Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-14
All Furnaces Are Working
Full Time Now.
ORDERS FOR THE STOCK
Will Take the Output Until the Latter
Part of Next Year-Activity in the
Rail Trade-Event(ul Week in the
Metal Market.

New York, Dec. 14.--Discussing the
condition of iron II metal trades, the
Iron Age says: Our monthly blast fur
mace statistics show that we entered the
month with coke INC anthracite furnaces
producing at the rate of 2S9,5OO tons
weekly. an increase of 5000 tons over
November. In other words, we are maxi
ing now at the rate of Is, 600, 900 gross
tons per mum. During the month re-
ported furnace stocks increased about
5000 tons. but on the other hand stocks
in warrant yards declined 5000 tons. On
December 1 the Independent furnaces
We're carrying a stock of 5000 tons.
Under pressure the iron industry
is working is shown by the fact that in
the central west, including P%ittsburg,
the valleys, the Wheeling district. the
Chicago district, Missouri and the north
west. there We're in blast 81 furnaces,
producing weekly ITO, 345 tons of pig,
while only five We're out, with a capacity
of o.465 tons and every one of the latter
is simply out for repairs In the next
three months three new urnac are ex-
pected to begin operations whose ca
pacity should reach 10000 tons weekly.
Practlcally every ton of the iron which
all these furnaces can make during the
first half of 1900 is sold. Last week a
leading consumer in the Pittsburg dis
trict purchased about 10000 tons of Bes-
semer pig at $24, valley furnace, which
closed out the available for the first
half of 1900. 1t is understood thai the
same interest and other large companies
in the same section have been taking
large blocks of basic pig also.
In foundry irons the situation is some
what different. There is some increase
in stocks in many of the districts. The
conviction seems general that the TOP
notch has been reached for the present,
While a number of foundries have with
drawn from the market, some appear to
believe in the future. We hear of one
contract for 500 tons, monthly delivery,
beginning April 1 and continuing to the
end of the year. We also note a sale
to an Independent cast iron pipe laundry.
In the stock of Birmingham reports a
sale OF 5000 on private terms. From
PlttSburg comes the news of sales of
Bessemer and open hearth billets and
slabs to the extent of about 1000 tons
for 1900 delivery at $3.50 for the Bessemer
and s41 for the open hearth material
Lately offers for export have come to
hand which would net about $29 to $50,
AS yet, however, nothing has been done.
There has been a little more activity
in the rail trade. Eastern mills have
placed about 20, 900 tons in lots. while the
A'io AcSCu " Otle o.
of 10000 tons, the same parties placing
also about 10000 tons of bridge material,
Regarding the position of the markets
in a number of finished rolling mill
roduc reports are somewhat conflict
Ing. In some quarters a revival in buy-
ing is observed, in others prices seem to
be regarded as easier, the mills hunting
for work to some extent.
n week has been al %eventful one in
the metal markets., and notably SO in
pig tin. which declined under London
realizing down to "a cents for futures.
rallying slightly toward the close.
Copper is openly quoted at 1915 cents
for lake n 16. so cents for electrolytic.
Lead has become stronger, while spell
ter has been somewhat e~rratic, with an
upward tendency.
Nickel is reported to have sold as low
as % cents.
Cleveland. Ohio. Dec. 1.-THE Iron
Trade Review says: Sales of the old
range Bessemer ores of Lake Superior
began on Monday of this week. While it
is not to be expecteds that the scramble
of last spring. when prices We're about
$3.50 a ton ower. will be repeated, large
contracts have been entered into in the
past few days, and in the Ease of some
large producers the bulk Of the output
for 1900 has been sold. Mesaba Bes-
did not follow the lead of Biwawi
al @4.Ao, UuI nave SoIu OH d OASIS or $4.SO
for Fayal. Eastern furnaces have been
in the market, but western buyers set
pace. Imports Of Cuban and other
foreign ores will be ON an enlarged scale
next year. but even with $50, 900 tons from
n 200, 900 tons from Newfound-
land, and increased shipments Of low
ores from Mediterranean points, the
total will be but a fraction Of the wants
of the east apart from it's local ores.
Reports show hat stocks of pig iron in
yards are light. The week has
brought no change in prices.