The Iron Age 1911-12-14: Vol 88 Iss 24

—— — vs ae THE IRO AYE Esta blished 1855 New York, December 14, 1911 Von. 88: No. 24, Published Every Thursday by the DAVID WILLIAMS COMPANY 239 West 39th Street, New York Entered at'the New York Ps: ()) oc as Second-Class Mail Matter; Subscription Price, United States and Mexico, $5.00 per Annum ; to Canada, sf 50 per Annum; to Other, Foreign Countries, $10.00: per Annum receipt pequstted, nane. will be sent.. Credit for payment will be aanet by extending the dae’ on the wrapper of your paper. W..H. Taylor, - - - - - President and Treasurer 1. A. Mekeel, - ° ° . ° rs - First Viee-Presidént Geo. W.. Cope, - - - « ' A. L. Findley, ° ° - - Editors W. W. Macon, ° “ 2 ‘i M., C. Robbins, - - - - Manager Charles S, Baur, . - - Assistant Manager Branch Offices Philadelphia, Real Estate Trust Building Chicago, Fisher Building Pittsburgh, Park Building Cleveland, American Trust Building Boston, Compton Building Cincinnati, 807 Andrews Building CONTENTS. TECOCGusee LOGURRME DOW TUES cta0s oa vv aleedaes sy ceseebi eens 1273 Getting: Steel ' Costs) Dowie. i's nisin’ ohiébies cise idb oblebic vs ews wis 1274 senie Contesets in the Ieom Tretia. a. os ocncscns as ths tccteos 1274 The Coming Demand for Machine Tools...................6. 1275 Scientific Management in Government Shops..............00 1276 Moldimg Machine, Patent DeciGigti.s...cccasccnecsevecncetene 1276 The Rebate Plan in the British. Steel’ Trade: ...............4. 1277 The Tennessee Company and Convict Coal Miners........... 1277 Sotith Citcago’ Kail Mill” Not“ Cilomed: oo. cc occ e cc cecccceee 1277 Large Riter-Gonley Contracts... 1). .icces cee eese eects ticebees 1277 The Steel Corporation’s Unfilled Orders..............esee00: 1277 The Use of Intoxicants by Steel) Workers: ..............0000. 1277 The, Icon, and, Matal, Masleota, 5... nob% cee cnnd ens eels omprinwed 1278 The DeBats Crucible Steel Company.............ccccceecece 1288 Increased; Operations at Aliquippa..:..........ceccecccecees 1288 ORG ie aes See e ka vee wy desi ek ne cand ces be bie isle an aaceainte de 1289 The National Gas: Engine Association............ccccecceece 1289 High. Grade Small. Tools. in: Demand. .......6. J. cccecneecen cn 1289 The Mechanical Engineers Convention...............eeceeces 1290 Cincinnati Metal Trades: Dinmer.................cccnceceese 1295 The Philadelphia Foundrymen’s Association...........se.ees 1295 November Copper Production and Stocks.............eee0ee 1295 Briquetting,, Hive! Dusts o.4} «0 wards avpade- seagate dass vapebbal 1295 Two New Lackawanna Open-Hearth Furnaces............... 1295 Gteati ‘Trbh- Miaicinig) | Wationss . i680. 5 A. AAG. lide ceed TR Ou NN a The Lumen Bearing’ Company Expands..............cceeees Obititaty 0 c5:2. 36> dead? - peed arch ab aRed swe iicbtads die Sewie Pittsburgh and Vicinity Industrial Notes.............ceeeees West Penn: Steel Company Improvemients................008 "OO, I WOGry Beemer COPBOOMNON. ccc cicccccccecheccece New Mills: fon Steel: Company of Can dé The New Corrigan-McKinney Steel ao “ead Duplex Facing: Machine... ............dcceeecees The International Congress of Navigation........... The American District Steam Company...............0c.005 1300 Standard Bridge Tool Equipment a at ace TE Rg ale Rl 1304 The Jones’ Process for “Metallizing’ Ore...........eacceeee 1305 A. Highly Reputable PROGR SHANE. stab a: arypn pered sa Bey > dle » 1305 Titanium and Low Carbon Basic Stéel...........csceceesees 1306 Now Pushing Shatter sonics. dc psmselippn > cvisjocver tbe hee» 1308 SL G8 FURR LOM PMMMSOUTIIOELY 28g 5.5 5c cin cc vccepevcccccvane eyes, Seon Improved Contractor's Light. 2... 0c coi. cece tc cweccmevecs 1309 New Bituminous Gas Producer.......... ei Ghe eas heen aoe ie 1310 A) New! Soaking! Pi Cotes iis oak cle eRe odd o Dewees cock 1311 The Largest By-Product Coke Oven Plant in the World...... 1311 A New Grractirel SHOP BE MAGNONS Foi eh ect ece 1 Ponndiss, Calg} SOW. 0+ sertian: eerie napins earth sayeeh cae sph «06 Accidents in German Tron and Steel Works................. Moétar . brush: ict oach> sqyeer cyants obwresc pacwe wens es dewse oe The Allis-Chalmers Com any’ to Reorganize sep oie) pire apa Improved Power Hack Saw Machite..)........65. seek eeseews DEGUOPETNE | SNEED. CUNTGRD sin Cine coop sceycep ccceced Raa eae Proposed Federal! Compensation Bill............0c.0. ce eeees The Murphy Mold Sprayer...........seseee. Engihe Tubeeaee rik Il wht Sbeeth. eee nets The, N., & G, Taylor Company’s Improvements, a The Cross Creek Coal’ Company.............. The Machinery. Markets, ....05...60+0+s0ee. 5 ee Baltimore Industrial Notes..........ccccccccccccce éawe Tin, Plate; Imports and! Exports..)..+....+eseseees CdR e'bmd} od Employees’ Compensation for Accidents........ceeeeceeecees Increasing Demand for Steel Price Advances in Several Finished: Products. Heavy Buying ‘in Burp te to Build Up Stocks— Expanding Milb Operations The. syrprising, statement.,of the Steel Corporation showing 447,000 tons increase in. November in its un- filled orders, for finished and, semi-finished steel has added to, the favorable sentiment which has gained ground: in. the past, two, weeks. The extremely low prices, on, which. much of the business was done indi- cate that the old time formula for lifting the market by. getting: under it is, still in force. That the lifting process: has made some headway appears from several price advances announced this week. In wire an advance of $1 a ton made by the Amer- ican Steel & Wire Company, effective Monday, is now general, Important; sheet producers have put up their prices $2.a ton, or to 1.goc. for No, 28 black sheets and. 2.90c.. for galvanized... In bars leading mills are now holding for 1.15c. as minimum both for prompt shipment and first quarter of 1912. Since the beginning of this month the Steel Cor- poration’s bookings have been: at a much, greater rate than in. November, considerably exceeding 50,000 tons a day, That both merchants and manufacturers have been trying to build up their ragged stocks at the low prices explains, in part, what has happened’ in bars, and the same applies, though to a less extent, to plates and shapes. The mills have now a considerably larger bar tonnage booked than at any time this year and all are practically filled up for the first quarter, with a con- siderable percentage of capacity taken up in some cases for the second quarter. The second half of December will show no great expansion in operations, owing to the holidays, but at the opening of the year several steel companies will start up plants now idle. The Steel Corporation, in view of the increased activity of its sheet and tim plate plants, particularly the latter, will start its Columbus, Ohio, steel works January 2—a plant that is operated only under unusual’ demand. At Aliquippa, Pa., the leading independent interest at Pittsburgh will’ start up additional steel and’ finishing mill capacity. After January 1 the Steel Corporation will- have between 85 and’90 per cetit. of its steel-capacity active.’ The advance in wire products to $r.55 for nails and $1.35 for fencing wire still leaves them $3 a ton below the basis of last January. At the recent $1.50 price for wire nails no heavy’ business was done, though that represented the lowest point sinee early 1899. A further advance in wire is probable. Railroad buying has beén smal!'this week’and'‘n the Steel Corporation’s bookings for November it amounted | to only ro percent. Some of the larger rail orders are impending, howéver; and there are intimations that the ; / * | i 4 : 6 YR RATT RINE, UE NT SOT a 1274 THE IRON AGE Pennsylvania Railroad car order will be much larger than the 20,000 originally proposed. The Great North- ern order for 40,000 tons of rails and the Northe-a Pa- cific contract, variously estimated at 35,000 to 50,000 tons, are about to be closed. .The South Carolina Rail- road is in the market for 4400 tons. Steel car wheel business has been good, recent or- ders being placed for 11,000. The Pennsylvania Rail- road is reported to be figuring on 20,000. Prices for structural steel are stiffening. Fabri- cators have been notified that they cannot safely base their estimates on less than 1.15c. for shapes, and some mills are asking more than this on manufacturers’ or- ders for plain material. An Eastern mill has taken a contract for 10,000 tons of shapes for car work. The Hub building at Chicago, 6000 tons, and the Barr build- ing, St. Louis, 10,000 tons, have been closed. Plate mills have been helped not only by car works business but by the large business closed and pending for shipyards. Seaboard shipbuilders are so well filled that they are by no means eager for Government work. On the lakes there is figuring for three or four freight- ers and the lake yards may build several boats for the coastwise trade. The foundry pig iron market has slowed down after two weeks of heavy buying at prices over which the furnace companies were far from cheerful. Southern iron has come up to a $10, Birmingham, basis for No. 2 and some sellers are asking more for the first half of 1912. The recent buying of basic iron in the Pitts- burgh district, about which reports have varied, amounted to 30,000 tons at $12.10 and $12.15 at furnace. —————4--o—__ —_ Getting Steel Costs Down The inroad the unlimited competition of the past six months has made upon the profits of iron and steel manufacturers has been dwelt upon as though it were absolutely without mitigation. Comparisons have been made with the low levels in other times of severe com- petition and it has been shown that in more than one product recent prices have been unprecedented for lowness, taking into account the higher wages and the higher raw material costs of to-day. What has been ignored in all the outcry over the disappearance of profits in steel is the extent to which ways have been found to lower costs of manu- facture. It has been assumed, since wage rates were not reduced, that, as so many dollars a ton have been cut off the selling price, earnings have suffered by just that much. Such a view takes no account of an econo- mizing campaign that has been under way in the steel industry, one that has been as effective as it has been unadvertised. Referring first to the Steel Corporation as the largest producer, it is known that a movement for increased efficiency in every department of every sub- sidiary was undertaken early in the present year and that the results have figured in no small way in the balance sheets of the past six months. With all that had been previously accomplished through committee work, through liberal expenditure for labor saving equipment, through the saving of by-products and through the standardizing of operations, tending to pull the efficiency at all plants in a given line up to that of the best—the work put on the problem under the pressure of this year’s necessities has brought excellent results. As is only too well known, this has been no December 14, IQII year for spending money on new construction, but the Steel Corporation has made many small appropriations for plant changes or for new equipment where such expenditure would increase output and reduce unit cost. In one large independent company the reductions in cost this year, without any reduction in the wage rate, have made up for no small part of the decline in the price of its product. One expedient resorted to, when, after serious consideration of wage reductions, it was decided to postpone such action, was a horizontal reduction in the number of men in all operating depart- ments. The situation was put squarely up to managers, superintendents and foremen, with the urgent necessity of reducing cost by getting out the same product with a smaller force. It was not many weeks before ways were found, by increasing efficiency all along the line, to more than equal the former output. It will be seen, when the reports of the various steel companies for 1911 can be studied, that the industry has only repeated familiar history in enforcing econo- mies under stress of severe competition. It has found some compensation for conditions which appear all calamitous, in being able to set its house in order for the new régime—one under which so-called normal prices for iron and steel products will be several dol- lars a ton below the cent-and-a-half level of recent years for bars, plates and structural shapes. —- > O- Scale Contracts in the Iron Trade The making of a scale contract has long been a favorite recourse in the iron trade and its allied in- dustries when buyer and seller wished to tie up with each other for a period of time and yet avoid the pros- pect of loss to the one party or the other through a material change in the market price of the commodity involved. These contracts may be divided into two classes, the one based upon the price of the commodity ruling in the open market from time to time, and the other basing the price of the given commodity upon the price of some other commodity. Thus contracts have been made for the delivery of pig iron, a tonnage within a specified maximum and minimum per month, to be paid for at the ruling price in the month, or in the month preceding the month of delivery. Again, steel billets and sheet bars have been sold upon scale contracts, the basis being not the price of steel in the open market, but the price of pig iron. The favo- rite form for such contracts has been that of providing a variable “spread” between the pig iron and the steel, this spread increasing as the price of pig iron advances. An unusual contract was made a few years ago, in- volving a large tonnage, and in this case pig iron was bought, to be paid for in accordance with the fluctua- tions of the billet market. Particularly in recent years, Connellsville furnace coke has frequently been sold on a “ratio” basis, the settlement price from month to month being a predetermined fraction of the monthly average price of Bessemer or basic pig iron. What economic function do these sliding scale contracts per- form? It is true they give the seller an advantage if the market advances, and they give the buyer an ad- vantage if the market declines. In some cases such protection is needed. When both pig iron and coke are high priced, for instance, the furnaceman has ex- cellent reason for making such a coke contract, be- cause he is thus assured a supply of coke for the period, and at the same time he is protected in case the mar- December 14, 1911 ket declines. This is to the advantage of both parties. The seller profits, in that when the market is high he can sell coke more readily on a scale contract than at a flat price; if the market declines, the furnace can continue operating and taking the coke, whereas if hung up on a high coke price it might be forced to blow out. While scale contracts appear simple, a great many complications can arise in making and interpreting them, and they should promise great benefits to war- rant their adoption. It is questionable whether in the long run they do. If they belong to the class in which the price is made dependent upon the price of some other commodity, they are very likely to carry the set- tlement price above or below the prevailing market price of the commodity sold. In the case of coke, very complicated contracts have sometimes been drawn to avoid this distortion, the ratio of coke to pig iron vary- ing as the price of pig iron varies, and a minimum price for the coke being introduced. If on the other hand they belong to the class in which the adjustment is made according to the prevailing market price of the commodity traded in, they are confessedly a make- shift because they are impossible of general adoption. Were all the tonnage of the market thus handled, there would be nothing left to make a market price. Some- thing of this sort has actually occurred in recent months in the case of a number of sheet bar contracts, the open market price resting upon such an uncertain foundation that consumers objected to being governed by it; and the justice of their claim was recognized by producers consenting to other means of settlement. In this case the scale contract system became topheavy. In the willingness of the trade to make these scale contracts in so many instances, despite their obvious drawbacks, may possibly be found an argument in favor of the suggestion which has been so generally criticized, that a government board should actually regulate or fix prices. The scheme has been called chimerical; yet it really would require no great stretch of the imagination to conceive a government board, armed with adequate information, fixing prices of certain commodities with as much justice as is now done through the medium of some of the scale con- tracts which find favor with many buyers and sellers. If the definite trend of these various scale contracts were to mitigate the extremes of fluctuation in the market they would be of economic advantage; but it is patent that they do not do so, for two reasons. In the first place, the effort is made in arriving at the terms to make them duplicate if possible that which has been found to occur in actual practice. Thus in fixing a coke-to-pig iron ratio, historic prices are scrutinized to ascertain how coke has usually advanced when pig iron has advanced. Thus the contract aims to correspond with market fluctuations, not to mitigate them. In the second place, when a portion of the total tonnage is taken out of the market in which periodic bartering occurs, the remainder must bear the entire brunt of increases and decreases in the total demand, and thus the price tends to fluctuate more than were the entire tonnage involved in the bartering. While in the iron trade the scale contract has not béen found of such striking advantage as to make its adoption at all general, it is interesting to note that in certain branches of the metal trade the periodic settle- ment basis has been found of great convenience. We refer to the settlement upon drosses, particularly from THE IRON AGE 1275 tin and spelter. Practice varies at different plants, so that drosses are not all alike, though the general method of production may be the same. Refiners are not equally easy to get along with, and it becomes de- sirable for both the manufacturer conducting tinning or galvanizing operations and the refiner of drosses to select in advance those with whom they will do busi- ness. The fluctuations in the new material market make this extremely difficult if settlement is to be at a flat price, but the difficulty vanishes when the contract provides that settlement shall be made for each carload on the basis of a fixed percentage of the price of new metal upon the date of shipment. The refiner must sell his product in relation to this market, while the producer finds the price realized upon the dross varies according to the price he has paid for the metal which makes the dross; and thus both parties are enabled to pursue their business, confident that the price paid and received from time to time will be in accord with the prevailing conditions. In this case the inherent advan- tage of the arrangement is obvious. a The Coming Demand for Machine Tools When the trade shall have revived in a large way, an important element in the machinery market will be that of replacements. A very great percentage of the equipment of American machine shops, taking the country over, at the end of the last very prosperous period, could not even then be classed as really modern. Since that time buying for the most part has been con- fined to immediate needs resulting from extensions of business enterprises. If an older type of machine could be made to do work even’in a moderately satis- factory manner, it has usually been called into use for the purpose, for the conservation of financial re- sources has been carried out in every possible way since the middle of 1907. In other words, four and one-half years have elapsed since shop owners have been modernizing the equipment of their plants. What was old then is still nearer obsolete now. There are some exceptions to the rule, of course, the most not- able being the automobile builders whose business has averaged so great that they could afford what all manufacturers should carry out, whenever possible, the providing of equipment which will materially re- duce cost of production. With progressive houses, when times are good, the practice is to throw out oid tools and buy the latest models if. the exchange prom- ises a substantial return on the additional investment. By the time the condition of general business shall have revived, five years at least will have passed since replacements on a large scale have been attempted. In fact, as already stated, the number of machines which have been sold to effect a greater economy has been very much smaller than would seem to be the case at first thought. The buying which will result from this long delay should be tremendous. The railroads must be large customers, both for additional equip- ment and for replacements. The average railroad re- pair shop is equipped almost wholly with machinery that was much too old five years ago, and the addi- tional years have accentuated the antiquity of the methods which must be employed where such tools are used. ; In this half decade the machine tool people have made very important advances in design. This factor naturally is not so important as for the period which See ne ae OIE ELIOT SOE oan a 1276 THE IRON ‘AGE preceded 1907, for those years marked the extraor- dinary devélopment'of machinery made possible by’ the introduction of ‘the ‘high speed steels. Nevertheless, the more recent changes -constitute an ¢lement which owners of shops ‘cannot afford to overlook. In many details machines have ‘been refined and new types and improvements in types ‘have ‘been ‘added to ‘the list. In considering ‘the stocks of ‘machinery in -the storehouses of the builders and in the warerooms of the dealers, some observers are ‘prone to speak with doubt as to the ability of ‘the ‘market to absorb ‘such a great surplus. On the contrary, a change in condi- tions, such as ‘that of 1906, would take out of stock every ‘machine in the country in’a very ‘short time, in spite of every effort ‘that ‘the manufacturers could make in rushing production in their shops. It is not generally understood, ‘perhaps, that certain lines of machinery are even mow ‘being absorbed so rapidly that a small percentage of increase in demand would send deliveries well into the future. Users of metal working machinery realize much better than formerly that the most expensive thing they can have in their works is an antiquated machine. If the expenditure of $100 be necessary to replace it, the advantage in production cost would pay the whole bill in comparatively few months. With some modern machines, usually of the high-priced class, the saving is so radically great that the initial cost be- comes almost a negligible quantity. At present, pro- gressive manufacturers are either studying such prob- lems as these or have already completed their plans for equipment changes, which they will carry into effect as soon as they feel that they can release the money for the purpose. It is good advice to the man whose financial resources would warrant it to buy now. Not only would he be able to get immediate deliveries but he would avoid the higher price which will undoubt- edly come with a larger demand. He would enjoy the important advantage of being ready in advance to meet the hig market-for his own goods. With the improved facilities he will produce more goods at less cost and probably of a better quality. ——$_9+o——_—_ Scientific Management in Government Shops WasuHincTon, D. C.,. December. 10, ;1911.—-The report of the special committee appointed last August to investigate the subject of scientific management of government work- shops will not be ready for submission to the House of Representatives until March 10. The resolution under which the committee was appointed provided that its report should be made not later than December 10, but on Friday last the chairman, Mr. Wilson, of Pennsylvania, requested an extension of 90 days. This request was granted. Mr. Wilson will now endeavor 'to put through the House another. wesolution appropriating $10,000, or as much of that sum as may be necessary, to pay the traveling and .per diem expenses of witnesses in order that the re- mainder of the committee’s work may be performed here. Owing to the lack of any appropriation whatever the com- mittee’s activities, during the» recess of Congress, were limited to seven days in Boston and two in New York. In other words,.so long as they could not call witnesses be- fore them, at the witnesses’ own expense, they were re- quired to visit the places where the witnesses lived. This the chairman found no easy matter, inasmuch as one of his associates, Mr, ,Redfield,,of New York, is |a manufacturer and a many-sided business man who could not absent .him- self from home for the long periods of time necessary to cover the places it was desired to visit. When this plain statement of the facts has been laid before ‘the Committee on Accounts, to which the resolution asking for an ap- December 14, 1911 propriation has been referred, Mr. Wilson has no doubt that the resolution will be favorably reported back to the House and that the House will pass it without material delay. Within the next to days the committee will doubtless resume its sessions—this ‘time in Washington—in the committee room .of the House Committee on Labor of which Mr. Wilson is chairman. Many witnesses will be called. Some of them will be experts in shop management and others will be workmen ‘employed by the government and private manufacturing- concerns: Mr. ‘Wilson hopes to have before the committee Mr. Taylor, whose system has been so generally discussed, and who.has not yet testi- fied, and a number of workmen from Philadelphia, Stam- ford, ‘Bethlehem and Rock Island, the latter being the em- ployees of the arsenal. Employees of ‘the Midvale Steel Works, where the Taylor system was developed, will also be present. General Crozier and other ‘War .Department officials will be given an opportunity to be heard as well as the originators of other systems which follow the lines of the Taylor system. Mr. Wilson says the workmen do ‘not ‘oppose the ‘sys- tematizing of the work or eliminating the elements of waste energy, but that they do oppose those elements which result in greater productivity as a result of. greater ex- penditure of energy. The battle to be fought out before the committee, therefore, will doubtless be an interesting one. Upon the conclusion of its labors here, the committee will visit several establishments where the Taylor and other systems of like character are in effect in order to study their workings at close range. ok Molding Machine Patent Decision A decision recently given by the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit finally disposes of litigation which has been going on for several years in- volving patents on molding machine improvements. In the original suit which was brought in the Circuit Court of the United States for the eastern district of Pennsylvania, the Tabor Mfg. Company alleged that the defendants, the E. H. Mumferd Company et al., in the vibrator molding ma- chines which they had brought. out infringed ;patents No. 533,401, No. 582,325 and No. 654,292, owned by the Tabor Mfg. Company. The decree of the Circuit Court dismissed the complaint, ‘holding that there had been no infringement. This decree the Circuit Court of Appeals in a decision given at the October term has now affirmed. In.patent No. 533,401 only claim I was involved. The court pointed out that this claim was. amended by the in- ventor, after the original filing, by restricting the movabil- ity of the pattern plate to lateral movability. Without this restriction, the claim would have been ‘stricken out, ‘the court says, as one anticipated by Teeter in patents “Nos. 397,316 and 494,570. In the case of the defendants’ machine the pattern plate “is rigidly and firmly bolted down to up- right posts that are integral with the heavier castings.” The result is, the decision says, “that while the pattern plate of the defendants may be jarred, as the pattern plates of the prior art could have been and were, it is not, in the sense ° of the claim in suit ‘movable laterally in a horizontal plane’” In patent No. 582,325 the suit involved claims 8 to 11, all having as an element in each of the combinations therein set forth a pattern plate “having mortises or aper- tures -between the patterns and away from the margins of the patterns.” The limiting phrase beginning with the word “between” was inserted by amendment, the court says, “to distinguish it from the French patent No. 157,852 of 1883 to Montagne, on which it had been rejected.” The apertures in the defendants’ machine, it was pointed out, adjoin the patterns. Since the complainant’s claims mean that. the apertures are so located that all their edges are away from the edges of the patterns, it was held that the defendants’ machine was ‘no infringement. Claim 1-of patent No. 582,325 was also in suit. One ele- ment: in its combination is guard-strips at the sides of the fingers which support the, flask-supporting. frame, whose function it is ‘to prevent the entry of sand between ‘the frame and ‘the ‘upper ‘ends of the ‘fingers. The decision says: “It is questionable whether the combination ‘of this December I4, 1911 claim is a patentable one. In any event, upon the strict construction which must be given it, the defendants do not infringe.” Claims 9, 10 and 11 of Patent No. 654,292 set forth combinations in each of which is “means for maintaining ‘said carrier and pattern in parallelism with themselves.” On ‘this the .decision says: “The @defendants ‘have no ‘such means, Their machine ‘is equipped with the pegs or dowel pins:of the‘old art instead ofthe V-shaped guide bars which constitute the complamant's means for maintaining the parallelism ‘referred ‘to, and these pegs or pins do net pre- vent tilting of ‘the plate as tt is withdrawn. Consequently there is no infringement here.” ———_++e—____ The Rebate Plan in the British Steel Trade Iron and steel dealers in Great Britain, particularly those carrying warehouse stocks, have been much exercised over ‘the plan recently adoptetl by manufacturers of plates and.structural shapes in England and Scotland, by which a rebate of five shillings a ton is given to all consumers who buy only the plates and shapes of the associated manufacturers. The object of the arrangement, as has been heretofore explained, is to secure the home market to home manufacturers and -particularly to cut down the imports of German and Belgian steel. Some of the leading steel merchants of London, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Hull, Bristol, Liverpool and Birmingham attended a con- ference at Birmingham November 30 to discuss the ques- tion. The opposition to the rebate arrangement has been partly due to the fear that when the associated manufac- turers have tied up consuming ‘interests they will make advances in prices more than recouping the 5s. rebate. Those in the trade who want the plan to fail look to see foreign manufacturers offer plates and shapes so much below the prices of home manufacturers as to tempt buyers to break their agreement even to the forfeiture of the re- bate. There has been some talk of taking the matter into the courts on ‘the ground that the rebate plan is illegal, as being in restraint of trade. It is pointed out, however, that to invoke the law would mean a long delay with no certainty of upsetting the manufacturers’ arrangement. —_—_+o___ The Tennessee Company and Convict Coal Miners Announcement is made by the Tennessee Coal, Iron & Railroad Company, Birmingham, Ala., that after January I it will cease to work State convicts in its Alabama coal mines. It will transfer all such convicts to the Banner coal mines, where the State will work them and sell the coal to the mine owners, the Pratt Consolidated. Some county convicts will necessarily be retained longer in cer- tain of the Tennessee Company’s coal mines, as under existing contracts they cannot be turned over until their terms expire at various dates later. But the company has decided to eliminate the convicts as rapidly as possible. The Tennessee Company prior to this last action had adopted the semi-monthly payday and begun the work of eliminating the sub-contract system from its mines. Its policy is to build good homes for its workingmen, to es- tablish night schools, give prizes for the best gardens, es- tablish recreation grounds, baths and reading rooms, and maintain wages. These policies have done much to recon- cile union labor to the open shop system. In fact, the Tennessee Company’s workmen are stated by local observ- ers to be better off now than they have ever been. Oe South Chicago Rail Mill Not Closed.—President E. J. Buffington of the Illinois Steel Company has given out the following statement at Chicago: “The report in circulation of the closing down of our rail mill at South Chicago for lack of orders is entirely erroneous. The II- linais Steel Company has to-day 250,000 tons in steel or- ders more than a year ago, and will continue the plant in operation as long as orders are forthcoming. The Gary plant would have closed down a few weeks ago were it not that sufficient orders were received to keep it in full opera- tion. The mill at South Chicago, because of necessity for repairs, will close for a week or two some time during the winter; but ‘it is impossible to-say when that time will be, owing to many orders which come unexpectedly on the prevailing low pricés in the steel market.” THE IRON AGE 1277 Large Riter-Conley Contracts The Riter-Conley Mfg. Company, Pittsburgh, fabricator of structural steel and builder of blast furnaces, tanks, etc. has recently booked contracts for work running between $2,500,000 and .$3;000,900.. Its plant.at Leetsdale, Pa., has started work on riveted steel pipe up to 10 ft. in diameter for the Los Angeles aqueduct, which aggregates close to 10,000 tons, ‘while another order calls for ‘galvanized ‘stéel transmission towers for the Sovtthern California Edison Company, which will carry current from the power houses in the mountains to Los Angeles. For the Mond Nickel Company, northern Ontario, Canada, it will furnish 2000 tons of steel for new buildings, on which erection will commence in the spring. It is also building a duplicate of the present plant of the Saginaw Plate Glass Company, Saginaw, Mich., and within a week will start work on the new plant of the Penn Motor Company, New Castle, Pa. The company has done considerable work in Brazil over the last year and has erecting crews there now. An- other contract recently received from Brazil is for a large power house at Rio das Lages. For use on the Amazon River, Brazil, it will fabricate the steel for six steamboats. Work will soon be started on galvanized steel transmission towers for an American interest, rs0 to be special and 900 standard, with an aggregate weight of about 4000 tons. For large interests in Mexico it will furnish 24 oil storage tanks, aggregating 3500 tons of material, each to have a capacity of 55,000 barrels. It is furnishing the structural material, 1000 tons, for the new soil pipe foundry to be built at Tuscaloosa, Ala., and will shortly start erecting a viaduct, about 500 tons, for the Tuscaloosa Mineral Rail- road Company. Ground was recently broken for a new gas holder of 6,000,000 cu. ft. capacity for the Allegheny Heating Company, North Side, Pittsburgh. The Riter- Conley Company erected there several years ago the first gas holder of 5,000,000 cu. ft. capacity. A 6,00,000-cu. ft. gas holder for Detroit is also under construction. The contract for fabricating the steel work for the additions to the First National Bank, Pittsburgh, aggregating about 2600 tons, the first of which was delivered November 3, is expected to be completed before the holidays. Contracts for new work and recently started jobs will insure steady operations of the company over the next six months. ——_>-e_—_—_—_ The Steel Corporation’s Unfilled Orders The bulletin of the United States Steel Corporation’s unfilled orders for mill products given out December 9, showed a total of 4,141,955 tons, a gain in the month of 447,627 tons. The increase in October was 83,011 tons, while September showed a decrease of 84,668 tons. The large increase in Novetmber indicates freer sales ahead at the low prices prevailing in that month. The low point in the unfilled tonnage records of the corporation was 2,674,- 757 tons, shown in the report for December 31, 1910. The amounts reported for the various months of this year are as follows: Nev: 30, 24981.i...... 4,141,955 May 31, 1911......:.. 3,113,187 One:* 31, 7WRLi ti he 3,694,328 April 30, 1911......... 3,218,704 Sept. 30, 1911...:..... 3,611,317, Mar. 31, 1911......... 3,447,301 Aug. 31, 1911.........3,695,985 Feb. 28, 1911......... 3,400,543 Titty * 31, 9094.. .i cee 3,584,085 Jan. 31, 1911......... 3,110,919 June 30, 1911......... 3,361,058 The totals at the close of the various years have been as follows: 1902, 5,347,523 tons; 1903, 3,215,123 tons; 1904, 4,696,203 tons; 1905, 7,605,086 tons; -1906, 8,498,719 tons (the high record); 1907, 4,624,552 tons; 1908, 3,603,527 tons; 1909, $5927,03T ‘tons; 1910, 2,674,757 tons. a AO Ge The Use of Intoxicants by Steel Workers.—Dr. Thomas Darlington, secretary of the Welfare Committee of the American Iron and Steel Institute, 30 Church street, New York, is sending an inquiry to the membership on the subject of regulating or diminishing the use of alcohol by employees in iron and steel works. Manufacturers who have put in force any method which directly or indirectly bears upon the regulation of the use of intoxicants by em- ployees ‘are asked to send details to the Welfare Committee. a A plan is being considered by the Army and Navy Board to consolidate the New York, Boston and Ports- mouth navy yards into one large yard at Narragansett Bay. |S PENI E RN NI L , THE IRON AGE December 14, IQII The lIron-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. Dec. 13, Dec. 6, Nov. 8, Dec. 14, PIG IRON, Per Gross Ton: 1911. 1911. 1911. 1910. Fopadsy No, 2 standard, Phila- delphia Foundry ‘No. 2, Valley furnace. Foundry No, 2 Southern, Cin- cinnati Foundry No. 2, Birmingham, Ala. 10.00 Foundry No. at furnace, Chicago* 14.00 Basic, delivered, eastern Pa.... 14.25 Basic, Valley furnace......... 12.25 Bessemer, Pittsburgh 14.90 Gray forge, Pittsburgh 13.40 Lake Superior charcoal, 16.50 $14.85 13.00 $14.85 13.00 13.00 9.75 14.00 14,50 12.25 14.90 13.40 16.50 $15.00 13.25 13.25 10.00 14.10 14.50 12.50 15.15 13.40 16.50 $15.50 13.75 14.25 11.00 16.00 14.75 13.50 15.90 13.90 Chicago COKE, CONNELLSVILLE, Per Net Ton, at Oven: Furnace coke, prompt shipment. Furnace coke, future delivery. Foundry coke, prompt shipment. Foundry coke, future delivery.. BILLETS, &c., Per Gross Ton: Bessemer billets, Pittsburgh.. Open-hearth billets, Pittsburgh. Forging billets, Pittsburgh Open hearth billets, Phila tiphia, Wire rods, Pittsburgh OLD MATERIAL, Per Gross Ton: Iron rails, Chicago Iron rails, Philadelphia Car wheels, Chicago Car wheels, Philadelphia Heavy steel scrap, Pittsburgh.. Heavy steel scrap, Chicago Heavy steel scrap, Philadelphia.. FINISHED IRON AND STEEL, Per Pound to Largest Buyges: Cents. Bessemer rails, heavy, at mill. 1.25 Iron bars, Philadelphia Iron bars, Pittsburgh Iron bars, Chicago Steel bars, Pittsburgh Steel bars, tidewater, New York Tank plates, Pittsburgh Tank plates, tidewater, New York Beams, Pittsburgh Beams, tidewater, New York.. Angles, Pittsburgh Angles, tidewater, New York.. Skelp, grooved steel, Pittsburgh Skelp, sheared steel, Pittsburgh SHEETS, NAILS AND WIRE: Per Pound to Largest Buyers: Cents. Cents. Cents. Sheets, black, No. 28, Pittsburgh 1.90 1.85 1.85 Wire nails Pittsburgh 1.55 1.50 1.55 Cut nails, Pittsburgh 1.50 1.45 1.50 Barb wire, galv., Pittsburgh.. 1.90 1.85 1.85 METALS, Per Pound: 14.50 12.00 ~ to 1.56 1.30 “a Ya te et gt we el ot ot at oy. De we wee CNR Ue Ue mH ttt a et at et et et at et bt ht pe bo eo me ee SDA ON R Ke Ure UAnOuMo ee ek et et et et et et et » Dew He wet t Mune Ge Oe tn AO Cents. 2.20 1.70 1.60 2.00 Cents. Cents. Cents. Cents. Lake copper, New York 13.75 13.37% 12.75 13.00 Electrolytic copper, New York.. es 13.12%4 12.62% 12.75 Spelter, St. Louis...... eb he os 6.25 6.55 6.45 5.75 Spelter, New York....... ated 6.40 6.70 6.60 5.85 Lead, St. i ‘ 4.37% 4.37% 4.15 4.35 Lead, New York....... biweces 4.45 4.45 4.25 4.50 45.50 43.15 38.55 Antimony, Hallett, New York.. 7.00 745 943 7.35 Tin plate, 100-Ib. box, New York $3.64 $3.64 $3.64 $3.84 *The average switching charge for delivery to foundries in the Chicago district is 50c. per ton. —_———_- opm Prices of Finished Iron and Steel f.o.b. Pittsburgh Freight rates from -Pittsburgh in carloads, per 100 Ib.: New York, 16c.; Philadelphia, 15¢.; Boston, 18c.; Buffalo, 11c.; Cleveland, 10c.; Cincinnati, 15c.; Indian- apolis, 17c.; Chicago, 18c.; St. Paul, 32c.; St. Louis, 22%c.; New Orleans, 30c.; Birmingham, Ala., 45c.; Pa- cific coast, 80c. on plates, structural shapes and sheets No. 11 and heavier; 85c. on sheets Nos. 12 to 16; 95c. on sheets No. 16 and lighter; 65c. on wrought pipe and boiler tubes. _ Plates.—Tank plates, 4 in. thick, 614 in. up to 100 in. wide, 1.15c., base, net cash, 30 days. Following are stipulations prescribed by manufacturers, with extras: Rectangular plates, tank steel or conformin standard specifications for structural steel date to manufacturers’ February 6, 1903, or equivalent, 4 in. thick and over on thinnest edge, 100 in. wide and under, down to but not including 6 in. wide, are base. Plates up to 72 in. wide, inclusive, ordered 10.2 lb. per square foot, are considered %-in. plates. Plates over 72 in. wide must be ordered % in, thick on edge, or not less than 11 Ib. per square foot, to take base price. Plates over 72 in. wide ordered less than 11 Ib. per square = down to the weight of 3-16-in. take the price of 3-16-in. Allowable overweight, whether plates are ordered to gauge or weight, to be governed by the standard specifications of the Associa- tion of American Steel Manufacturers. Extras. Cents per lb. Gauges under % in. to and including 3-16 in. on thin- nest edge Gauges under 3-16 in. to and including Gauges under No. 8 to and including Gauges under No. 9 to and including No. Gauges under No, 10 to and including No. Sketches (including all straight taper plates) 3 ft. and- RE i IR ab 5's dn tpehsoycc0cesp ctes boar races 10 Complete circles, 3 ft. in diameter and over.........+- “ BGMOr BAA GAMES BOC. oo ccctewctecccccsecensese ecvee “A. B. M. A.” and ordinary firebox steel.........cee. . Still bottom steel ‘ DERTURS. Stoel as acccccvccascccctcccresccccses peavects -40 Locomotive firebox steel Widths over 100 in. up Widths over 110 in. up Widths over 115 in. up Widths over 120 in. up inCluSive...cccecces ° Widths over 125 in. up incluSive.....eseee- Widths Over 130 it.ccsccccccccscvescccccscoccececcs 1.00 Cutting to lengths or diameters under 3 ft. to 2 ft., in- clusive Cutting to lengths or diameters under 2 ft. to 1 ft., in- clusive Cutting to lengths or diameters under 1 ft............ 1.55 No charge for cutting rectangular plates to lengths 3 ft. and over. ee i INCIUSIVE.cccccccecce ° inclusive....... ese 3 to 15 in.; channels, and angles, 3 to 6 in. on one or both legs, 1.15c. Other shapes and sizes are Structural Material.—I-beams, 3 to I5 1n., Y% in. and over, quoted as follows: Cents per Ib. ees POR “ES IMs oc cnc ceeneeccvceed sectens 1.20 to 1.25 ere ret ar rr 1.30 to 1.35 ABOISS. GPO GD. hs oc cwecvasesecegucsescecesens 1.20 to 1.25 Angles, 3 in. on one or both legs, less than % in. thick, plus full extras, as per steel bar card Sept. aero cabotacic bat ea Las eee 1.20 to 1.25 . > eg Ne errr ee ree ee 1.20 to 1.25 Zees, BD Bs BRE BDecccecewcdaccasessedcssveases 1.15 to 1.20 Angles, channels and tees, under 3 in., plus full extras as per steel bar card Sept. 1, 1909. 1.20 t Deck beams ae Dh ME. dc cw bine wads a 6d 0006 1.45 t RN BERL GOOB. 5 vnc pccdoscccce sees cneseses'on's 2.00 t Checkered and corrugated plates............++- 2.00 t Sheets.—Makers’ prices for mill shipments on sheets of U. S. Standard gauge, in carload and larger lots, on which jobbers charge the usual advances for small lots from store, are as follows: Blue Annealed Sheets. Cents per Ib. ME. nib sess xctewg apes esnesatseeieeees 1.30 to 1.35 eS TY Si A ee ee *..++1.40 to 1.45 BU Oe. PR a ere ey 1.45 to 1.50 PED A BO cna ukh ase stp eons veueeeneeueenw es 1.50 to 1.55 Sy | ee 1.60 to 1.65 Box Annealed Sheets, Cold Rolled. One Pass. - de | Ae pr ee ee 1.55 to 1.60 pre ee BBs» ds on's.06 0 Ae Lee Pe ND Bliss ceéanncee cess 1.65 to 1.70 GE Sh Bh seseesectecnenes 1.70 to 1.75 cE OS ek 64. to.o in Ws 1.75 to 1.80 } 1.80 to 1.85 eat Lb Gis a hewes sees an ave 1.85 to 1.90 jn wakes one bed pens se 6base 1.90 to 1.95 Pe Gitekiyhieetekenas sees 1.95 to 2.00 FU ae Raw ases eaves ee ea eee 2.05 to 2.10 Galvanized Sheets of Black Sheet Gauge. SPE ME MES Wa adc a's kgs sees vb baa kaye s 1.90 to 1.95 “ty RE See See ee Sp ee 2.00 to 2.05 YES, 16 OM 17 occ cc BRI2is » sith oiOs chassis 2.15 to 2.20 Se RE IE MT 2.30 to 2.35 Se ee eer re 2.40 to 2.45 it i bce Cec ahh eS Rak h wes wow we 2.60 to 2.65 vo. 7 SPP eTTORT TT LETT 2.75 to 2.80 OS See ere er eT err ey ere re ert ree 2.90 to 2.95 vo. 3 Rune Ra eee ose hae hss heaae test annwewed 3.00 to 3.05 OR Scar an obrb vos ose seek cubes o¥eabee ee ,»+++3.20 to 3.25 Three Pass. NNN ee ee HOOD Om ON UAMnOuMouwonw rrr ret oe ooooocoooco ore OOOO eD oomounouno All above rates on sheets are f.o.b. Pittsburgh, terms 30 days net, or 2 per cent. cash discount in 10 days from date of invoice, as also are the following base prices per square for painted and galvanized roofing sheets, with 2%4-in. corrugations. Corrugated Roofing Sheets, Per Square. Painted. Galvanized. Gauge. Painted. Galvanized. ee $2.30 23 a 3.45 2.45 3.65 2.50 4.00 2.60 4.30 3.00 5.65 3.10 6.45 December 14, I9II Wire Rods and Wire. —Bessemer, open-hearth and chain rods, $24:50. Fence wire, Nos. 0 to 9, per 100 Ib., terms 60 days, or 2 per cent. discount in 10 days, car-. load lots, to jobbers, annealed, $1.35; galvanized, $1.65. Carload lots, to retailers, annealed, $1.45; galvanized, $1.75. Galvanized barb wire to jobbers, $1.85; painted, $1.55. Wire nails, to jobbers, $1.55. . The following table gives the price to retail mer- chants on wire in less than carloads, including the ex- tras on Nos. 10 to 16, which are added to the base price: Fence Wire, Per 100 Lb, Nos. to 9 10 11 12&12% 13 14 15 16 Annealed .. oo. 50 $1.55 $1.60 $1.65 $1.75 $1.85 $1.95 $2.05 Galvanized.. 1.80 1.85 1.90 1.95 2.05 2.15 2:55 2.65 Whensiie Pipe.—The following are the jobbers’ car- load discounts on the Pittsburgh basing card on wrought pipe, in effect from December 1, IgI1: Butt Weld. Steel——, -———Iron—, Black, Galv. Black. Galv. Ee a ee re ree 74 54 68 48 Me ih a4 pal wb was baw acai pice 8% 75 65 69 59 Se Mi ki gate cha baewabe tales 78 68 72 62 Se Oe BU Wis awk ach eae nda 81 73 75 67 BOO FM es condensers coon? 82 75 76 69 Lap Weld. 1% and. B46 Wiis anxirnive cs es 68 61 RP ee ee 79 72 72 65 Bie BD Gas > 60548 S060 s'on3 8 81 74 74 67 Soe UG Tasks cckevnteiccace 80 72 73 65 F Bb) 38 Cbs ies caneetnesactn 78 68 71 61 RD Ss BE Pia how is cen bee cd en 55 - 47 e° Butt Weld, extra strong, plain ends, card weight. Se. Sh. Ue ic aCcatenve sae nes 70 60 65 55 MSc ch buck aes Wieck caer 75 69 70 64 56, OO 356 Wixawesechdviaio® 79 73 74 68 BOO FS Wie daiciicts ixumereves 80 74 75 69 Lap Weld, exjra strong, plain ends, card weight. 06 Gis sc cen en cn beans ances ; : 66 60 FW us onan onan crvataewene® 76 70 71 65 Bee: Oo SO. cal aes ts sade nse 78 72 73 67 OMe Oe .6 Wakidedss seateds v4% 77 71 72 66 F 9S Bin Wea tcaneosyaeerae 70 60 65 55 Stn OD ii nck so aa cnh panne 65 55 60 50 Butt Weld, double extra strong, plain ends, card weight. Me Wis cc tadie cs csumaaesgene 65 59 60 54 Be OD E56 Bias ss neous acsees 68 62 63 57 2. Wes Wiis csdseewivest 70 64 65 59 Lap Weld, double extra strong, plain ends, card weight. 2 Ds sc cesntieeeaa cease 66 60 61 55 2% to 4 im..cccccccceveeess 68 62 63 57 O06 46. 6 Bis vcsicusncenseen 67 61 62 56 7 te 8 tec icavsicaweecaante 60 50 55 45 Plugged and Reamed. Will be cold at we (2) oints lower basing igher 2, Oe ._? 3 in. _— wae een than merchants’ or OS) Bay 66 5a ap card weight pipe. Butt or lap weld as specified. The above discounts are for “card weight,” subject to the usual variation of 5 per cent. Prices for less than carloads are three (3) points lower basing (higher price) than the above discounts. Boiler Tubes.—Discounts on lap welded steel and charcoal iron boiler tubes to jobbers in carloads are as follows: Steel. Charcoal Iron, SOE Op BSG. Whites sccade's 65 196. Dba. ctorewndndaeasswewss 48 my Misses boveaVas bisa e <0 67% OE SO Wee Mi ccekenws ckuwae 50 ee) ae Pee ee Ne. | Mee Me da ts asc a khiseaig teat 55 Ob. WO SF hsacccscvavccces 2% to $ in De ueGiad can anee ws 60 S 06 6 IM. ccesecececcvsces 67% .« 2% in, and smaller, over 18 ft., 10 per cent. net extra. 2% in. and larger, over 22 ft., 10 per cent. net extra. Less than carloads will be sold at the delivered discounts for car- loads, lowered by two points for lengths 22 ft. and under to desti- nations east of the Mississippi River; lengths over 2