The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-01-17 00:00:00

for

THE IRON TRADE.

WOLVERHAMPTON, Wednesday.

The market this afternoon was fairly
attended, For some classes of finished iron
there was a lack of specifications, and this
tilarly the case with regard to nail
rods, iron wire, unmarked bars, and common
sheets. The latter were 10s. a ton more
than a week ago, owing to galvanisers
having advanced their prices. Common
singles are now quoted as high as £ll 10s.,
which is above the quotation of the list
houses, but it should be stated that these
firms will not sell sheets at the prices to be
found on their published lists. The reason
given for declining these terms is that the
firms have more orders on hand than they
can execute. Many of the second-class
houses in the district are booked for the
remainder of the quarter, and are therefore
not disposed to do much -business. Pnddled
bars are in large demand, and some of the
consumers complain that they are unable to
get sufficient supplies to keep all their hands
going. Hoops and strips are selling well
and fetch stronger prices. In the pig trade
there is considerable activity, and a good
number of smelters are linable to execute
contracts for some time to come, as they
have still on their books orders for execution
at the lower price which prevailed before
Christmas. The best all-mine people are
accepting small lots at their own figures,
and part-mine, which is receiving the
greatest attention at the present time, is
worth as much as £3 17s. ticl. Cinder iron
realises on an average about £3 ss. Middles-
brough, Forest of Dean, and hematites are
neglected on account of the very high prices
that are asked by the agents here. North-
amptonshire is being done at 70s. to 755.
delivered. Coal and native ironstone have a
brisk sale at the advanced prices

BIRMINGHAM, Thursday.

At the mills and forges throughout the
district work is proceeding with steadiness
and regularity, six days a week being the
rule, and the orders coming in assure a brisk
trade well into the spring quarter, when the
commencement of the shipping season will
further stimulate activity. The carrying
traffic on the local railways and canals is
enormous; and instead of the bulk of the raw
—Ctrial and finished iron going to Liver-
pool. fiir-the,-American market as foi
there is a largefy:bi-Or!asta quantity bei-ng
sent to Bristol, Hull, London, ' and- other
ports. for shipment to the Continent, India,
and Australia, besides a considerable -aug-
mentation in the requirements for home
consumption. Since the quarterly meeting
last week there has been a large accession
of orders of a miscellaneous description, and
the enhanced quotations are no hindrance to
business. As a resqlt of the extensive con-
tracts given out at quarter-day and that
have subsequently reached t le works there
was a slight slackening in the demand at the
meeting this afternoon ; but a fair number
of orders were distiibuted at the full quot-
ations. Hematite pig iron was quoted at £6
a ton, but even at this price there was little
to be obtained, makers being well sold for-
ward. There was a steadier feeling. in regard
to mailed iron, as £9 a ton for bars is re-
garded as the limit of quotations for a time,
althea, hit is probable that a further revi-
sion will take place before the expiration of
the quarter. A brisk demand was e-
perienced for coal both for manufacturing
and domestic purposes.

attb "-,0-tstrtct,

THE PROPOSED REGULATION OF CLENT

HILLS.

Oa Monday evening last, n meeting, e2,n/Tencei
by the Stourbridge Commissioners.
waaaeld in tne Corn Exchange, Stourbridge, to
take into considera.ion the application made to
the Enclosure Coonnissi-ners in reference to
"reulation" of dent Hill Common. 'There was a
good attendance, amongst those oa he platform
being Mr. H. ilughee (Chairman of the Town
.Commission era), who presided, the Rev. II
Sherrard, Messrs. W. J. Turney, H. Billinghem,
,Haskew, T. Wall,•Kelley, and other of the Com.
mission, re. -

Mr. Hugh-s, ing the chair, explained that
the application t,L e ineetit,-r was called to consider
was mat!e Ly ten individuals of • Cleat to the En.
closure Commistdoners—he asked them to mark the
word "Enclosure"—for the purpose (4 "regulating"
th 4-. Conaum. lie looked upon the wold