Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 September 1902 — ENORMOUS DEMAND FOR STEEL. [ARTICLE]

ENORMOUS DEMAND FOR STEEL.

European Manufacturer* Now Beilins It to Americana. Chicago is importing steel and iron from Scotland and continental Europe, and the importers say the product is laid down more quickly than the domestic manufacturers can fill the orders. Within the last week 10,000 tons of European steel billets have been received in Chicago, and the custom house reports show importations of structural stee] and iron. Several Chicago construction concerns admit they recently have placed large, orders with European mills for structural steel and iron, and this material la expected to arrive within the next two months. In view of the demand from America for their products, foreign manufacturers of structural iron have Changed the character of their product to meet the requirements of American construction, and have issued new price lists to the American and Chicago trade. American construction steel and iron is much lighter than that used abroad, and as a result, in order to supply the demand, European mills have reduced the weight of their output.