FORM 10-Q

                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.
                                    20549

   [ X ]     Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
             Securities Exchange Act of 1934 

             For the quarterly period ended June 30, 1994

                                     or

   [   ]     Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
             Securities Exchange Act of 1934

             For the transition period from __________________ to
             __________________

             Commission file number:       0-2536


                       CENTRAL STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY
           (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

             DELAWARE                           36-0885660
   (State or other jurisdiction of         (I. R. S. Employer
   incorporation or organization)          Identification No.)


             3000 W. 51ST STREET, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS  60632-2198
                  (Address of principal executive offices)

             Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                               (312) 471-3800

                                    NONE
            (Former name, former address and former fiscal year)

   Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all 
   reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
   Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such
   shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports),
   and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90
   days.

                               Yes  X      No
                                   ---        ---

   Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer's
   classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date:   286,000
   shares as of July 29, 1994.





        PART I    Financial Information
        ITEM 1.   Financial Statements



                       Central Steel and Wire Company
                    Condensed Statements of Earnings and
                       Earnings Reinvested in Business
                 (In millions, except shares and per share)
                                 (Unaudited)
                                               Six months ended
                                                     June 30
                                           -------------------------
                                                1994      1993
   -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                

        Net sales                          $    297.3     252.4

                                           -------------------------
        Cost of Merchandise sold                216.6     184.0
        Operating Expenses                       32.5      30.5
        Selling and administrative expenses      32.9      32.2
        Interest income, net                      (.8)      (.6)

                                           -------------------------
                                                281.2     246.1

                                           -------------------------
        Earnings before income taxes             16.1       6.3

                                           -------------------------
        Income taxes:
             Federal                              5.4       2.0 
             State                                1.1        .4   

                                           -------------------------
                                                  6.5       2.4   

        Net earnings ($33.59 per share
          in 1994 and $13.46 in 1993)             9.6       3.9

        Earnings reinvested in business
          at beginning of period                131.8     133.1
        Acquisition of common stock               -         (.6)
        Dividends declared - $1.00 per
          share in 1994 and 1993                  (.3)      (.3)

                                           -------------------------
        Earnings reinvested in business
          at end of period                  $   141.1     136.1
   -----------------------------------------------------------------
        Average number of common shares
          outstanding                       286,000   286,525
   -----------------------------------------------------------------
      See accompanying note to condensed financial statements.

                                     -2-







                    Condensed Statements of Earnings and
                       Earnings Reinvested in Business
                 (In millions, except shares and per share)
                                 (Unaudited)
                                                Three months ended
                                                     June 30
                                           ------------------------
                                                1994      1993
   ----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                

        Net sales                          $    149.6     125.9

                                           -------------------------
        Cost of Merchandise sold                109.1      91.6
        Operating Expenses                       16.9      15.7
        Selling and administrative expenses      16.5      16.1
        Interest income, net                      (.4)      (.4)

                                           -------------------------
                                                142.1     123.0

                                           -------------------------
        Earnings before income taxes              7.5       2.9

                                           -------------------------
        Income taxes:
             Federal                              2.6        .9 
             State                                 .5        .2   

                                           -------------------------
                                                  3.1       1.1   

        Net earnings ($15.42 per share
          in 1994 and $6.17 in 1993)              4.4       1.8

        Earnings reinvested in business
          at beginning of period                136.9     135.1
        Acquisition of common stock               -         (.6)
        Dividends declared - $.50 per
          share in 1994 and 1993                  (.2)      (.2)

                                           -------------------------
        Earnings reinvested in business
          at end of period                  $   141.1     136.1
   -----------------------------------------------------------------
        Average number of common shares
          outstanding                       286,000   286,055
   -----------------------------------------------------------------
      See accompanying note to condensed financial statements.

                                     -3-








                      Condensed Statements of Cash Flow
                                (In millions)
                                 (Unaudited)
                                                Six months ended
                                                     June 30
                                           -------------------------
                                                1994      1993
   -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                     Cash
                                                Increase  (Decrease)
                                                    
        Operating Activities:
             Net earnings                       $    9.6        3.9
             Depreciation                            2.3        2.0
             Changes in assets and liabilities     (13.4)      (9.8)  
                                           -------------------------
        Cash for operations                         (1.5)      (3.9)

                                           -------------------------

        Financing activities:
          Acquisition of common stock                -          (.6)
          Dividends declared                         (.3)       (.3)  
                                           -------------------------
     
        Cash for financing                           (.3)       (.9)
                                           -------------------------

        Investing activities:
        Additions to property,
          plant and equipment, net                  (4.4)      (2.4)

                                           -------------------------

        Net decrease in cash
          and cash-equivalents                  $   (6.2)      (7.2)
   -----------------------------------------------------------------

        Income taxes paid                       $    6.5        2.6
   -----------------------------------------------------------------

        See accompanying note to condensed financial statements.







                                     -4-







                          Condensed Balance Sheets
                 (In millions, except shares and per share)

        Assets                             Jun.30,1994  Dec.31,1993
                                           (Unaudited)
    -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                 
        Current assets:
             Cash and cash-equivalents     $     38.3          44.5
             Receivables,less allowance for
               doubtful accounts of $1.0 in
               1994 and $.8 in 1993              64.0          47.7
             Inventories                         84.6          71.5
             Other                                3.7           4.5
                                           -------------------------
        Total current assets                    190.6         168.2

                                           -------------------------
        Deferred income taxes                     6.5           6.4

        Property, plant and equipment, at cost  148.8         147.5
          Less accumulated depreciation         117.6         118.4

                                           -------------------------
        Property, plant and equipment, net       31.2          29.1

                                           -------------------------
                                           $    228.3         203.7
   -----------------------------------------------------------------
          Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity

        Current liabilities:
          Accounts payable                       61.3          48.3
          Accrued expenses                        6.9           5.0
          Income taxes                            1.2           1.2
                                           -------------------------
        Total current liabilities                69.4          54.5

                                           -------------------------
        Accrued postretirement health benefits   15.6          15.2

        Stockholders' equity:
          Common stock, $5 par value per share.
             Authorized 287,000 shares
             in 1994 and 1993;
             issued and outstanding
             286,000 shares in 1994 and 1993      1.4           1.4
        Capital in excess of par value             .8            .8
        Earnings reinvested in business         141.1         131.8
                                           -------------------------
        Total stockholders' equity              143.3         134.0
                                           -------------------------
                                           $    228.3         203.7
   -----------------------------------------------------------------

                                     -5-







   Note to condensed financial statements  -  The preceding financial
   information is stated in conformity with generally accepted accounting
   principles and is unaudited, but in the opinion of management includes
   all adjustments necessary, consisting of normal accruals, for a fair
   statement of the operating results for these periods.  Interim
   inventory values are based on management's estimate of year-end LIFO
   inventory values under current operating conditions and the general
   state of the economy as it relates to the steel industry, in
   particular.   See also notes to financial statements in the Annual
   Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1993 filed with
   the Securities and Exchange Commission.

        ITEM 2.   Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial 
                  Condition and Results of Operations

        The information in this item should be read together with the
   information incorporated by reference into Item 7, "Management's
   Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of
   Operations," of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
   ended December 31, 1993.

        Operating Results

        Sales for the three months and six months ended June 30, 1994
   were $149.6 million and $297.3 million, an increase of 19% and 18%
   from the three months and six months ended June 30, 1993.  The
   increase in sales for the three months and six months was due to
   higher unit volume and higher average selling prices.

        Operating, selling and administrative expenses for the three
   months and six months ended June 30, 1994 were $33.4 million and $65.4
   million, an increase of 5% and 4% from the three months and six months
   ended June 30, 1993.  Operating, selling and administrative expenses
   are relatively fixed and accordingly do not change in the same ratio
   with sales.

        Interest income for the three months and six months ended
   June 30, 1994 was $.4 million and $.8 million, compared to $.4 million
   and $.6 million for the three months and the six months ended June 30,
   1993.  The increase for the six months ended June 30, 1994 was due to
   higher interest rates.

        Earnings for the three months and six months ended June 30, 1994
   were $4.4 million and $9.6 million compared to $1.8 million and $3.9
   million for the three months and six months ended June 30, 1993.  The
   increase in earnings was due to the operating elements discussed
   above.



                                     -6-





        Liquidity and Capital Resources

        The Company's liquidity remains strong with the Company's
   operations providing the funds needed for working capital and capital
   expenditures.  Funds in excess of current business needs are invested
   in cash-equivalents.  The Company continued to remain debt free for
   the six months ended June 30, 1994 and for the foreseeable future
   expects funding requirements to be met without external financing.  In
   April 1993, the Company acquired on the open market a block of 1,000
   shares of its common stock, $5 par value per share, constituting
   approximately .3% of the common stock previously outstanding, for a
   purchase price of $.6 million.  Funds for the purchase came from the
   Company's internal cash resources.  The shares have been retired and
   the Company has no plans to reissue the shares.

        It is the Company's policy to continue to make such expenditures
   on property, plant and equipment as are necessary to  keep its
   facilities among the most modern in the industry.  The Company does
   not anticipate any material changes in expenditures for these purposes
   from the levels of the last several years.

        PART II.  Other Information

        ITEM 4.   Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders

                  At the annual meeting held on April 18, 1994, the
   Company's stockholders elected five directors and ratified the
   appointment of the Company's independent auditors as listed below.



                                            Votes Cast
                                                                  Broker
    Directors               For     Against  Withheld   Abstain    Non
                                                                   Vote
                                                   
    James R. Lowenstine   281,165               10        235      -0-

    F. A. Troike          281,106               69        235      -0-

    A. G. Jensen          281,106               69        235      -0-
    J. M. Tiernan         281,106               69        235      -0-

    R. L. Schroer         281,106               69        235      -0-
    Independent Auditors

    KPMG Peat Marwick     280,377     323                 710      -0-

        ITEM 6.   Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K

             (b)  Form 8-K was not required to be filed during the three
                  months ended June 30, 1994.
                                     -7-








                                     SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
   1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its
   behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                 CENTRAL STEEL AND WIRE COMPANY
                                 (Registrant)



   Date:  August 10, 1994        /s/ Frank A. Troike
                                 -----------------------------------
                                 Frank A. Troike
                                 Executive Vice President



   Date:  August 10, 1994        /s/ Richard P. Ugolini
                                 -----------------------------------
                                 Richard P. Ugolini
                                 Comptroller (Chief Accounting Officer)















                                     -8-