lathe Lessons from the Swiss Metal Industries...:.........-+-+++5 Insert Chuck Jaws \tlas Ore Transfer Car Italian Meeting Abandoned Ore Loading at El Cuero Mines The Wire Specialty & Machine Works The Supply and Machinery Dealers’ Meeting Benzol from Coke-Oven Gases Matthews Boltless Guy Clamp The Stockbridge Crank Motion — in Building Rolling Mill Equipment Yard Installation of Cleveland Cranes ‘he Storle Brass Globe Valve ; issian Iron and Steel Output in 1910 ita y’s Iron and Steel Production Che Worthington High Duty Pumping Engine v Chilled Roll Process ) International Aluminum Syndicate \ew Molder’s Flask Trade Vor. 88: No. 14 Voliine Better thas Prices Pig Iron Statistics Reflect the Situation Bessemer Iron at $14.65—A 40,000-Ton Con- tract for Line Pipe The answer the September pig iron statistics give to the question everywhere asked as to the effect on demand of the recent disturbances in the steel trade is certainly not unfavorable. Pig iron production in- creased last month and is still increasing. The total September output of coke and anthracite iron was 1,977,102 gross tons, or 65,903 tons a day, against a rate of 62,150 tons a day in August. It is significant that the merchant furnaces, after seven months of steadily declining production, turned the tide last month with a gain of nearly 1200 tons a day over the August rate. It is also noteworthy that October opens with the gain in merchant pig iron production still under way, five more furnaces which make iron for the market being scheduled to blow in soon, The active list showed a net gain of ten’ furnaces last month and the producing capacity was 66,468 tons a day from 213 furnaces on October 1 against 63,214 tors a day from 203 furnaces on September 1. Pig iron production is now at the rate of 24,600,000 tons a year, including charcoal iron, or 90 per cent. of the high record of 27,303,000 tons, made last year. The pig iron market has grown more active, but the course of prices still favors the buyer. Furnaces in the East report that melters have grown more urgent about deliveries—a condition that is attracting more attention in that section. At Buffalo there has been a marked decrease in furnace stocks, and in all districts it is expected that the October figures will show reductions. In basic iron, sales east of the Alleghenies in the past week have amounted to about 15,000 tons, di- vided among steel works in Connecticut, New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania. The basis is still close to $14.50 delivered in Eastern Pennsylvania. In the Central West the markets for Bessemer and basic iron have grown interesting this week. After holding for months, under insignificant sales, at $15 at Valley furnace, the price of Bessemer has dropped to $14.65 on a sale of tooo tons, A Pitts- burgh buyer is reported in the market for 2000 tons. On a 2500-ton inquiry, for basic iron for St. Louis, a figure equivalent to $12.50 at Valley furnace has been named, but the last reported sale was at a Pittsburgh price equivalent to $12.60 at Valley furnace. Selling of foundry iron for 1912 has been chiefly confined to the Buffalo district. In Southern iron there are evidences that deliveries of $10 No. 2 iron have been pushed over into 1912, and for prompt de- livery one or two cases of a shade below $10 Birming- ham have come up. Eastefn pipe works have taken a number of lots from both Northern and Southern furnacés, and apparently at low prices. In thé Chi- . - 718 cago district foundry iron has sold in some cases con- siderably below the $14.50 level for local No. 2. The volume of demand for finished products has held up better than has been generally credited. There was some decrease in the total of orders on the books of the steel companies in September, but it was not large. Prices have yielded in some directions to the extent that what was quoted on large and very de- sirable business is now applicable to smaller sales. Sales of bars have been made as low as I.10c Pitts- burgh; of plates, at 1.20c, and of sheets at 1.85c for No. 28. One of the largest merchant pipe contracts in years has been closed by the leading producer through the United States Steel Products Company with the Western Gas, Light, Heat & Power Company, of Cal- gary, Canada. It calls for 40,000 tons of line pipe on which shipments will begin almost at once. A new wrought iron pipe card is in preparation showing $2 to $8 a tone reduction on galvanized, but no changes in the discounts on black iron pipe have been announced to correspond with those on steel pipe. The Santa Fé has bought 20,000 tons of rails ana 3600 tons of tie plates. In the Pittsburgh district over 24,000 tons of rails have been booked in the past week, including 5000 tons for Japan. Car orders include 1500 for the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh and 1150 for the Pennsylvania, and the Pittsburgh & Lake Erie is in the market for 1000 hopper cars. The water shipments of Lake Superior iron ore in September were 5,231,069 tons, and the total this sea- son to October 1 was 24,837,137 tons, or 10,263,727 tons less than to October 1, 1910. —_+-@_____ The Iron Industry’s Economies In the comment which is being made upon the near- ness of present finished steel prices to the historic low point, sight should not be lost of the fact that since then the industry has _ introduced very important economies. It is observed that the average level of steel products outside of standard section rails, which present a case so peculiar as not to be finished susceptible of inclusion in the general average, is only about $4 a ton above the historic low level, made to- ward the close of the industrial depression of the nineties. Undoubtedly the sum total of the advances in manufacturing costs at various points is very much greater than this $4 a ton, and a portion of the gross increase is equalized by reductions in cost of manu- facture at other points. The advance in wage rates paid by the iron and steel industry since the low level period of 1897-8 is undoubtedly equal to much more than $4 per ton of output. In the cost of various sup- plies, including coal, there has been an increase, and there has also been an increase in fuel cost through the partial failure of the natural gas supply, whereby works which formerly used gas costing practically nothing must now use coal, while those which con- tinue the use of gas have had to make large expendi- tures in order to maintain the supply. Outside of the increase in the cost of mining and transporting ore due to higher wage rates paid and higher costs of machinery and supplies, there has been a great increase in the cost of laying down at the fur- nace sufficient ore to make a ton of pig iron through the fact that ore must be mined at much greater depth, both in the South and in the Lake. Superior THE IRON AGE October 5, 1 region, while as to the latter there has been an portant decrease in the average iron content, whe: a larger tonnage must be mined and transporte order to make a ton of pig iron. With’ this increa quantity of ore required, there is naturally an crease in the quantity of coke and limestone which must be produced and transported to the furnace These and other items make a very large aggre increase in the cost of producing finished steel. \\, there not some very large items acting to offset | gross increase, the iron and steel industry would n be losing money at a very rapid rate, for profits were very meager in 1897-8 and $4 a ton would not begin to cover the increases at various points. Of the many economies which have been intro- duced relatively few have secured universal adoption, though the important economies are found at nearly all the producing works. In ore mining there are the economies due to the use of larger and better steam shovels, to more systematic methods of attack and in a few cases to the conversion of underground mines to open pits. Lake transportation has been revolutionized more than once since 1898, when the almost forgotten “whaleback” was new. Dock opera- tions have been vastly improved, charges lessened and vessel time spent in loading and unloading much re- duced. have effected economies by introducing by-product coking. A considerable por- tion of the blast furnace gas is now used to better ad- vantage than formerly. -Coal consumption for heat- ing steel and producing power has been reduced by improved furnaces, the introduction of gas producers, better steam raising plant, better engines and the introduction of exhaust steam turbines. A large and important saving has been effected by the almost gen- Some interests Bessemer plants have in many cases been supplied with open- eral use of direct metal in steel making. hearth adjuncts whereby their scrap -s used to good advantage. The great improvements in basic open- hearth steel practice cannot properly be included in the present category, for the reason that in 1897-8 production by that process was only one-tenth of the present tonnage, and what this process has accom- plished has really been to avert what would other wise in Bessemer ore Practically all classes of rolling mills have been greatly improved, reducing the’ labor cost per ton in terms of effort expended if not in terms Methods of handling raw and finished product have been entirely revolutionized, for in 1897-8 the electric crane though fairly common was very far from universal and the lifting magnet was unknown. have been a veritable famine and its products. of actual wage payment. Despite all these and .other important improve- ments, the actual cost of prducing a ton of finished steel is much higher at the present time than it was at the low price period to which we have been re- ferring. An increase in cost which is not necessarily permanent but which is very prominent at the moment is that on account of the character of business passing through the mills numerous roll changes must be made and in various ways the cost. of production is higher, through the diversity of specifications which must be filled from week to week, and even from day to day, than if orders were capable of being better assorted. In 1897-and 1898 there were not as large rolling units as at present, but the matter of specifica- tions was important, and we believe that average practice involved a much more comfortable grouping tober 5, I9II _ specifications than can obtain at present. It should recalled that in those years, and particularly in the existing mill capacity was relatively very \| employed. A test of the actual capacity in exist- ce was furnished in the great boom of 1899, when questionably the capacity was strained to the utmost, ; witness the phenomenal rise in all prices, yet the crease in tonnage output in 1899 over 1898 was rela- vely small, The statistics of production furnish srounds for the inference that in 1898 more than 898, 0 per cent. of the existing capacity was employed - r the entire year. oS Compulsory Safety Devices A Wisconsin builder and user of machinery writes iis approbation of a bill before his State Legislature compelling the equipment with suitable safety devices f all machinery sold in the State. He suggests that f several States would take the same stand the manu- facturers of equipment would be compelled to meet the requirements, which, he maintains, would be an easy matter if the designing of apparatus should be ‘onsidered with this end in view. As the practice is to-day, he says, it is sometimes a hard matter for a factory to patch up machinery to secure a really prac- tical safety appliance. At times it happens that, after spending a considerable sum for a new machine, it must be practically rebuilt in certain parts for the pur- pose of securing the protection of operatives to the satisfaction of the factory inspectors. The criticism carries much force with it. Some of the machinery people have given the subject far too little attention. It is for their interest to produce equipment which will pass the test of all local laws. Otherwise it will suffer in the regard of customers and, therefore, in competition. When a buyer is com- pelled to spend money in remedying conditions in a tool which he believes should have been looked after ‘its designers, he quite naturally bears the case in mind when again in the market. ————+-e—__ The Health of Employees No factor of shop management has advanced more rapidly than that which has to do with shop hygiene. he economic value of the best of working conditions better recognized with each succeeding year, and the vastly improved environment in which the work- man labors, as compared with a generation ago, is a matter of frequent comment. Not the least important vork is the search for disease and other physical un- fitness in industrial plants, in order that men and vomen may be guarded against contagion and infec- tion. This movement had its beginning in the fight gainst tuberculosis, but it is now spreading rapidly to ver the general field of health. An illuminating instance is that of the Norton ompany, Worcester, Mass.,.which has taken up the ‘ask in an organized manner. A physician is regularly mployed to inspect’ the individual bodily condition of “mployees, and spends several hours daily at the works. His task is only in its beginning, but it has progressed ‘ar enough to emphasize the value of the results. ubercular cases, if they exist, aré easily found. In- ‘erent physical weaknesses have been discovered, espe- ‘ally among the older men, which in a few instances ‘ve made it advisable that they give up their employ- THE IRON AGE ‘719 ment, and other work has been given them. Evils due to excessive smoking have been unearthed with younger workmen, who have been given the oppor- tunity to mend their ways or seek positions elsewhere. | All applicants. for employment are subjected to a rig- orous examination, The company feels that. it is too soon to place a full estimate on the system, but up to the present time the management is highly satisfied with the prospect. It is certain that in the course of time the large working force will be absolutely physi- cally fit. In the same general connection, the pay envelope has been adopted as a vehicle of warning in the cam- paign against tuberculosis which has been maintained vigorously by Rhode Island manufacturers for a num- ber of years. The work already accomplished is enor- mous. To-day the presence of consumptives has been practically eliminated in a number of works, large and small. This condition has been accomplished by care- ful supervision and by systematic education. The pay envelope receives the careful scrutiny of the employee and is therefore used in the campaign. A sample en- velope bears on it the following: WILL YOU HELP TO PREVENT TUBERCU- LOSIS? It kills 1000 people yearly in Rhode Island. It is spread by Careless Spitting. It can be cured if taken in time. It can be prevented in nearly all cases. Consult a Physician. Do not neglect a Cough. Sleep with the Windows Open. If you think you have Tuberculosis, Notify the Overseer, and the Lorraine Mfg. Company will help you. ———-_—-$--o————— Insurance Against Strikes Insurance against strikes has been attempted in various countries and in several forms, but Finland is held by experts to be the first to approach the subject in a rational manner. The Finnish employers have formed a company to carry out this form of insurance with the purpose of protecting the members against losses resulting from the total or partial cessation of labor, whether the cause be strike or lockout. The insurance can be effected in two ways: First, for a sum fixed by the amount of ordinary working expenses and 6 per cent. interest per annum upon the value of stocks of raw materials, of half-finished, and, in some cases, of finished products; or, second, 6 per cent. of the calculated annual value of production. By ordi- nary working expenses is meant the cost necessary in operating the business, including overhead. The compensation is calculated in accordance with the actual expenditure entailed during the period in which work is stopped. When the cessation extends beyond three days the affected member is entitled to compensation, providing that his attitude in the dis- pute has been sanctioned. The payment of losses is as follows: When the insurance is under the first method, compensation for total stoppage of work is paid upon the amount of the insured sum proportionate to the duration of the shutdown. For partial stoppage, compensation is in proportion to the extent and nature of the trouble. Under the second method the com- pensation is equal to such portién of the insurance as is represented by the reduced value of production. The annual premium is a calculated percentage ot the insured amount; and a guarantee is paid upon o we t b + 6 oe ee pe the 720 | THE IRON AGE joining which amounts to twice the premium. Addi- tional guarantees may arise under certain conditions, and the members are responsible for the obligations of the company to the extent of these amounts. ———.¢--- Labor Agitation and Railroad Machinery Purchases Machinery men who follow the railroads closely have been somewhat at a loss to account for the apparent indifference of the transportation companies as to their mechanical needs. In the past few months a number of instances have been noted where railroads have let contracts for freight cars when their own car-building plants have been partly idle. For some time there has been considerable unrest among the railroad shopmen, and strikes have now been called where the union position is considered strong enough. Railroad employees in all branches are closely affili- ated, and a strike among the shopmen too often calls for a sympathetic walkout in other directions. The declaration has frequently been made of late by those directing the mechanical affairs of the railroads that labor unrest has tended to keep work out of the rail- road shops, and it is reasonable to assume that in many cases railroads find it advisable to contract for their work rather than risk a strike that might affect their entire system. The disposition on the part of the operative heads to neglect the shops, and their action in buying large quantities of repair parts heretofore made in their own plants, would seem to give weight to the theory that the attitude of the shop unions has some influence in the matter. a Om —” Autogenous Welding Not for the Weakened Structure The rapid growth in favor of autogenous welding leads to the inquiry whether the use of this process, with the portable plants now scattered through the country, may not be carried to excess. In the hands of operators unfamiliar with the essential characteristics of metals there is apparently the danger that the system itself will, at times, be discredited. For example, a shaft long in service, or from other causes, may have become crystalline in structure, and if this fractures at any point the welding will be likely to merely precede a break at another. Quite a feature has been made of marine repairs, and such an occurrence in the case of a broken propeller might jeopardize both life and prop- erty in the subsequent voyage. Skilled operators in a well-regulated repair plant would not, of course, be guilty of such an error, but the more generally any process is adopted the more certain it is to fall into ignorant hands, and its abuse should be guarded against, as far as practicable, by specific instructions and cautions accompanying the apparatus. This word of caution is well understood by the developers of autogenous welding. The difficulty is always to get operators who attain skill in working the apparatus and also have knowledge of metal grain structure. Fortunately the number. of cases requiring grain in- spection is not relatively large. Oe The Sherman Law as It Works Taking as its text a statement by the New York Sun, the following delicious preachment on the Sherman law is made by Harper’s Weekly: Mr. Taft is of opinion that the trust decisions have made the October 5, 1611 meaning of the Sherman law “clear,” but this view is appar. not shared either by judges, lawyers, statesmen, or business m The Sun. No; not yet. So far as our observation and hear go, the Sherman act still has them all guessing, especia!|y the lawyers and the business men. The business 1 goes to his lawyer and says, “Does the Sherman act per:it me to do thus and so?” The lawyer studies the trans:c- tion and replies, “I guess not; but 1 am not sure. Cracker- jack of New York is a greater lawyer than I, let us ask him.” So they ask Lawyer Crackerjack, and he writes back, “I guess not. I am not sure, but I could not assure you that you will be within the law if you do it. Better not do it any more than you can help.” So the business man, not wishing to risk a stay in jail, does it as little as possible, restricting his operations accordingly. Our neighbor, the World, thinks that the law would be abundantly clarified, and the President as its sponsor would be vastly endeared to the people, “if the Adminis- tration would send half a dozen trust magnates to jail.” The World must be one of those to whom the Sherman act is clear, but there is no guarantee that the act as the World sees it is identical with the act as Mr. Taft sees it, or as Mr. Bryan sees it, or as Judge Harlan saw it. Perhaps the understanding of the Sherman law as now interpreted by the courts is spiritual, rather than merely rational and mental. It may be a thing that is finally re- vealed to some minds after periods of anguish and denied to others. If that is the way of it we should not wonder, perhaps, that the Sun does not understand it yet. Mr. Wickersham seems to understand it sufficiently to prosecute, but not sufficiently to advise how to escape prosecution. When besought for a tip how the possibly guilty may cleanse themselves of even the hazard of sin and jail sentences, he says the Department of Justice can- not act as counsel for the corporations. No doubt that is true. The pity is that soc much business should be in a situation where it yearns so heartily and so vainly for responsible counsel. The man up the tree inquires of the department, “If I come down, shall I be tossed by that bull?” The department replies: “We cannot advise you in advance, but the bull has been let out to toss wicked people, and if it turns out that you are wicked he will probably toss you. We cannot tell at this distance whether you are wicked or not, but the bull will know, and his behavior to you will help us and others to understand him, and the principles on which he bases his judgment.” Isn’t that about it? : And Mr. Taft says: “I understand the bull; he is all right; give him his head.” And the World says: “The only trouble about the bull is that there haven't been enough fellows shaken down for him to toss. Let him toss a few, just to encourage the rest.” And Mr. Bryan and his co-operators say: “The bull was all right before the Supreme Court sawed the tips off his horns.” ge ——_4--e——_ New Publications The Copper Handbook. A manual of the copper in- dustry of the World. Compiled and published by Horace J. Stevens, Houghton, Mich. Size 5% x 8% in.; pages, 1902; cloth bound. For sale by the author, who will send a copy to. any address, without prepayment, for inspection. Price, $5 in buckram, $7.50 in morocco. This is Vol. X., the tenth annual edition, of the authori- tative list of copper mines and copper mining companies, which Mr. Stevens has made a special effort to bring up to date. Through sickness and fire he lost six months’ time in 1907 and finally, in the desire to serve subscribers, he has spent 15 months’ time on the work and given it the double date of 1910-1911. The present book, in addi- tion to the miscellaneous chapters, lists and describes no less than 8130 copper mines and copper mining companies. The 24 miscellaneous chapters treat of copper from the viewpoints of history, chemistry, mineralogy, metallurgy, brands and grades, alloys and substitutes for copper. A copious glossary and a chapter of statistics ending the book contain over 40 tables, covering production, con- sumption, movements, prices, dividends, etc. Oe The Niles-Bement-Pond Company announces a change in its agency for Canada to the Canadian Fairbanks-Morse Company, Ltd. tober 5, IQII Personal Hugh Millikin, Cincinnati, Ohio, has accepted a posi- with the American Machinery & Export Company, will sail October 7 from Seattle, Wash., for Tientsin, 1a, where he will be located. H. M. Lane, president of the Lane & Bodley Company, neinnati, Ohio, has. returned home from an Eastern trip, lly recovered from the severe shock sustained through accident in his shop some time age that required the iputation of one of his feet. \V. A. Garrett, vice-president of the T. H. Symington mpany, Baltimore, Md., has resigned to re-enter rail- ad service. John J. Main, vice-president and managing director of the Polson Iron Works, Toronto, Canada, will be re- eved of the active work of supervision of the company’s lant through the appointment of John I. Conradi as general manager. For the past four years Mr. Conradi has een employed in the works of Vickers, Sons & Maxim, td., Sheffield, England. Milton O. Knauss has been appointed superintendent { the Topton, Pa.,. furnace of the Empire Steel & Iron Company. He succeeds James McKeever, who resigned enter other business. Mr. Knauss has been for some me assistant to H. R. Hall, superintendent of the Crane [ron Works of the Empire Steel & Iron Company at itasauqua, Pa. Henry K. McHarg resigned as president of the Vir- cinia Iron, Coal & Coke Company at a meeting of the lirectors held in New York this week. John B. Newton, vho has been vice-president and general manager, was elected president and Henry K. McHarg, Jr., was elected ice-president and general manager. Mr. McHarg retires s president but is still a member of the board of directors. _ Leonard Peckitt, president of the Empire Steel & Iron Company, Catasauqua, Pa., has returned from a month’s absence on the Pacific coast. Axel Sahlin, of the firm of Kennedy, Sahlin & Co., Brussels, Belgium, leaves for India this month on busi- ness connected with the starting up of the new steel plant f the Tata Iron & Steel Company near Kalimati, Bengal. (he construction work has been in charge of Mr. Sahlin’s rm, ——_4--o——__—_— The Monterey Iron & Steel Company’s Report 3 Notwithstanding the disturbed conditions in Mexico, the annual report of the Compania Fundidora de Fierro \cero de Monterey, S. A. (the Monterey Iron & Steel mpany), Monterey, Mexico, for the year 1910 demon- strates that industrial progress may be expected to con- ‘nue, and, with conditions settled by the election of a resident, the country should advance in material devel- pment. This report, which covers the calendar year /10, shows that the output of the blast furnace (which was idle for four months) was 45,095 metric tons, an ‘mount exceeded only in the previous year, 1909, when 50,859 tons were produced. During the year 67,944 metric tons of steel ingots were nade, an increase over the preceding year of 8435 tons; 22 tons of steel being obtained from iron melted in a upola while the blast furnace was inactive. Finished products comprised 23,546 tons of rails weighing 85 Ib. er yard; 14,159 tons of structural steel, and 14,006 tons ' merchant and other steel, including spikes, bolts, re- ‘forcing bars, etc., a total of 52,701 tons, showing a gain ver 1909 Of 7000 tons. The blast furnace was supplied with 78,876 tons of re, averaging 58 per cent. iron, of which 28,625 tons were tained from the company’s mines. Of coke, 59,970 tons vere used, of which 37,090 tons were produced by the mpany and 22,880 tons imported. Mexican coal was ployed exclusively for steam generation, 60,722 tons ing used for this purpose, and 52,364 tons were fed to s producers. The company mined 29,407 tons of lime- ne and 1,023 tons of native fluorspar. It also imported ) tons of ferromanganese, 83 tons of ferrosilicon, and ; tons of magnesite. There were 23,276 tons of iron Steel scrap used, mostly from the National Railways. Che sales of the company during the year amounted _%6,206,756 Mexican, which is equivalent to $3,103,378 THE - IRON AGE 721 Obituary JosepH Leon Gopseitie, for the past three years at the head of the Gobeille-Harris Pattern Company, Niagara Falls, N. Y., died in that city September 27, after an ill- ness of several weeks. Through most of his business career his name was identified with the Gobeille Pattern Company, Cleveland, Ohio, which he developed to large proportions. His mechanical training was obtained at Cooper Union, New York, and Rensselaer Polytechnic In- stitute, Troy, N. Y. After entering upon kis tife work at Cleveland he soon showed ability to push out in new lines, and with originality were joined capacity for organization and tireless energy. Having served an apprenticeship in patternmaking, Mr. Gobeille was acquainted with every step in that trade and was able to direct his shop opeta- tions with an attention to detail that is found in few in- dustrial managers. While he specialized in stove patterns his shop turned out some of the largest and most intricate work called for by the leading foundries of the country. In the period from 1890 to 1900, including the years of the depression beginning in 1893, the Gobeille Pattern Works were at the height of their prominence. In his work for stove manufacturers Mr. Gobeille showed rare originality, and while he had a penchant for unique or- namentation, he was thoroughly practical in stove de- signing and construction and some of his best work was done in that line. He was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and in 1892 and 1893 was president of the Cleveland Engineers’ Club, the af- fairs of that organization being highly prosperous under his administration. Mr. Gobeille had a literary bent and will be remembered for the papers he prepared for vari- ous foundrymen’s and stove manufacturers’ associations. He was a lover of rare books and did some work as a writer of short stories. Leaving Cleveland’ six or seven years ago, after a financial reverse, he was for a time connected with the Abram Cox Stove Company, Phila- delphia. Later he went to Niagara Falls and organized the Gobeille-Harris Pattern Company and was in a fair way to re-establish himself in business as a proprietor when the disability developed which caused his death. An accident which befell him shortly after going to Niagara Falls was an earlier handicap, which he showed unusual courage in overcoming. He was about 55 years of age. Byron ALpen Brooks, patent expert of the Union Typewriter Company and the inventor of one of the best- known typewriters, died September 29 at his home in Brooklyn, N. Y., aged 66 years. He had been identified with the typewriter business for 40 years, and devoted his life to the improvement of writing machines. He was born at Theresa, N. Y., and was graduated from Wes- leyan College in the class of 1871. He was one of the trustees of the Bedford Branch of the Young Men’s Chris- tian Association and one of the founders of the Boys’ Welcome Hall, besides aiding in many of the educational and philanthropic movements of Brooklyn. He was a member of the Hardware Club and of the Lincoln Club of Brooklyn. a OS “Titanium Rail Tests on the B. & O. Railroad” is the title of a recent folder prepared by the Titanium Alloy Mfg. Company, Charles B. Slocum, general sales agent, Pittsburgh. Two sheets are given containing diagrams of rail sections, on each of which is indicated the line of rail wear. The results of 338 days’ service show that plain open hearth rails with an average carbon content of 0.64 per cent. had an average percentage of wear of 0.277, while for titanium Bessemer rails treated with 0.15 per cent. metallic titanium and having an average carbon con- tent of 0.47 per cent. the average wear is given as 0.177 per cent. The Standard Welding Company, Cleveland, Ohio, has discontinued its arrangements with L. F. McClernan & Co., Chicago, for the sale of its various products and has opened an office of its own in the People’s Gas Building, Chicago, which will be in charge of B. A. Quayle and A. C. Clark of its own staff. The opening of this office not only gives the company direct representation in the Cen- tral Western States, but will also provide much better service for the trade in that territory. e '‘Farine we 27 a : tn asa ee 722 Pig Iron Output Increases A Gain of Ten in Active Furnaces Capacity in Blast October 1 Is 3250 Tons a Day More than on September 1 Pig iron production increased in September, the month showing a net gain of 10 in the number of active furnaces. The total output of coke and anthracite pig iron in the 30 days of last month was 1,977,102 gross tons, or 65,903 tons a day, as against 1,926,637 tons in August, or 62,150 tons a day, The steel works furnaces made most of the gain, but the merchant furnaces, after seven months of steadily declining production, turned the tide last month, with a gain of nearly 1200 tons a day over August. It is significant also that October opens with the gain in production still under way, several more merchant furnaces being scheduled to blow in early this month, in- cluding one in the Buffalo district, one in the Hanging Rock district, one in Virginia, one in the Schuylkill Val- ley and one in the Lebanon Valley. The capacity active OUSAND DOLLARS PER TON TONS JAN FEB MAR APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG SEPT. ocT NOV DEC JAN FER. MAR APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUG. SEPT. ocT NOV DEC. JAN FEB MAR APRIL MAY 8 PER DIEM PIG IRON PRODUCTION AV. PRICE SOUTHERN No. 2 FDY., CINCINNATI AV. PRICE LOCAL No. 2 FDY., CHICAGO g & STH Ss 4 19 £8 8S BEES B 18 a & 17 16 & ££ & & & 16 - ° 14 & & 3 34 82 %2 30 THE IRON — wo ° x ~ wo ° 0 <> wo JUNE AGE October 5, 1911 The table below gives the production of all cok: { anthracite furnaces in September and the four preceding : Monthly Pig Iron Production—Gross. Tons. May. June. July. August. : : (31 days) (30 days) (31 days) (31 days) ae 130,927 130,395 124,347 118,145 New Jersey ..... 9,788 3,600 LY Reta Lehigh Valley .... 79,731 72,787 66,404 77,021 Schuylkill Valley.. 46,827 44,039 45,859 53,397 Lower Susquehanna and Lebanon Val. 44,179 41,751 40,084 38,741 Pittsburgh district. 422,000 415,519 419,248 469,012 4: Shenango Valley.. 88170 78,196 79,571 84,884 West. Penn. ..... 61,892 60,047 73,177 96,366 Maryland, Virginia and Kentucky 53,271 48,969 52,583 46,262 Wheeling district.. 115,213 93,617 93,973 94,476 Mahoning Valley.. 187,748 188,187 184,402 189,200 2 Central and North. ee 4 ovencrk as 152,909 141,973 116,953 131,850 Hocking Valley, Hanging Rock and S. W. Ohio 27,185 20,245 11,321 7,262 Mich., Minn., Mo., r Wis., Col., Wash. 71,938 54,391 57,661 63,114 6 Chicago district .. 238,424 249,666 272,817 287,875 289,198 ASBBOMB 66 occ ccns 134,386 117,015 126,200 140,879 149,238 Tenn., Georgia and NR chasis 28,868 27,169 27,082 28,153 25,745 Tetdl, eiwad 1,893,456 1,787,566 1,793,068 1,926,637 1,977,102 09 1910 1911 <o2z Pause ower tli ce epteerer.: fee eae 203° S2ESSE SESS SSS ISS LE SESS I A2AZES LE 90 27 88 86 26 84 82 2 8&0 78 24 % 74 2 72 70 22 + 6 2 64 62 2 60 BS 6 & 62 50 7 #8 “4% 6 44 42 40 -| 3 ié % 4 18 p2 30 Diagram of Daily Average Production by Months of Coke and Anthracite Pig Iron in the United States from January 1, 1907, to October 1, 1911; Also of Monthly Average Prices of Souther n No. 2 Foundry Iron at Cincinnati and Local No. 2 Foundry Iron at Chicago District Furnace. on Qctober I was 66,468 tons a day from 213 furnaces, against 63,214 tons a day from 203 furnaces on Sep- tember 1. Daily Rate of Production The daily rate of production of coke and anthracite pig iron by months, beginning with September, 1910, is as follows ° Daily Rate of Pig Iron Production by Months—Gross Tons Steel works. Merchant. Total. September, 1910 ......... 47,007 21,536 68,542 GO aa sh 6 oe Kae eSb Shee .45,794 21,726 67,520 CRE Psi Si daee'ep ad 41,427 22,232 63,659 EE Pie was ss nde ewe es ae ee 35,909 1,440 57,349 Cp ae. . | a en 36,401 20,351 56,752 PRU oi dvs ewesseankeaei nee 42,349 21,741 64,090 PRG.) 6 inna htbes ede bees on 48,970- 21,066 70,036 April (avd 60 wehbe eh eater eed 47,805 21,031 68,836 See astesvc vctwat Cake anicesaed 42,270 18,809 61,079 TE 2, shui es cebesmual® . ++ +42,708 16,877 59,585 CTE eee ree 42,472 15,369 57,841 August sav chebosbeweha tee eee 47,120 15,030 62,150 BEROMEE ooo kc ss eked ese ane’ 49,696 16,207 65,903 Production of Steel Companies Returns from all furnaces of the United States Steel Corporation and the various independent steel companies show the following totals of product month by month. Only steel making iron is included in these figures, to- gether with ferromanganese, spiegeleisen and ferrosilicon: Production of Steel Companies—Gross Tons. Spiegeleisen and -—Pig.—Total production, ferromanganese. 1909 1910 1911 1910 1911 January tS ay! ae 1,117,823 .1,773,201 1,128,448 19,538 8,360 PORTUATY occ e cae 1,073,363 1,620,539 1,185,782 21,396 12,821 Match: hiss. sasaees 1,140,553 1,739,212 1,518,063 25,591 11,784 ED. a Sein. d we el 0b 1,093,092 1,669,898 1,434,142 2,304 10,65/ le eae 1,356,448 1,619,283 1,310,378 26,529 13,64! Feaee . «aes Ved s 4088 1,365,527 1,549,112 1,281,241 27,680 22,611 SM. co cee cane 1°508.762 1,462,689 1,316,646 22,924 17,067 Reet --.ich. ss eebeee 1,591,991 1,442,572 1,460,610 25,756 14,579 September .......... 1,660,839 1,410,221 1,490,898 15,151 . 17,/>/ Oe eee 1,769,094 1,419,624 .....005 8,500 ...-- November. ...:..... 1,689,994 1,242,804 ........ 9,032 ..--- December ......... 1,768,799. WhIZ 17H! oles 12,178 . tober 5, IQII Capacity in Blast October 1 and September 1 (he following table shows the daily capacity of fur- s in blast October 1 and September 1: Coke and Anthracite Furnaces in Blast. Total ict. 1, -——-Sept. 1——~+, number Number Capacity Number Capacity 7): - Furnaces _ of stacks. in blast. per day. in blast. per day. vw York: Buffale. -\iscnsanwae Gas 17 9 3203 9 3005 ther New York...... 7 3 611 3 621 y Jersey s.sseeeess. 7 0 0 0 0 nsylvamea: ehigh Valley ....... 24 12 2557 12 2317 Spi Secasee 42 eas 3 2 167 2 167 Schuylkill Valley 16 7 1838 6 1722 wer Susquehanna .. 7 2 619 2 583 banon Valley ...... 10 4 604 4 635 Pittsburgh District 50 39 15,726 38 15,308 Spies tl © nicatiaks cxass 3 2 240 2 330 Schuylkill Valley 16 7 1838 6 1722 Western Pennsylvania. 27 12 3510 11 3108 Maryland suetsssubacass 4 3 772 3 750 Wheeling District....... 14 9 3071 9 3051 Mahoning Valley...... 24 18 7125 17 6750 Central and Northern. 23 11 4367 11 4285 Hocking Val., Hanging Rock & S. W. Ohio. 15 5 665 2 235 Illinois and Indiana..... 32 21 9532 21 9235 Spier@l) cceaveeseabs 2 2 185 1 52 Mich., Wis. and Minn.. 10 5 1020 5 970 lorado, Mo. and Wash. 7 3 1022 3 1080 The South: Virginia. écaskses Panen 23 6 635 5 617 Kentucky; «<5 00sec ve 5 2 265 1 145 Alsbawet: '0isdde Sabu wd? 46 19 4950 19 4565 Tenn. and Georgia.... 20 7 855 8 910 Tovah, vib icaseae 416 213 66,468 203 63,214 \mong furnaces blown cut last month were one Edgar Thomson in the Pittsburgh district. and Rockdale in Ten- The list of furnaces blown in included Topton the Schuylkill Valley, one Donora and one Shoenberger n the Pittsburgh district, one Shenango in the Shenango Valley, Perry in western Pennsylvania, Covington in Virginia, Ashland No. 2 in Kentucky, No. 2 Haselton in the Mahoning Valley, Ironton, Jackson and Sarah in the Hanging Rock district and one Calumet in the Chicago district. nessee. Chart of Pig Iron Production and Prices The fluctuations in pig iron production from January 007, to the present time are shown in the accompanying hart. The figures represented by the heavy line are those f daily average production, by months, of coke and anth- Pittsburgh and Vicinity Business Notes (he annual meeting of stockholders of the Treadwell Construction Company, builder of steel plate construc- was held at its principal offices at Midland, Pa., September 27, at which the following directors were elected: M. H. Treadwell, J. H. Killinger, H. N. Dough- erty, R. M. Dorsey, W. E. Farrell, J. S. Craig and S. N. Craig. Officers were re-elected as follows: M. H. Tread- vell, president; S. N. Craig, vice-president; H. N. Dough- ty, treasurer, B. W. Hunsicker, secretary. (he Standard Chain Company, Pittsburgh, was the successful bidder on proposals for buoy chain, light ves- sel chain, shackles and swivels for the Light House De- partment on specifications submitted for the fiscal year 12, bids having been opened at the department’s office Tompkinsville, N. “Y., September 21. The total ton- nage was 1,351,000 Ib.. This is the largest contract for ain ever secured by any one manufacturer from the cht House Department. William O’Brien & Co. are erecting an’ addition to their boiler-making plant on the Chartiers Valley Rail- id, Pittsburgh. It is of steel, 130 x 30 ft., with a wing {x 30 ft. The Buffalo Forge Company, Buffalo, N. Y., has been arded the contract by the Westinghouse Air Brake mpany for the heating and ventilating system in its carpenter shop at Wilmerding, Pa. The building | be of brick construction, 210 ft. long. \mong recent large contracts received by the West- ighouse, Electric & Mfg.. Company, East Pittsburgh, one from the city of Taéoma, Wash., for the entire ‘chboard and auxiliary apparatus for the power house, station and transmission line of the 27,000-hp. hydro- tric plant which the city is erecting about seven miles 'y from Nisqually River. An idea of the size of the rd may be gained from the fact that six tons of cop- THE IRON AGE —<—— ae z = = ra 723 racite iron. The two other curves on the chart represent monthly average prices of Southern Ne. 2 foundry pig iron at Cincinnati and of local No. 2 foundry iton at furnace at Chicago. They are based on the weekly market quotations of The Jron Age. The two sets of figures are as follows: Daily Average Production of Coke and Anthracite Pig Iron in the United States by Months Since January 1, 1907—Gross Tons. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. denuary bie chetaecdeeucaae 71,149 33,918 57,975 84,148 56,752 nae Uknta ek i beet ei 73,038 37,163 60,976 85,616 64,090 ST ch ad gh ak Wi haaee 71,821 39,619 59,232 84,459 70,036 SE ae.s hank a K tates acide ode 73,885 38,289 57,962 82,792 836 Me chwad oslanucchdnense ae 74,048 37,603 60,753 77,102 61,079 jure Taig E86 eniebh Radeews wie 94,486 36,444 64,655 75,516 59,585 ST ass bch duwee weds <6 i 72,763 39,287 67,793 69,305 57,841 BERIT AS EE Re 72,594 43,851 72,546 67,963 62,150 September slob eeecececsees? 2,783 47,300 79,507 68,476 65,903 SG cael es Se wakes aetnee 75,386 . 50,554 83,856 67,520 ....++. RS ie 60,937 51,595 84,917 63,659 ...... pi Pee eT ee CIETY OL 39,815 56,158 85,022 57,349 Monthly Average Prices in Dollars of Southern No.’ 2 Foundry Iron at Cincinnati and Local No. 2 Foundry at Chicago Dis- trict Furnace Since January, 1907. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910. 1911. Sou. Loc. Sou. Loc. Sou, Loc. Sou. Lec, Sou. Loc. No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, No.2, Cin. Chi. Cin. Chi, Cin. Chi. Cin, Chi, Cin. Chi. Jan. 26.00 25.00 16.15 18.10 16.26 17.00 17.25. 18.50 14.25 15.00 Feb. 26.00 25.50 15.75 17.81 16.13 16.40 17.06 18.50 14.25 15.00 Mar. 26.00 25.75 15.50 17.50 15.05 16.15 16.30 17.80 14.25 15.00 a 25.06 26.00 15.20 17.38 14.25 16.15 15.37 17.00 14.25 15.00 ay 24.25 26.50 14.75 17.28 14.50 16.15 15.00 16.56 14.00 15.00 june 24.10 26.25 15.25 17.38 14.70 16.15 14.85 16.25 13.50 15.00 uly 23.85 25.20 15.00 17.20 15.75 16.65 14.75 16.06 13.25 14.87 Aug. 23.00 24.50 15.25 17.00 16.38 16.78 14.31 16.00 13.45 14.50 Sept. 21.50 23.75 15.65 16.70 17.35 18.35 14.25 15.90 13.31 14.50 Oct. 20.95 22.10 15.75 16.50 17.88 18.50 14.25 15.56 ... eons Nov. 19.50 20.31 16.00 16.75 17.75 18.50 14.25 15.50 ° Dec. 17.00 18.55 16.25 17.00 17.45 18.50 14.25 15.50 The Record of Production Production of Coke and Anthracite Pig Iron in the United States by Months Since January 1, 1907—Gross Tens. 1907. 1908. 1909. 1910, 1911. jem oe edeeeds 2,205,607 1,045,250 1,797,560 2,608,605 1,759,326 \ . -2,045,068 1,077,740 1,707,340 2,397,254 1,794,509 : 2,226,457 1,228,204 1,832,194 2,617,949 2,171,111 2,216,558 1,149,602 1,738,877 2,483,763 2,064,086 2,295,505 1,165,688 1,883,330 2,390,180 1,893,456 2,234,575 1,092,131 1,930,866 2,265,478 1,787,566 eescvedees 2,255,660 1,218,129 2,103,431 2,148,442 1,793,068 2,250,410 1,359,831 2,248,930 2,106,847 1,926,637 ss eeeeee «2,183,487 1,418,998 2,385,206 2,056,275 1,977,102 2,336,972 1,567,198 2,599,541 2,093,121 ........ 1,828,125 1,577,854 2,547,508 1,909,780 ........ 1,234,279 1,740,912 2,635,680 1,777,817 ....+++- per alone will be used in its construction. The amount involved in the contract, which also includes a large amount of details and supplies, is about $85,000. —————— »@—- oe Labor Notes Car shop employees of the Union Pacific, Southern Pacific, Illinois Central and other Harriman lines namber- ing 30,000 went on strike September 30 in order to enforce recognition of the labor organizations as a unit. The strike affects railroad shops in 15 States, and the men involved include 10,000 machinists, 4000 boilermakers, 3000 blacksmiths, 11,000 car men, 1000 clerks and miscellaneous workmen to the number of 1000. The railroad companies are contesting the strike, and employment offices have been opened in large cities in all parts of the country. The Board of Governors of the Building Trades Em- ployers’ Association of New York ordered a general lock- out of union men last Monday in all the trades involved in the sympathetic strike on the construction of the new Vanderbilt Hotel in New York. The strike was originally called because of the employment of non-union marble workers on the building which resulted in a walkout by the members of 14 unions employed in the building trades. The retaliatory measures adopted by the Building Trades Association resulted in an end to the sympathetic strike. A strike has been declared by pattern makers in New York and Brooklyn foundries making structural castings. The men demand an eight hour working day at the same wage rate as is now in force. The employers as a rule are resisting the demand. (a The Marting Iron & Steel Company, Ironton, Ohio, blew in its furnace early this week. The West.End furnace at Roanoke, Va., will probably be blown in early this month after relining. gh ee. - = * ‘estaba ane oe tt i des « { ¢ { 724 THE IRON AGE October 5, 19 The Iron and Metal Markets A Comparison of Prices Advances Over the Previous Week in Heavy Type, Declines in Italics. At date, one week, one month and one year previous. Oct. 4, Sept. 27, Sept. 6, Oct. 5, PIG TRON, Per Gross Ton: 1911. 1911. 1911. 1910. Foundry No. 2 standard, Phila- ie: Sb cwetickscackshs can $15.00 $15.00 $15.00 $16.00 Foundry No. 2, Valley furnace. 13.25 13.25 13.50 13.75 Foundry No. 2 Southern, Cin- CRE os icasuas othedenws tes 13.25 13.25 13.50 14.25 Foundry No. 2, Birmingham, Ala. 10.00 10.00 10.25 11.00 Foundry No. 2, at furnace, Cee > Sathccestebaackaes< 14.50 14.50 14.50 16.25 Basic, delivered, eastern Pa.... 14.50 14.50 14.75 15.00 Basic, Valley Ser 12.60 12.60 13.00 13.50 Bessemer, Pittsburgh ......... 15.55 15.90 15.90 15.90 Gray torge, Pittsburgh........ 13.65 13.65 13.90 14.15 Lake Superior charcoal, Chicago 16.50 16.50 16.50 18.25 COKE, CONNELLSVILLE, Per Net Ton, at Oven: Furnace coke, prompt shipment. 1.50 1.50 1.50 1.60 Furnace coke, future delivery. . 1.60 1.60 1.60 1.70 Foundry coke, prompt shipment. 1.85 1.85 1.85 2.10 Foundry coke, future delivery.. 2.10 2.10 2.10 2.25 BILLETS, &e., Per Gross Ton: Bessemer billets, Pittsburgh.... 20.00 20.00 21.00 24.00 Open hearth billets, Pittsburgh. 19.00 19.00 21.00 24.50 Forging billets, Pittsburgh..... 25.00 25.00 26.00 29.00 Open hearth billets, Philadelphia 21.40 22.40 23.40 26.00 Wire rods, Pittsburgh......... 26.00 26.00 27.00 28.50 OLD MATERIAL, Per Gross Ton: Iron rails, (Chicago............ 13.75 14.00 14.00 16.00 Iron rai