The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-11-28 00:00:00

TII E IRON TRADE

NVOLVERHAMPTON, Wednesday.

The demand for finished iron is somewhat
quieter this week, and orders for the commoner
classes are being freely accepted at the low
rates ruling a week ago. The period of the year
is unfavourable to the prospects of much revival
in business for some little time to come. The
leading firms have made no change in the price.
standard of £ll per ton for bars, but marked
bars of good merchantable quality are quoted
by many respectable firms £lO 10s. per ton.
(Summon unmarked bars arc £9 Is. to £0 10s.,
and common sheets (singles) £l2 ss. to £l2 10s.
per ton. Galvanised roofing sheets are steady
at about late rates. In the pig-iron branch
business is, on the whole, steadier than in the
finished department. Common cinder pigs are
selling at £3 Is., and allmine at £3 Is. per ton.
Hematite pigs of Northceun, ry make are clanging
hands in fair quantity at Is. per ton. The
market for cold blast pig icon is moderatly
strong, and the supplies coming to hand from
the Shropshire district are at full quoted rates.
The aggregate consumption of pig iron in South
Staffordshire comprises a very large proportion
of the yield of outlying districts. 'the coal
market is fairly well sustained as regards the
better qualities, but inferior coal dose not com-
mand very great attention, and prices are weak
and irregular. Furnace coal changed hands on
'Change this afternoen at 103. per ton, aild
sellers of that class of coal. and also of slack,
are more numerous in the district just now
than buyers. Ironstone remains steady at 20s.
for white and 21a. for gubbin of good 'dale°
sample. Oas coal is in restricted supply, owing
to the recent strike of the miners in the Wigan
district.

BIRMINkilli5l, Thursday.

The dulness in business incident to the sea-
son of the year is now being fully experienced,
and the situation in regard to the iron trade of
this district is somewhat aggravated by the
increasing competition on the part of the North
iCoantry makers. In nail, sheet, and some other
classes of medium and common iron, this district
is being undersold by Cleveland to the extent of
10s. per ton. The leading houses represented
on 'Change this afternoon showed no disposition
to make any concession in their prices for
marked iron, and most of them are for the presmt
steadily occupied on orders booked at dull list
rates. In unmarked iron there was little doing
to-day, and the course of selling prices showed
some weakness and irregularity, but we did not
hear of any onbr changing hands under the re-
duced standard of last week. The commonest
class of bars could be had this afternoon at £9
as.. but the more genera! quotations for un-
marked iron were .£9 10a. for bars, £lO 15s. for
hoops, and 312 10s. for sheets (singles). Best
thin sheets and charcoal iron were strong, at
previous rates. The market for pig iron is steady,
and prices are without alteration. There rs less
anxiety to effect sales in this than in the finished
department of the trade, so far, at least, as
, regards local makers. Hematite and other
classes of pig iron, the yield of N irth Country
districts, are coining to hand in fair quantirf.
Time coal market is a trifle stronger, and prices
are steady for the better qualities.

PRESENTAION TO CAPTAIN W. G. IVEBB.

On Satarday.last at the Vine Inn, Wonleley, a
dinner was held for the purpose of presenting to Mr.
W. G. Webb, the senior partner of the firm of Ed-
ward Webb and Sons, on the occasion of his marriage,
by the Managers, Travellers, and Clerks, enga;tcd in
the various departuents of the firm, a Ayer salver,
richly chased and engraved, bearing au appropriate
inscription, and manufactured by the renowned firm
of Ell:Mg-ton and Mason ; Also an illuminated address,
magnificently executed in the style of the middle ages
by the ornamental designer of the firm Mr. Arthur
Nash. . .

The dinner was served up in an excellent manlier
~by the hosteas, Mra. Moore. After dinner the chair
woo taken by Mr. ("Merge Deeley and Vice-chair by
Mr. Beery T. Smith

After the toasts of the Queen and Royal Family,
Clergy, aud Trade of the District, Mr. Deeh y iii a
few well-chosen remarks, presented the salver and
afterwards read the addres as follows:

To William George Webb, Esq., Wordsley,

Dear Sir,—We, the Manager, Travellers, and
Clerks employed atthe Whitehouse Glass Works, Ivy
Mills and the hop and seed department consider the
omission of your marriage a fitting opporttmity to
,hew our respect for you no an employer, nil our
appreciation of your individual worth. We trust that
the good feeling existing between us may always
continue, an I we ask your acceptance of this address,
together with a silver salver as a token of the high
regard in which you are held by us.
"We hope that yourmarried rfe may be unclouded,
aud prove a source of happiu ess to you and your
bride.
" Wishing you prosperity au elicit) together, with
long life to enjoy them.
" We are, dear sir,
" Faithfully yours, do., &c."

Mr. Webb then in a most characteristic speech
acknowledged and thanked those present for the kind
feelings expr ssed towards himself and wife; after
which followed song, and a most enjo,) able evening
woo spent.

THE FORESTERS DISPENSARY SUNDAY .—A meet-
ing of the Foresters Dispensary C ,inteitte, was held
oo the 21st inst., when the fulloring resolution was
passed. That this committee acting for the Stour-
bridge District of the Ancient Order of Foresters, in
organizing a Dispensary Sunday, beg to tencUr their
hearty thanks to the Rev. Hugh Sherrard, Vicar of
St. Thomas's Church, Stourbridge, for the courtesy
shown to our deputation, the kind and reedy manner
in which he met all our wishes, and the exo,llent,
practical sermon he gave on that occassion. Votes
of thanks were also given to Mr. J. Heald, and as
widow, for their special donations of £l, sand ils. re-
spectfully, to Mr. S. Sinams,and the choir ; to Mr.
Superintendent Freeman, and his men, for the assist-
ance they gave the committee; and to the Stourbridge
Cricket elnb, for the use of their ground to master
[ on. Donations still continue to come in from mem-
bers win) were unable to attend, and the commqtee,
[ ale sanguine of making the sum something worthy of
the 4114 e cause it is intended to sserve,—Com-
ntuntra'ted.