The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1875-02-20 00:00:00

, THE IRON TRADE.

Birmingham Thursday.

Business is quieter in the local iron trade, i
and makers experience increased difficulty n
replacing the orders running out. The attend-
ance on Thursday at the weekly meeting of the
trade in Birmingham was scarcely so large as
usual, and sellers preponderated. Transactions
were few, and confined mostly to purchases
at reduced prices, of job lots for merchants and
brokers. Quotations are nominally unaltered,
but there is practically a decline in unmarked
iron of from 2s. 6d. to ss. per ton upon the
prices ruling a fortnight ago. Unmarked bars
are quoted £9.- to £lO., but may be had now for
£B. 17s. 6d., and sheets fcr £l2, and under.
Tube strip is also very weak. Branded iron is
steady, at from £lO. 10s. to Xll. 12s. 6d. for
bars, but the average approaches nearer to the
minimum than the •maximiun figure. Specifica-
tions for shipment are now very scarce, and, in
some instances, have entirely suspended work
for want of business. In other cases the mills
and forges are on half-time, Thin sheets, boiler
plates, hoops, and nail rods, chiefly for export
are the staple articles of demand; but the only
approach to activity at present is in the galvan-
ised iron branch, in which the demand for cor-
rugated roofing sheets for the colonies and
South America is well sustained. The pig-iron
market shares the general weakness of the trade
but in this department the decline is more ap-
parent in the better than in the inferior qualities
Cinder pig still realises £3. 55., but all-mine iron
has receded from .1;5. 10s. to about £5., and the
supply still exceeds the demand. There can be
no doubt that this branch is being, serioutly
affested by the increasing importations of pig
from Cleveland, Derbyshire, and other districts.
Coal is in more abundant supply since the re-
duced, is practically lower, owing to the compe-
tition of the unaesociated masters. Slack is sell-
ing a little more freely, at the recent reduction
of is. 6d., but stocks are still .cry heavy. Iron-
stone is firm, at late rates.

REDUCTION IN THE PRICE OF FLOLR
AND BREAD.

Thursday.
The retail price of flour has this day been re-
duced 2d. per peck, and bread to 51d. per loaf
over the counter. This does not apply to Wolver-
hampton and district, the reduction naving pre-
viously been made there.

A STOURBRIDGr'E TRADESMAN FINED FOR
FURIOUS DRIVING.

At the Bridgnorth Police Court, on Monday, Mr.
D. Penny, of Stourbridge, was charged by Chief-
constable Cole with furious driving a horse and
and gig down High-street, Bridgnorth, on Satur-
day, the 6th inst.
Mr. H. Saunders appeared for the defendant.

Mr. ,Cole stated that he was sta,nding by the
new Market buildings about 4.30 p.m. on Satur-
day, the 6th inst. He was in conversation with
two persons at the time, when the defendant drove
down High-street, Bridgnorth at a rate of from 12
to 14 miles an hour. There were a number of
persons in the street, it.heing market day. The
defendant proceeded on down Castle-street, and
afterwards came back and drove up High-street
and down again.
Cross-examined: The defendant was a stranger
to me at the time, but I am sure he is the person I
saw driving furiously on that day.
Mr. Thomas Eaton, of Apley Lodge, and Mr.
Walton, of Richmond, who were in company with
Mr. Cole, spoke as to the furious manner in which
some person drove down the High-street; but
they could not swear that the defendant was the
same person.
Police-constable Potter was called and said that
he saw the defendant drive down the street at a
rate of from 13 to 14 miles an hour. He had
known the defendant for about 10 years.
After a few remarks from Mr. Saunders,
The Bench said they were satisfied that it was
the defendant who was driving, and that it was a
very dangerous practice to drive through the
swots a suck a pace, particularly on a market
day. They inflicted a fine of 102. and 14s. costs.
Mr. H. Wylde, of Eardington, was also charged
by Police-constable Purchase with furiously driv-
ing a pony and gig down the Cartway on the 30th
ult.
Mr. H. Saunders appeared for the defendant.
Police-constable Porter said about 9 p.m., on
the night of the 30th ult., he saw the defendant
driving past the corner of High-street anu down
the Cartway is a very steep hill. There was an-
other man in the gig. He again saw defendant
return back from the bridge up the Cartway. He
then allowed the horse to walk up the hill. It was
dark at the time, and market day. Defendant did
not appear to be sober at the time. He was flog-
ging the pony down the Cartway.
Joseph Minton said: I was standing at my door
at the bottom of the Cartway on the night in
question, when the defendont drove his horse
pass me at a rate of 14 or 15 miles an hour. An
accident had liked to have taken place near my
house.

The Bench said the case was fully proved, and
fined defendant 20s. and 15s. costs.

STOCK Ser..z.—Mr. H. King held his usual sale on
Tuesday last, when 400 Sheep, 45 Head of Cattle,
and a large quantity of Pigs was disposed of. Fat
wethers made as high as 72s 6d each, and Fat Cows
£29. There was a large attendance of buyers, and
the whole met a sharp Sale. The next Sale is an-
nounced for Tuesday, March 2nd.