As far back as most steelmen can remember, Chairman Eugene Gifford Grace of Bethlehem Steel Co. had a consuming corporate desire to merge "Bessie," the second biggest U.S. steel company, with Youngstown Sheet & Tube, the nation's No. 6 steelmaker. Grace first tried to turn the trick in 1930, only to be thwarted in court after a proxy battle with Cleveland Financier Cyrus Eaton, who then controlled 19% of Youngstown stock. This year, at 78, Bethlehem's Chairman Grace announced that Bessie and Youngstown were again planning to merge. Last week the Justice...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In