The age-herald., 1901-04-16
STILL TALKING
 IF COMB|NAT|
Stated That SIoSs-ShefieId
 Stock is Being Acquired.
FOR UNKNOWN INTERESTS
Company in Good Financial Condition and Earning Satisfactory Divi. dends-Woodstock Iron Works
 to Be Reorganized.

Rumors continue to circulate to the eff feet that the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Company is to be absorbed by the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Com pany, or that the two companies will con solidate. These rumors, officials of the two companies interested say, are with out foundation, but the frequent transfers of Sloss-Sheffield stock to parties repre- senting other interests leave the impress sion that the deal will ultimately be made.
 An official of a local industrial com pany who was in New York several weeks during the latter part of the winter and the early spring. states that he has posi- tive information that combination of the iron companies in this district is being worked on, and that it will go through within the next few weeks unless some unexpected obstacles are encountered.
 In referring to the rumors of a consoli- dation of the Tennessee and Sloss-Shef- field Companies the Wall Street Journal, probably the most reliable financial jour nal published In the United States, says:
 'Tt Is reported frequently that a com bination of southern coal, iron and coke interests may be effected, to include the Tennessee Coal and Iron Company, the Sloss-s Sheffield Steel and Iron Company, the interests of the Republic Iron and Steel Company located In Alabama, and perhaps other concerns. It Is uncertain whether this will happen, but it Is cer- tain that Sloss-Sheffield securities are being quietly absorbed by an interest or interests whose identity has not been re- vealed.
 "The company Is in splendid financial condition. Demand for the company $ product exceeds the present output. The new furnaces of the company will shortly be put into operation. and should the iron market continue strong an increasing business is likely to result. At current quotations the preferred stock nets a comparatively large yield, and for the year ending December 31, 1900, net earn ing were about : per cent on the common stock-a considerable margin of safety beyond the requirements for the pre- ferred stock"
 Woodstock Iron Works.
 The directors of the Woodstock Iron Works, of Anniston, it is said, are work ing on a plan for the reorganization of that company with view to putting the two pig iron furnaces at Anniston ir blast.
 The Woodstock Company was one of the first organized in Alabama for the purpose of making iron and for number of years operated two charcoal furnaces in the city of Anniston. One of these was destroyed by fire about ten years ago and the other has long since gone into dis use. In the latter part of the sos two coke furnaces were constructed in the weste m part of the city of Anniston and operated by the Woodstock Company two or three years, but they have been con tinuonsly idle for the past five or six years
 The Woodstock Iron Works Company owns several thousand acres of valuable red and brown hematte iron ore lands in Calhoun and Talladega counties and in Polk county, Georgia.
 The statement which has been prepared by the directors and sent to the stock holders state that the company is to be reorganized and the properties worked.
 w. S. Gurnee, of New York is one of the largest stockholders in the com pany.