The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-04-05 00:00:00

THE IRON TRADE.

WOLVERHAMPTON, Wednesday

'1 here was a moderate attendance on 'Change
this afternoon, though but little business was trans-
acted, intending buyers preferring to wait for the
quarterly meetings, which will be held next week,
betore givmg out large orders. It is not likely,
however, that any alteration will take place in the
price of finished iron at quarter-day, as makers
before coming to any deci,ion on the subject will
await the result of the settlem, nt of the wages
question, which it is believed in some quarters will
bring down prices slightly. Purchases that are
being made are unstlf to supply immediate wants.
Both with regard to Louie and foreign Lusiness
trade rem:tins exe, edingly qui-t, and the mills con-
tinue to run at an irregular rbte, in some plrts of
the district less than bail-time being made. Marked
iron is not in much request, the medium and c
rn-
mon ~escriptions being those mostly inquit e I tor
Sheet makers are ;ail ly well off for orders, though
the prices offered leave Ii tie r orn for a prt,fit to be
made. Nail r•ds snd the smaller descriptions of
iron are in moderate r, ger et, while plat,_s are not
being made in large q: ai.iit,es owing to the se.. e
outside competitien which i revails. Pig not
being sold at eHsy Mks, he detnal.d being cilia)
tor the lowr r qualitie.. '1 he coai Latle reuPtins dull

EIBNCDTGRAIf, Thured.iy,

Owing to the proxin ity of the quarterly meeting
k their orders, and no Lusiti• ss o-
ibutuY,•eorrb,ahneTN bv:i
s trans icttd. Inquiries were chic fly
for the purpose of testuzihe combina ion of manu.
with the iew to placing contracts next
fwaec,tku,riarisd
the general feeling
was that if quotatioos
are maintained there will be a fair amount ut b.
nese done, but if a 1 et:uction is declared it may 1;a ve
a prejui•ici:il effec t in disturbing the
, Several of the leading houses are d;epose:: t re
! establi-h the list price of k:7 lOs wlikh hts now
e.lc, so i.
ruled for c.t, ut eigl.teen months, but tune!) del 'e ids
upon the wh:c may
he taken by 0! L. • ti • In,
wh have 0: ulwaYs been wilng to lil 7`,.
decisi,,n of t e tup:ority. Still :tier:, is no
that u,,marked in is now selling below the m
ir-
gin which is supposed to exist between it and the
bat brands, and a new feature is being imported

into the trade, whi, h is rather underrnie:ne• the
ordinary business relations. Certain firms, at a re-
ported to be making arrangements 'IN ith their cus-
tomers her by they accept less than the invoice
prices with the usual discounts. This system, if ,
allowed to develop, would have a very serious effect
up m the iron trade, as it would introduce au ale.
ment of distrust and commercial i name r day. On
the whole there has been a fair cAasuniptive demand
throughout the quarter, ant a little speculation
would tend to advance pd,:es. Manufacturers in
, Emma' departments are curtailing producti n and
reducing their stocks, which will have a favourable
DflUenee on prices before long. :Nlr Alfred Hickman
is disposing cf the greater part of the make of his four
furnaces, and is now erecting two new furnaces in
order to make a class tf pig suitable for the con-
version into iteel when the new steel works have
been erected. 'the construction of these works is
proceeding rapidly, and it is anticipoted that they
will be ready to commence operations during the
suremer. A few Fal,s of pig were effected on the
market to-day at the minimum price, and one
Derbyshire house has scoured an order for 1,000
tons in a line at 45s a ton. The quoted pric:! for
D •rbvshire pig is 45s a ton, but the realised price
is generally from is to is 3d below that figure.
Common sheets met with a tolerably good inquiry
, but there NI, as no improvement in value, prices for
: singles at works varying from £7 to £7 ss, and
doubles from lOs to .£1 extra. The demand for
gh cl n- plates was well sustained. The tin plate
I branch is ali tie healthier, and in anticipation of
an improving basiness, Messrs. Hatton and Sons are
putting down a new plate mill, which will be one of
la- st erected in South Staffordshire. One great ad-
vantage of this new mill will be that they can
economise the cost of fuel burnin; slack, and at
the same time manufacture their own gas. Coal
was in po 1.. inquiry, and the competition of the
Canneck Chase producers was very ke, n, the prices
acceptedinsomeinstances being insufficient to cover
the cost of raising tLe fuel.