The Iron Age 1921-10-06: Vol 108 Iss 14

THE IRON AGE New York, October 6, 1921 FS ‘LISHED 1855 VOL. 108: No. 14 5 EEE ELEN New Interstate Mill Has Pack Cooling Bed Runout Table Also a Prominent Feature, All Rollers Having Individual Motor Drive and Those Next to Bed Are of Swiveled Cone Type BY GILBERT L. LACHER Q the Interstate Iron & Steel Co., Chicago, goes process from mill to shear. It is so designed that when b the credit of having placed in operation a pack cooling such material as spring flats, there is absolute cooling bed which is the first installation of its control of the time from the finishing rolls to the pack, kind in the industry. This innovation is a salient fea- of the size of the pack, the time in the pack, and of ture, at the company’s South Chicago works, in a new the time from the pack to the shear. Operation of the merchant rolling mill designed and built by the Morgan bed thus far indicates that it can handle alloy steels Construction Co., Worcester, Mass. In general, the of any commercial degree of hardness desired, and that fa; mill is similar in arrangement and mechanical details jt will deliver stock to the shear straight and at a tem- to the construction used in other Morgan mills, but the perature suitable for shearing. This is being done pack cooling bed and a number of other important devi- without sacrifice of output and without incurring un- } ations from previous design mark another forward ysual expense. step in the interests of maximum economy and quality About 300 ft. long, the bed is a combination of an in the rolling of both plain carbon and alloy steels. Edwards inclined gravity escapement bed and a hori- ’ - a Together with the hot runout table serving it, the zontal notched bed, and was designed especially for the i ved was provided for handling products, such as alloy slow cooling of alloy spring steels. The inclined por- ; steel, requiring special treatment during the cooling . tion of the bed is narrower than usual, as the horizon- es a / the WA i "A = _ ’ ie F i i Lp ; ts 1 Hi Designed for the Slow Cooling of Alloy Spring Steel Rods, the Hot Bed Is a Combination of a Narrow Inclined ‘pement Section and a Horizontal Notched Section. Between the two sections are jointed packing bars. Finished cumulated in bundles on the packing bars and by them transferred to the horizontal section, across which it by pack. This permits the annealing of material of small cross section, which would otherwise cool too rapidly 859 860 THE IRON AGE October 6, 192] tal portion provides the necessary space in which the cooling is completed. The principal innovation in design is to be found in a packing device introduced between the inclined and horizontal portions of the bed. This apparatus consists of a series of jointed bars actuated by two shafts. The packing arrangement permits the f annealing of material of small cross-section, such as spring steel, which would otherwise cool too fast. Some spring alloy steel, in fact, is of such analysis that it would not pass the required specifications for softness if cooled on an ordinary bed, unless it were annealed later. On this cooling bed, however, the annealing is au- tomatically done in process between the mill and the shear, this result being accomplished by accumulating quires packing, it advances the rolled product in bars, substantially like any of the other Morga ( chanical beds. Control of all the motors operating the const parts of the bed, as well as the rollers of the table, is concentrated in a switchboard attached side wall at a height of several feet above the the inclined rack. The motors operating the h tal carryover portion of the bed are capable ing 150,000 lb. of bars. The whole arrangement by which bars can be handled separately in notches, packs as desired, has been patented by the Morgan Con- struction Co. A Morgan No. 5-Q motor-driven shear handles ths product of the entire mill. The length of the knives is In the Foreground Are the Fifth and Sixth Roughing Stands, Grouped Close Together. The intermediate and finishing mill staggered “duo-type,” appear in the middle background, with the special pack cooling bed in the distance (upper right c¢ ls ywrne! of cut) the bars in the packing device and depositing them in packs in the first notch of the horizontal portion of the bed. The rolled bars may reach this point at varying degrees of temperature, depending upon the length of time they are allowed to take in passing over the in- clined portion of the bed. The principle of packing bars is not new, as it has been used before on hand-cooling beds, but mechanical packing as executed in this in- stallation is an innovation. The packing device extends the entire length of the bed, and will handle spring flats from 1% to 6 in. wide. When cooling flat rolled spring stock, the horizontal portion of the bed advances the packs by lifting and carrying them from notch to notch until, after leaving the last notch, they are discharged upon the shuffle bar assembling table, and are ready to go to the shear. When the cooling bed is not handling material that re- 30-in., the stroke is 3 in., and all parts of the shear under strain are of steel, including the frame, gears, clutches, knife holder, etc. The shear delivers the cut lengths to a 65-ft. back shear table, complete with gag bar and hand-traversed gage heads. An electrically: operated kickoff discharges the cut material into @ iy cradle, which is mounted on a scale platform, ha’ capacity of 60,000 Ib. The beam scale and platior® were furnished by Fairbanks, Morse & Co. From the scale the finished material is carr! Le overhead crane to a depressed loading track, located | n the opposite side of the building and running para’ with the cooling bed. The track is 300 ft. long, ohn insuring ample space for a supply of cars shi ment. A novel and interesting part of the cooling the hot runout table. Each of the 93 rollers is ed i- jivia- etober 6, 1921 out the Length of the Cooling Bed the Run-out IRON AGE Table Has Cone Rolls, Each Driven by a Variable Speed Motor and motor are swiveled By changing the is of the shaft connecting them, materia! is carried broadside across the face of the roll and lifted into the ially driven by its own motor, the motors being %-hp. capacity each, and using alternating current. Their speed can be varied from 370 to 210 r. p. m., with a range in frequency from 26 to 14 cycles. Brief details the drive of these rollers, as well as of the main rolls, will be given next week. From finishing mill to cooling bed the rollers in the table are of standard cylindrical type. Throughout the entire length of the cooling bed, however, cone rolls have been provided. Each cone roll and the motor oper- Py tl if = LETT | ey ue | iT Lan ry) hea first notch of the inclined cooling bed ating it is swiveled on a vertical arm. In normal posi- tion the cone rolls throw the bars against a guide. Thus, bars can be delivered from the finishing mill practically at butt ends, and when one bar is thrown against the guide, the succeeding one takes its place, and is like- wise diverted toward the guide. To deliver the rolled bars from the runout table to the escapement portion of the cooling bed, the direction of the integral axes of rotation of the rolls and motors is changed, so that the material is carried broadside First of the Six Roughing Stands Show Here, with the Last Four Grouped in Pairs, Thus Shortening the Runs and Permitting Better Control of Finishing Temperatures ry et) Da , RO A ef eead a TAT h a alice 4 Material May Pass from the Intermediate (14-In.) Mill to the In this view, the repeat« across the face of the rolls to the small end of the cones, where it is lifted off into the first notch of the bed. The rolls and motors are brought back to normal position by a spring return, The merchant mill itself is of the well-known Mor- gan combination of continuous and staggered duo-type. It contains six 16-in. continuous roughing stands, two 14-in. intermediate stands and four 12-in. finishing stands, the 14-in. and 12-in. stands being staggered. The six roughing stands are driven from a line shaft by gears from a constant speed three-phase, 60-cycle, a. ¢c. 1500-hp. Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co. induction motor, having a speed of 78 r. p.m. The last four of these six stands are tied together in pairs. This arrangement shortens the runs, with the result that better control of finishing temperature is possible. Temperature con- trol is important, particularly in rolling some alloy products, such as chrome spring steel. The finishing mills have capacity to roll rounds from % in. to 8 in. in diameter, equivalent sections of squares and ovals, and flats up to 6 in. wide. On the 14 in. mill, rounds from 1}? in. up to 3 in. in diameter, and squares and flats of equivalent weight per foot, may be finished. The construction of the finishing mill is two-high throughout, and the speeds of the various roll stands are proportional, to take up the growing length of the rolled bar. From the last stand of the roughing mill, material is carried by transfer to the first stand of the 14-in. mill, and thence by transfer to the last stand of the 14-in. mill. From the latter stand, material is carried to the first stand of the 12-in. mill, either by transfer or by repeater. The repeater is easily adjusted into position, and is generally used in handling material of small cross section, such as small rounds and squares. After steel has been carried through the first stand of the 12-in. mill, it is passed on to a special “Y” skew roll table which delivers it in proper position to the next pass. The remaining passes are connected with the same kind of tables, but of progressively greater length. When rolling light sections these tables are not em- ployed, but instead, the material is looped from stand October 6, 1921 mn cn se (12-In.) Finishing Mill Either by Transfer Table or by Repeater. +r was not adjusted for use to stand, for which purpose provision has been made in the table construction. At present, when material is finished in the 14-in. mill, it has to pass through the idle 12-in. stands, tak- ing the same course it would pursue if the 12-in. mill were being used, and passing on to the runout table for delivery to the cooling bed after leaving the last idle stand. In the future, however, it is planned to add an- other cooling bed parallel with the present one, to serve the 14-in. mill exclusively. This would permit of the delivery of material direct from the 14-in. mill to the bed. The new merchant mill is served by two Morgan Construction Co. gravity-charge continuous heating fur- naces, with hearths 13 x 34 ft., and fired by gas from two Morgan 10-ft. producers. Heated billets from the furnaces are carried by a billet conveyor to a motor- driven dividing shear, capable of shearing up to © x 6 in. hot. From the shear, billets are conveyed to the first stand of the 16-in. roughing mill. Adjacent to the furnaces is a billet storage yard, with a capacity of 15,000 tons, which is served by a 10-ton Morgan Engi- neering Co. traveling magnet crane. On the other side of the main building containing the furnaces is a leanto, in which are located the gas producers, a cracked coal pit, the Link-Belt Co. coa! crusher, and pits for uncrushed coal, ash and scale This department is served by a 10-ton Morgan Eng!- neering Co. bucket crane, which elevates coal from the coal pit to the crusher, and from the crusher to the top of the gas house, and also loads ashes and mill scale. Coal for producer use is dropped direct from railroad cars through a trestle into the uncrushed coa pit. Adjacent to this coal pit is the concrete scale p%, into which the mill sewers are drained. The scale ' dug out of the pit and loaded into cars by the overhead erane. The installation of the scale pit in a separate building is a departure from the usual practice, * ordinarily mill scale is handled in the main buildi g The main mill structure is 105 x 900 ft., with co” () per 6, 1921 sundation, brick and concrete trim and continu- in the side walls. The roof is of the Pond Three walks hung under the monitor, extending le length of the building, are used for operating lows and cleaning the glass; these walks are by a stairway at each end. The roof is of tile ed by the Federal Cement Tile Co., Hammond, [he building has two Morgan Engineering Co. verhead traveling cranes. Water is supplied by a new pump house, containing {000,000 gal. per 24 hr. centrifugal pumps, con- d by the A. S. Cameron Steam Pump Works, Each pump is driven by a 125-hp. a. c. motor. THE IRON AGE 863 40-ton furnaces, two four-hole soaking pits and a 35-in. blooming and billet mill, with an annual capacity of 55,000 tons of ingots and 50,000 tons of small billets. Since that time the two original open-hearth fur- naces have been increased in capacity to 60 tons each, and four additional 75-ton furnaces have been con- structed, two of them just recently. The two original four-hole soaking pits have been supplemented by three other four-hole pits, making a total of five pits and 20 holes. The building is equipped with one modern strip- per crane; a 7%-ton stiff-legged Morgan Engineering Co. charging and drawing crane has recently been added. The annual capacity of the steel works is now A np of similar capacity and design, but connected 959,000 tons of ingots. , d. c. motor, is held in reserve for use in case of Other. new equipment includes an ingot chariot or ‘ruption in alternating current. Water is drawn car, used to deliver ingots from the pits to the blooming . the Calumet River, and power-driven revolving il] approach table, either butt first or top first. The m furnished by the Chain Belt Co., Milwaukee, ‘ar, which is of unique construction, was designed by iy floating debris from entering the pipes. Float- the Interstate Iron & Steel Co. and built by the Mor- on the line is a 100-ft. standpipe of 250,000 gal. gan Engineering Co. It is similar to a roller table, ity. It is estimated that water from the stand- having five 12-in. diameter rollers, mounted on a steel ; ll carry for 45 min. the heating furnaces, open- frame carried on six steel wheels running on a 3-ft. ' furnaces and other equipment in which the water gage track. Both the rollers and the car wheels are ; i supply must not be interrupted. During that time the driven through gears and a clutch by one reversing . E ) operated by d. ¢. motor can be put into operation, motor equipped with a brake. The rollers are operated fe nsuring a continuous water supply. in either direction, through the clutch, engaged by a ; s expected that the new merchant mill will have golenoid and disengaged by a spring, which then en- pacity, when running full, of upwards of 120,000 gages the clutch with the car wheels and vice-versa. carbon and alloy steel bars per year. Billets The ingot cannot be rolled from the car until it is in rolling are furnished by the adjoining blooming which constitutes a part of the original works pur- by the Interstate company in December, 1916, it took over all of the properties of the Grand Crossing Tack Co. At that time the South Chicago consisted of two Wellman stationary open-hearth Le in, Stands Are Special “Y" Skew Roll Tables. The skew rolls (one shows in foreground) deflect material BES ’ he table from which it will be carried dir ectly into the next stand. The insert shows the triangular *S In the skew roll tables, which give them the “Y” shape, and which were not in use when the lower view eS was taken 1 ee aentet es a = 864 THE IRON AGE position, bumped against the blooming mill approach tables, where the solenoid operating the clutch is per- mitted to function, being in contact at this one point only. A feature of the Interstate works is the thorough- going manner in which it takes care of the inspection of alloy steel billets, preparatory to rolling into bars. A separate building, 85 x 700 ft., is devoted to this work. Billets are first put through a pickling bath, from which they are carried to the inspection and chip- ping floor by overhead cranes. There are three pickling vats, each 5 ft. wide, 20 ft. long, and 4 ft. deep. These are equipped with hinged counterbalanced covers, and Wall Set for Distilling Water An improved evaporator wall set to supply small quantities of distilled water is being marketed by the Griscom-Russel Co., 90 West Street, New York. It has a capac- ity of from 15 to 30 gal. per hr. depending on the steam pressure available. The set consists of an evap- orator containing coils of brass tubing and to which steam is sup- plied. The vapor from the evap- orator passes to a distiller and is condensed in the coils of that unit by circulating water which flows through the shell. If the distilled water is to be used for drinking it is passed through an aerating filter, but if for laboratory or manufacturing processes, the filter is omitted. The evaporator and distiller units are of the Reilly coil con- struction. The set mounted com- plete on an angle iron frame with the piping, as shown in the illus- tration, ready for steam and water For Drinking Water connections to be made to it, meas- sa oes * tiem IS ures 7 ft. high by 2 ft. 4 in. wide. Southern Ohio Pig Iron and Coke Association The fourth annual meeting of the Southern Ohio Pig Iron and Coke Association was held at Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 28. The principal business was the election of officers for the coming year and an in teresting report from the traffic committee on railroad freight rates and their relation to the costs of pro- duction of pig iron and coke in the southern Ohio dis- trict. The association members were the guests of the American Rolling Mill Co. during their stay in Columbus. The officers elected for the coming year are as follows: President, Ralph H. Sweetser, American Rolling Mill Co., Columbus, Ohio; first vice-president, Charles R. Peebles, Ashland Iron & Mining Co., Ash- land, Ky.; second vice-president, W. N. Jeffries, Hang- ing Rock Iron Co., Hanging Rock, Ohio; third vice- president, L. D. Heustis, Portsmouth Solvay Coke Co., Portsmouth, Ohio; fourth vice-president, Morris M. Wheldon, Wellston Iron Furnace Co., Wellston, Ohio; fifth vice-president, Joseph F. Savage, Hamilton Fur- nace Co., Hamilton, Ohio; secretary and treasurer, F. P. Colville, Eaton, Rhodes & Co., Ashland, Ky. The first session was held in the Columbus Athletic Club where the members and guests were entertained by the American Rolling Mill Co., and after routine matters were disposed of, the session was devoted to a discussion of the report of the traffic committee pre- sented by J. L. Roney, traffic manager for the Ameri- ean Rolling Mill Co. Mr. Roney’s report included some data recently compiled by his company with reference to its sheet making department. The figures disclosed October 6, 192) with ducts which draw off the fumes and discharg, them outside the building. Every billet handled is carefully examined o sides by inspectors, who chalk-mark seams, laminations and such other structural defects as are incident to the hot rolling of alloy steel. As many as 200 pneu hammers are at work at one time, the air being fy,- nished by three direct-connected Ingersoll-Rand air com. pressors of 1322 cu. ft. capacity. Twelve swingfra grinding machines are used to remove defects froy steel too hard to chip. Two overhead electric traveling cranes of 80-ft. span and 10-ton capacity handle billet: both to and from the chippers and the grinders. all that the increase in the cost of production of sheets due solely to the higher railroad rates, was 104 p. cent above the cost of 1914. The report also suggested that the association ask every member to compile « parative freight cost data for the present year and the year 1914, as well as labor cost reductions at fu nace and ovens, this information to be placed hands of the railroad executives and the Intersta Commerce Commission. At the evening session, w) was held at the Columbus Country Club, where th members were also guests of the American Rolling Mill Co., a plan was suggested that two classes of the present 62 members be created; active members include those members identified with the actual pro duction of coke and pig iron, and associate members, including those residing outside the immediate terri- tory from which the members of the association are drawn. Portable Electric Drill The Electro-Magnetic Tool Co., 2902 Carroll Ave- nue, Chicago, has placed on the market a new %-in. drill, designed to meet the demand for a low-priced A Series-Wound, Universal Type Motor Is Used well-made tool which will fill the requirements of th garage, service station, small machine shop, construc tion or installation gang. The drill is offered at : price of about one-half of the company’s standard |in and, in fact, of most high-grade drills of this capac!t) A simple and rugged stand makes the tool into a ar press and doubles its usefulness. The drill itself has a series-wound, universal ty? motor, with large mica insulated commutator, squat brushes with pig tails and an aluminum ventilating fan. The gears are of high quality steel, hardenec and ground, and are removable. The spindle shaft is equipped with ball thrust and is made of stee! hard- ened and ground. The bearings are Cramp spec bearing bronze. A positive standard make switch g'v°s control of the tool, and all connections are made in the switch box, the cover of which is removable and allows for reconnection or changing lead cords without ope” ing the tool. The commutator may be inspected 4°¢ the brushes removed by taking off a cover plate. Are Iron and Steel Prices Out of Line? American Rolling Mill Co. Makes Statement of Cost of Manufacturing Sheets in 1914 and 1921—Quotes Statement of President Grace RE Iron and Steel Prices Out of Line?” is the title of a pamphlet which has just been issued 4 by the American Rolling Mill Co., Middle- Ohio. It reads as follows: “During the last nine months there have been dras- reductions in the prices of iron and steel. In spite these reductions, it seems to be the general impres- that the price of sheets is still high and has not a drop in proportion to other commodities. Such mpression is incorrect. The base price of steel wk sheets to-day, when compared to actual cost of luction, is a great deal lower than it was during 1913 and 1914. “The three principal factors governing the cost of and steel are the cost of raw materials (including fuel), of transportation and of labor. Raw material and transportation costs are entirely beyond the con- ‘ol of the manufacturer. “Only in the item of labor can the manufacturer e influential in reducing costs, and reductions in labor rates must necessarily be slow. To-day wages and salaries in the steel industry have been liquidated fur- ther than in any other industry. “A very recent analysis of cost figures brings forth Prices and Manufacturing Costs of a Net Ton of Sheets—1914 Compared with 1921 1914 1921 at x price of sheets per net ton $40.00 $60.00 a re ee ae ee ee ee ‘ $20.00 {nalysis of Costs as of August 31, 1921 Increase Increase per per Net Ton of Ton of 1914 1921 Materials Sheets on per gross ton $12.89 $20.00 r ht ‘ omen 1.00 2.10 M tax an .00 .06 Tota $13.89 $22.16 $8.27 $5.79 scrap per 2 ; ton a $6.88 $6.71 erent ‘ ; 1.90 3.92 \ tax ; 00 12 $8.78 $10.75 1.97 50 ne per net ton §$ .15 $ .20 al a 1.00 2.00 x : ; .00 .06 $1.15 $2.26 1.11 g et ton $ .93 $2.50 1.15 2.24 Ee tee vane we 00 07 tal os See $4.81 973 5.31 ed labor cost per net ton of sheets, 1914 to 1921 10.07 DG COUN iis ck cckce sowie ees 2. $22.05 nr ige and hourly labor only. No salary costs included ‘ote that this total covers only the principal items of Hundreds of other items would have to be included to mplete analysis ratner startling information which we believe will be f nterest to everyone using and dealing in iron and sheets. The table accompanying this bulletin Ws graphically the increases in the cost of the most ‘tant items entering into the manufacture of a . of sheets. “Be sides the items shown in the table, there are portionate increases in the cost of refractories, x, lumber and the hundreds of other materials of ‘enance necessary for the operation of a steel Furthermore, taxes and other overhead charges van er now than they were during 1913 and 1914. ‘hen manufacturing costs are considered, it is evident, from the figures given herein, that sheets at $3 per 100 lb. base are much lower in price ©y were in 1913 and 1914 when the low price of 100 lb. was reached. int “Uda @9 an tr “The prices of Armco ingot iron black and galva- nized sheets and special grades of steel sheets, such as automobile body steel, furniture steel, etc., are based upon the price of steel black sheets. The price differ- entials for these grades are more or less standard and have varied little during the last several years. Manu- facturing costs for producing these special grades have also increased and so, when compared with pre-war prices, to-day’s prices for all grades of sheets are not only lower than in 1914 but very, very much lower. The following is quoted from a brief presented to the Senate Finance Committee, on Aug. 25, 1921, by W. H. Abbott, vice-president Wheeling Steel Corpora- tion, in behalf of the independent manufacturers of sheet steel: “Directly and indirectly, not less than 80 per cent of the total cost of producing steel sheets in this country, is in the’ item of labor. The increase in cost per ton between 1912 and the first quarter of 1921 is shown by the following schedule: Actual Average Blue Cost of Labor Producing Common Black and innealed Steel Sheets per Net Ton First Year, 1912 Quarter, 1921 Producing labor , a $13.28 $22.86 Labor repairs and maintenance 43 1.20 Total $13.71 $24.06 A difference of $10.35—equaling an increase in labor costs over 1912 of 72 per cent.” “The 1914-1921 increase of $10.07 in the labor cost of a net ton of sheets, shown in the above analysis of cost table, checks very closely the $10.35 increase in cost from 1912 to the first quarter of 1921 shown in Mr. Abbott’s brief:” Effect of Freight Rates on the Cost of Steel “Mr. Grace, president Bethlehem Steel Co., has made a statement explaining that if allowance is made for the increase in costs due to railroad charges, steel products are now lower than before the war. In an- nouncing new and lower prices for steel products going into effect on July 5, last, Mr. Grace said: freight cost of The increase in rates has been the largest factor manufacturing products be- making of a ton of finished involves the transportation of more than five tons of raw materials. The in increasing the steel cause the steel factors next in cost labor price for structural schedule of prices, 2 cents a pound or $44.80 ton, the with reflecting importance are materials and Taking as an under the new example the shapes, a gross comparison pre-war prices, concretely the three more important cost factors is as follows lst The increase over pre-war cost in transportation on ore, coal, limestone, scrap and miscellaneous supplies amounts to $7.85 per ton of finished steel 2nd: The increase in the refractories, limestone miscellaneous supplies at point of shipment amounts to $7.10 per ton of finished steel. 3rd: ‘The wage cost of lubricants and coal, ore, 7) aliovs increase in the cost of labor under the present scale, as with pre-war wages in the 64 per ton of finished steel These items account for an over pre-war costs of $20.5 compared steel plant proper, is $5 increase in present day costs 9 per ton of finished product. The new price of $44.80 for structural steel is equivalent to a pre- war price of $24.21 per ton, or 1.08 cents per pound. Statistics covering the last twenty years show that in only one month 1914) has structural been sold as low as this figure The pre-war average (1904-1913) was 1.51 cents per pound. The figures I have used are the result of actual compila- tion company's comptroller in the every-day ( December, (1.08 cents) ten-year made by the conduct of the business “Structural steel vorably as to costs. sheet-bar. and sheet-bars compare very fa- Sheet manufacture starts with the Considerable labor is required in converting 865 866 sheet-bars into sheets and the greater part of this addi- tional labor is highly skilled, requiring high wages. “Transportation and fuel costs must be very mate- rially reduced if the present prices of iron and steel sheets are to be maintained.” Karnings of Workers in Different Industries—Earnings in J te, 1921 wn Comparison with Highest Wages Received Hig st Earnings Percentage Pay be rd in June Decrease Period Earnings 192] from Peak Iron and stes lf, mo ES0.05 $43.90 45.1 Auto manufacturing week 56.69 52.48 18.7 Car building and repair ro L, mo 16.98 66.31 13.8 Cotton manufactur- ing : week : 71 17.56 Cotton finishing week (.33 22.40 Ls.1 Hosiery and under wear we 1.71 H.O% +1 Woolen goods week 26.81 5.40 ‘ Silks . 2 weeks is i4 l Men’s clothing weel 71 1.09 l Leather ws week 7.80 05 ] Boots and shoes week Z O% 23.00 6.9 Paper making week 30.38 24.53 19.2 Cigar manufacturing week 22.89 19.47 14.9 (The above taken from a Department of Commerce bul- letin.) Comparison of Percentages of Wage Reductions in Various Industri Sheet mills* 38.6 per cent Railroads bits 12 percent Street cars ‘ 10 tol2 percent Ruilding trades 12.5 to 25 percent Coal mining 00 percent Metal manufacturing industry 17.5 per cent Glass workers . 12.5to15 percent *Taking into consideration September settlement Belgian Pig Iron and Steel Production Pig iron production in Belgium during the first seven months of 1921 shows a steady decline from 112,- 330 metric tons produced in January to 45,330 metric tons in July. In January, 26 blast furnaces were in operation, and on July 21 the number had fallen to 14. The average number of furnaces in blast per month in 1913 was 54, monthly production of 207,058 tons. averaging a I ces i TY Operation Tor Hainaut, J ‘ 1.400 Liege, Ju 16.340 tl Ji 7 0 Tot July 14 { 0 Jur 1 ¢ 1 May 21 75,490 April ) 96.9230 Marc! 24 106.360 Februar G 105.3 January G 112.230 Monthly Averagt 19°09 X ' Ps 1919 881 1913 54 07.058 Prod Wu I Rolling Mills Ss W | Iron Work Finished Finished Output Casting Material Material Hainaut, July 1 Th 090 19.94 8 720 Liewe Jul an Other Jul 1 ( 61 5E0 Total, Ji 1,190 10¢ 8 920 0.590 June 19.930 S50 62.100 12.410 May 7.950 R20 64 920 11.270 Apri 103,140 7,270 1,940 1 0 Marct 91,24( 6.630 ) 42,) 10.960 February ( ( 6.400 ( "at 1 "1 January 114,360 6,590 3.280 18.230 Vv thly Average 1920 1 366 060 4.311 187 1919 6.8 Qs 85] 41 19 ear ys 154 154.9 ‘ The program of the twenty-eighth annual conven- tion of the National Implement and Vehicle Associa- tion, to be held at the Congress Hotel, Chicago, Oct. 12 to 14, inclusive, includes speakers of national promi- nence, among them: Hon. Henry C. Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture; Hon. Herbert Hoover, Secretary of Hon. W. P. G. Harding, Governor Federal! Reserve Board; Gen. W. W. Atterbury, vice-president Pennsylvania Railroad; and William H. Barr, president National Founders’ Association. Commerce: THE IRON AGE October 6, 192] CENTRAL STEEL ’CO. FORMED Merger of Three Massillon Companies pleted—Details as to Products Steel mill properties with combined assets es in excess of $20,000,000 have been brought in the merger announced by THE IRON AGE of A of the Central Steel Co., the National Pressed Si and the Massillon Rolling Mill Co., all of Ma Ohio. The new corporation, it is announced, ta! name of the Central Steel Co. and the following have been elected: Chairman of the board of di and president, R. E. Bebb; first vice-president Griffiths; second vice-president, C. C. Chase: vice-president, H. M. Naugle; secretary and trea C. E. Stuart. The reorganized company has outstanding 300,00 shares of no par common stock and $10,000,000 of p; ferred stock. The merger of the three companies g the Central Steel Co. into prominent position amon; the large steel producing corporations of the count with complete modern equipment and facilities for pr ducing all kinds of commercial alloy steels, hot ar cold-rolled sheets, hot-rolled strip steel and light stru tural steel sections in a combined annual 450,000 to 475,000 tons of finished material. The Central Steel Co. brought to the merge: open-hearth furnaces of 65 to 75 tons capacity, 34 blooming mill, 24-in., 18-in. and 12-in. finishing m 24-in. sheet bar mill, cold-drawing and heat-treati departments and a record of being the largest pr ducer of strictly alloy steels in United States. The Central company annual product runs from 300,000 to 325,000 tons. The National Pressed Steel Co., which will functio: in the future as a division of the Central Steel Co., is a producer of hot-rolled strips and plates and finished structural steel joist sections with a present capacit of approximately 100,000 tons annually. Equipment is all modern and includes slab furnaces, annealing furnaces, complete pickling and finishing facilities electro-driven hot-rolling mill with gage range fr No. 15 to 1 in., widths up to 24 in. and lengths up t 130 ft., cold-forming steel lumber section mills, el tric welders and other equipment for furnishing st lumber finished and painted ready for use. The Massillon Rolling Mill Co., which also wil operated as a division of the Central Steel Co., bring to the merger 12 hot sheet mills, 16 cold sheet m 18 annealing furnaces and complete equipment an facilities for turning out a complete line of sheet ste Several new buildings and new machinery were r* cently added to this property, most of which was put in operation last March. The plant as it is operat ing produces approximately 50,000 tons of sheet prod ucts annually and the arrangement is such that al! increase of 50 per cent in production can be achieve without additional buildings or power equipment. ; Phi Massillon Rolling Mill plant was designed and fur tions especially as a producer of sheets for the a motive industry, though sheets are also produced metal furniture, enamelware, and the general shee trade. The gage range is 11 to 30, widths up to 45 and lengths up to 120 in. output on the lighter gages. \' plete facilities are available for pickling, ann cold rolling and all sorts of finishes. All trades and industries have been asked to ‘ operate in the “Perfect Package Movement + augurated by the railroads, steamship lines 1 ey press companies in the United States and Canada, November, which has been designated as “Pe?! Package Month.” The purpose of the move to stimulate further public interest in good packing ' shipments and to enable the carriers to Impro\ transportation service of the country. During N ber, an examination of all shipments sent by or express, will be conducted, to obtain int as to the best shipping methods carried 0! various trades and industries. Maladjustments in the Industrial World Economic Law Not Suspended by the War—No Time for Any Group to Assert Itself Selfishly—Problem of Unemployment Considered by a Keen Observer BY WALTER DREW TTVHE war left industry in a condition of inflation, chaos and maladjustment. The Government ceased to be paymaster, abdicated responsibility, | turned the jumbled mass back to private manage- to straighten out. The Government under war- necessity discarded all economic considerations to re immediate results and taxed the people to pay bill. Private industry must now make good war- loss and pay wartime obligations, but in doing j eannot,. like the Government, ignore economic iws. It must produce for these purposes, but its pro- tion must also conform to recognized and established principles. The private employer must produce at a price which will enable his goods to find a market. Economic law was not suspended during the war. kept on working. It is working now, and it is the ne law that cannot be repealed or modified. The sooner rivate industry, therefore, is able to conform itself to e essential requirements of economic law, the sooner will be in a position to take up and bear the heavy irden laid upon it. Our law-makers should learn first f all that they cannot repeal or change these essentials { that any measures they may adopt contrary to them will only retard and delay the nation’s return to a healthy basis. All in the Same Boat This is no time for group or class interest to assert tself selfishly. We are all in the same boat and no separate interest can gain any advantage over others this time without injuring itself. One of the first nost important matters to be corrected is the mal- istment of different branches of industry. The rmer and some other groups have already gotten iown to nearly the pre-war level of production and The farmer, getting only 13 per cent more for products than before the war, cannot buy the prod- ts of an industry priced at 100 or 200 per cent more pre-war prices. This is one example of the result maladjustment. The farmer ordinarily is the na- 's greatest buyer. His demand for the products of industries and for the services of labor to make products will remain at a standstill until those tries have come into line with him in the matter lidating costs and prices. \nother instance of maladjustment is the railroads. they are getting a high return for service, they eft with a legacy of wartime expenses for both ils and wages which have kept them'in the pov- iss According to estimates made prior to 1914, railroads in normal times use directly and _ in- 10 to 50 per cent of the iron and steel products ountry. Now they can only live from hand to ind the workers who would ordinarily be mak- ngs for the railroads to use are idle because of of railroad buying power. Also, until the ex- of the railroads are much more greatly reduced, rates of practically prohibitive amounts must ied in force, laying a burden upon all produc- istry and most of all upon the farmer who can +1, e least instance of maladjustment is the coal situ- ider agreements which do not expire until ng of 1922, a wage cost for coal is entailed eeps the price of that universal essential in pro- and transportation at an excessive and un- er Nat . , . Vational Erectors’ Association reasonable figure. This high cost of coal, like high freight rates, is a great burden upon production, pre venting the manufacturer from reducing his costs to a level that will move his goods and, of course, preventing him also from giving employment to workmen. Employer Not Real Wage Payer The first great fact in employment is that it is not the employer who is the real wage payer. It is the consuming public which hires the worker and pays him for his services. But there are forty-five million wage earners in the country, and when to this number their families and dependents are added, it is evident that workers themselves constitute a very large majority of the consuming public. In other words, it is the worker who pays the wages of other workers to make things for his use. The employer is a mere middleman between the buying public and the worker. He is a salesman, as it were, of the worker’s services and he cannot sell that service any more than he can any other commodity if the public refuses to buy at the price de- manded. It is not in the option of the employer to give employment. It is his function only to interpret so far as he can the public demand for materials and service and to undertake to supply that demand, pay- ing the penalty if his guess does not prove right. Labor Cost Another vital fact is that labor cost constitutes the great bulk (according to some economists as high as 85 or 90 per cent) of the cost of the finished product in its progress from the raw state to the final consumer. The lesson of this is clear. There can be no general liquidation of costs and a return to a normal basis, and there can be no correction of the maladjustments be- tween the different branches of industry, until labor cost has been generally liquidated, not in one but in all fields of industry. So long as this is not done, there will be abnormal and unequal conditions remaining, which to the extent to which they exist, will retard the return to a normal basis. In building, for example, the workers insist that so long as building materials re main high building labor should not be reduced, yet the chief cost of making, handling and transporting build ing materials is labor cost. We have several years of back construction to make up. Mr. Hoover estimates a million and a half homes are needed, and probably seven to ten billions of dollars await investment in building when those who build or who loan money for building can be assured that the investment will be upon a basis where it will not show a future loss. All of these conditions—on the railroads, in the mine fields, in the building situation and others—are artificial and are therefore possible of correction. They cannot be corrected, however, if individual groups are going to assert their selfish interests to the detriment of the common good. Unless there is unselfish, common and united action, we will have to await the slow but inevitable workings of economic law, paying a bitter and unnecessarily high price for our lack of collective intelligence and regard for the common welfare. This is no time for petty politics. If the party in power does not see and act upon the necessity for a broad, statesmanlike view of the situation, it will most surely be held to account. Its one hope of continuance in power is to recognize in the largest possible way its responsibility for action in the nation’s interest and in accordance with fundamental economic principles. Above all, management, to which has been shifted since the war the responsibility of bringing order out of chaos under most adverse conditions, must be permitted 867 osetia gene tment ~ =) sents Bie Newer amare 8 a. ~ ine! ad ee opr os ea hae sags dinanek, 3 868 THE IRON to function without undue limitation or unfair attack. Aside from tax and revenue legislation, which will help and not cripple industry, there is one field especially where wise legislation can be of great and immediate benefit, and that is in connection with the railroads. If this great basic industry, whose service is essential to all other industry, can be permitted to function on a basis of efficiency with proper freedom and proper re- sponsibility on the part of railway management, a low- ering of freight rates and renewal of railroad buying may be confidently looked for. Business men and the public generally are no longer sympathetic with unjust attacks upon the roads. Their sins were in the past TAX REVISION BILL Important Provision of the Measure as Reported By Senate Committee on Finance WASHINGTON, Oct. 3.—The tax revision bill of the Senate Committee on Finance, which, according to the majority report, will raise $3,324,000,000 in revenue for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1922, takes into account an anticipated shrinkage of more than $1,000,- 000,000 in income and excess profits taxes. The sum it is estimated will be raised is $136,000,000 less than experts of the Treasury have figured would be _ re- turned this fiscal year under the present law, but ex- ceeds by $84,000,000 the revised total under the House bill. Efforts are to be made to pass the bill in the Senate within two or three weeks, but because of oppo- sition it is a matter of speculation as to how much success the supporters of the measure may have in bringing about its enactment as quickly as they hope. The measure was taken up in the Senate yesterday for consideration. As pointed out by the majority report, the most important changes recommended by the Senate com- mittee from the standpoint of revenue are: The repeal of the excess profits tax, which would reduce the revenue about $400.000,000 annually; the repeal of the surtaxes in excess of 32 per cent, involving an immediate loss of from $80,000,000 to $90,000,000 a year; the repeal of the capital stock tax, involving an annual loss of about $75,000,000; the reduction of the transportation taxes by one- half on Jan. 1, 1922, and their final repeal as of Dec. 31, 1922, involving a reduction of $131,000,000 during the calen dar year of 1922, and an eventual loss of $262,000,000 per vear; and the adoption of an additional income tax upon corporations of 5 per cent, which would increase the revenue about $269.000.000 annually Reasons for repeal of the excess profits tax, in the opin- ion of the committee, have been set forth so completely from time to time that “the time for discussion is past and the time to repeal the tax has arrived.” With regard to the surtaxes, the report says: “Your committee recommends a_ reduction of the maximum surtax from 65 per cent to 32 per cent in the belief that in the near future the lower surtax will, by stimulating sales and profit taking, and by making possible transactions now blocked by excessive surtax rates, not only facilitate needed business readjustments, but actually increase the revenue. In the long run, in the opinion of your committee, the 32 per cent rate will yield more revenue than the 65 per cent rate.” This Year’s Returns The report estimates returns this fiscal year from income and profits taxes at $1,880,000,000 as against approximately $3.000,000,000 of actual collections in the fiscal year ended last June 30. It is declared in the report that the committee has acted on the assumption that, with the exception of the special railroad expenditures, which will be nearly if not wholly completed in the fiscal year 1922, the aggregate expenditure for the fiscal year 1923 will be substantially as large as in the fiscal year 1922. The special railroad expenditures included in the 1922 budget amount, in round figures, to $500,000,000; and the receipts from customs and_ miscellaneous sources for the fiscal year 1922 are estimated at $730,- 000,000. Deducting both amounts ($1,230,000,000) October 6, 1921 AGE and have been more than atoned for. Now it is time to free them to the extent that they may render ‘\)| service to the country and their securities again be : foundation stone of our financial system. Emergency measures in the way of public expe: tures to relieve present unemployment should not scure the real situation. In some ways such measures while just and necessary add to the problem, for nation’s productive industry is called upon to bear directly the cost of labor when the demand for market able products is not such as to enable it to employ such labor directly. England has shown us that such a course cannot be continued indefinitely. from the total estimated expenditures of 1922 ($4,034 000,000) leaves in round figures $2,800,000,000 to bx supplied by internal taxes for the fiscal year 1923. “The revenue bill as recommended by your comn tee,” says the report, “will raise during 1923, it is « mated, $2,735,000,000. The difference or deficit of $¢ 000,000—about equal to the corresponding surplus fo the fiscal year 1922—can and should be avoided, b) saving and economies. Your committee deliberately recommends a tax program to meet ordinary expendi- tures on the present scale, and assumes that a reaso! able measure of retrenchment and reductions will be: accomplished.” To Relieve the Taxpayer There is an amendment in section 250 of part 4 of the administrative provisions which is intended to r lieve the taxpayer in case of additional assessments made without complete knowledge of all taxes in the case. The new provision, as proposed by the Senate Finance Committee, would extend the time for the pay- ment of deficiencies to 18 months from the passage of the Revenue Act. This change is of vital importance to the steel industry and other branches of trade affected by the decision in the LaBelle Iron Works case. Paragraaph “F” of section 250 makes this provision and authorizes the Commission of Internal Revenue to require taxpayers to furnish a bond with sufficient sureties conditioned upon the payment of deficiencies, in accordance with the terms of extension granted. It is provided that in lieu of other interests provided by) law as a part of such deficiencies, the rate of interest on these sums shall be 2/3 of 1 per cent per month from the time the extension is granted, except wher such other interest provided by law is interest in excess of the rate of 2/3 of 1 per cent. If the deficiency or any part of it is not paid in accordance with the terms of the extension, the Treasury would be author- ized to add, in lieu of other interests and penalties pro- vided by law, the sum of 5 per cent of the deficiency and interest on the deficiency at the rate of 1 per cent per month from the time it becomes payable, in accord- ance with the terms of the extension. These provisions were drafted to prevent undue hardship to lumber men and others who are obliged to pay back taxes, in accord- ance with the Supreme Court decision in the LaBell: case. Decline of Iron and Steel Shipments WASHINGTON, Oct. 4.—Decline in the transportation movements of iron and steel articles in the United States for the second quarter, ended June 30 of the current year, is sharply reflected when compared with the movement for the same quarter of last year. The summary of freight commodity statistics Class 1 roads, just issued by the Interstate Commerce ot Commission, makes the following comparison in net tons possible: Second Quarter Ending June 30,1921 June 30, l¥- Pig tfOm OMG DIOOME...cccccccscer 1,156,458 3 833 953 Rails and fastenings............ 677,702 _ 681.4 L Bars, sheets. structural and pipe. 2,906,459 6,435 4. Other metals, pig, bar and sheet. . 488,848 L,203, oe Castings, machinery and boilers... 1,093,372 2,489,560 The estimated average weekly wage in Connecticut is $26.30, as compared with $32.70 a year ago. Octob