Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1885 — IRON AND STEEL. [ARTICLE]

IRON AND STEEL.

The Trade In These Metals Looking Up. [Philadelphia telegram.] A general improvement has overtaken the iron trade of the East, and is showing itself at present in an active demand for nails an improved demand for bars, and an active demand for bridgo and plate iron. Nails have advanced to $2.15, and will likely advance to $2.20 or $2.25 within ten days, owing to the fact that there are no stooks to fall back on, and all the factories have been curtailing. Bars are SI.BO, and and inquiries are arriving .showing that a gsod deal of business is to be done. Beams and channels have been reduced from 3J cents to 3 cents, and negotiations are pending for 3,000 or 4,000 tons of material, for which inquiry has been hanging on tbe market for some time. It is probable that the next large sales of steel rails will bo made on a basis of $27, or possibly less. Small sales are made at S2B and $28.50. Crop ends are selling at S2O; old steel springs at $lB, and old rails at sl7 to $17.50.