The age-herald., 1900-12-05
No. 2 FOUNDRY IS
 SELLING AT $1t26
Sales of Iron Are Largest in the
 Districts History
DEMAND CONTINUES STRONG
Experienced Iron Manufacturer Says the Outlook is Indeed Bright, and All Plants Should be Prosper
 ous for Many Montns.

Iron-No. 2 foundry is selling in Birming- ham at SIPS a ton and the demand is greater than it has been at any time in the past twelve months.
 Indeed, the sales of both foundry and basic iron last month in the Birmingham district were perhaps greater than ever in the history of iron manufacturing in this district. It is said that the Tennessee Company alone made sales of more than 150,OOO tons and the other companies sold in proportion. Some 10000 tons were sold for export. Much basic, as well as foun- dry, iron is being shipped from Birming- ham to foreign countries. Both Pennsyl- vania and Ohio have in the past two months been large buyers of basic iron from the Birmingham district. Some 15,O00 tons of basic pig were shipped from here to Pennsylvania last week and there are quite number of orders in for future de- livery
 "In my experience of many years in the iron business in Birmingham I have never seen a better demand for iron or a brighter outlook said a prominent iron manufac- turer yesterday.
 All Should be Prosperous.
 "I can see no reason why all the iron and steel plants of this district should not be prosperous during the coming winter and spring. Indeed, in my opinion. next year will be the brightest and best year this country has ever known in the iron and steel business. There is very little iron borl i,.. and practically none in the warrant yards. Every furnace is selling practically every ton of iron it can make and the de- mand for iron at present is solely from consqpers'
 The expression above is endorsed by sev- eral iron manufacturers in the district. In- deed, the outlook is brighter than 1t has been in many years. The steel plant at Ensley is running at nearly its full ca paeity and the wire rod mill at Ensley started double time last night. It has a day and night force of hands, and within the week will be running to it's full capacity and consuming more than 300 tons of steel per day.
 More Houses Needed.
 The manufacturing plants at Ensley, how ever, are suffering severely from lack Of good houses for skilled mechanics and their families. Though several hundred new houses have been constructed in Ensley within the past few months, yet he demand is far greater than the supply. Because of this lack of houses for rent the rod mill has had serious difficulty in getting the skilled laborers from Pennsylvania and Ohio points which it desired The skilled me chanic insists upon a comfortable house, and as a rule, he would have the beer saloon where he can sit for an hour in the evenings, smoke his pipe, drink his beer and chat with his comrades. Such is is the situation in nearly all of Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois manufacturing towns, and skilled mechanics who come from there to Ensley express disappointment at the lack of these facilities which they enjoyed at home.
 It is understood that contract has just been made for the construction of two en- tire blocks of comfortable houses for rent rear the rod mill at Ensley, and they will be completed during the winter.