The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-07-14 00:00:00

THE IRON TRADE

WOLV ERITAM PTON, Wednesday.

A quarterly meeting of the iron trade was held
her. to-day, and was largely attended by merchants
and other buyers from London, Liverpool Sheffield,
and the North of England. The present week had
been baked forward to with a considerable amount
of satisfaction for a considerable time past, as the
prospects of the future of the iron trade were re.
garded as very reassuring until the unfortunate
dispute arose with regard to the question of wages
This has altogether unsettled busim as, and is very
likely to have a serious effect upon the trade and
district, which will take a long time to recover from
the results of the strike. Numerous persons on
'Ch &nge ware inquiring and anxhus to buy, but
searee'y any of the Ms, ufacturers were in a position
to sell, es they were not able to stipulate either as
te price or date of delivery in consequence of their
work bein4 sto, pad. Several loge merchants who
hAtl speeificati &ohi in their pockets announced that
unless the crders were accepted in the course of a
few days they should semi them to other ..listricts.
These orders alone would have been sufficient to
find full eznpl yment at several works during the
witole of 60 coining quart, r. liquiri s wer: pretty
frequent for bars, sheets, hoops, and angles, and
better termi were offered in vaii, us instances if a
guarantee could be given for early delivery, but of
course this cculd not be done. The few prices that
were quoted were rather firm.,r than they have
been for the last few weeks. Much inconvenience
is being experienced by those consumers who are
waiting for iron to be delivered to enable them to
carry out their contracts, this being particularly the
ems among the constructive ironwork firms. The
do nand for pigs was exceedingly limited, and de-
)lv, ri4i all o er the district have b en stopped until
work is resumed at the forges. Prices, however.
were no weaker. Cokes met wi h a tel rally good
inquiry, but in coal there was very little doing.
A great many pits have been shut up this week,
and prices of fuel are con.equently weaker

QUARTERLY MEEriNG OF THE IR )N
TRADE.

meeting of the D r''
The summer glarterly
ing-
ham and alidla.i.! Iron Trade was held on Thu achy
at the Exchange. Stephenson Place, and w.L., very
numerously attended by iron and coal mast and
mere%anta and c wsumers, including buyers and
producers from London, Liverpool, the North of
Enziand, and South Wales. Business was com-
pletely disorttauised br the ironworkers rrike, and
the eoatracts given out were chiefly accepted by
uirm out-ide the radius of the strike. Demand
was brisk, but South Stall Tdshire firms were unable
to unit rtike ioltracts fir immediate delive-y, as
the works are closed and thrre are hardly any
stocks of fiuillied iron in hand. Many o ders for
uierchint iron and sheets hive ben c incelvd
during the fortnight and have gone to South
Wale-, the North of En.ltnd, and the Conti ient.
One contract for nearly 1,000 bias of bar iron has
been placed out of the district, and a single firm
has lost the order for about 10,000 sheets which
was given out just before the strike. Firms, who a
fortnight ago were well supplied with orders have
now scarcely surthient on their books to restart
the.r wo ks, a ,O they are ova.; day- b;;.o.oing las&