The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-07-14
Small Lots Readily Selling at
This Price
INTEREST IN 1903 SALES
Orders Have Already Been Booked at
$17 a Ton for Delivery Dur
ing the First Quarter
of Next Year.

There is SO little iron for immediate de-
livery to be had that the fact that S22
ton is being offered for sma.. lots is hard
ly regarded as a feature of the market
All interest now eenters in contracts for
the first six months of 1908.
A few small orders were booked here
last week at SIT for delivery in the first
quarter of next year, but free selling will
hardly begin before August. One large
concern is quoting No. foundry at 1850
for delivery running from January TO
July 1t is believed by not few eonser-
vative iron makers that the schedule for
the first half of next year will harden
on SIG basis.
Extracts from Rogers, Brown & Co.'S
circular of last Saturdays date follow:
At Cincinnati.
Cincinnati-It seems paradoxieal to the
uninitiated that blast furnaces should
have a tendency to make hot" pig iron
in cold weather and cold iron in hot
weather, but so it is. Because of this
fact there is now on the market a guam
tity of gray forge and notified iron, for
which there is practically no demand
The scarcity of soft and foundry grades
increases and there is an absolute dearth
of high silicon irons.
The expected improvement in labor con-
ditions in the Pocahontas, New Aver and
Kanawha Districts has not been made.
The increase of output of coke in those
districts is but slight and number of
furnaces depending on them for supply
are still out of blast. 1t was supposed
that the strikers would be at work by this
1aa4ff he
return of the men will be gradual and
some time will elapse before normal out
put Is made. The prospects for both fur
naees and foundries during the summer
is not a pleasant one, because of the
uncertainty of supply of raw material
Regarding prices of pig iron, 1t is hard
ly worth while to attempt quotations on
spot deliveries Each transaction stands
by itself and there is no uniformity.
There has been considerable inquiry
during the week for Southern iron with
deliveries beginning January. One of the
large Southern interests is said to be
quoting on the basis of $3.50 for No. 2
foundry at Birmingham, while others are
asking from $1700 to $500. There has
| also been inquiry for Northern brands,
| and while consumers would cover at what
| they deem reasonable prices, there is
hesitation to place contracts at quotations
| now ruling.
At Chicago.
Chicago-The questions being asked
most frequently by consumers of pig iron
are, how long will the present condition
of things last. and will prices be as high
next year as a present? To answer these
| inquiries at all would mean going fully
| into the probable outcome of the present
labor troubles and the condition of the
fuel supply, as well as the possibility of
higher prices cutting down the consump-
ton of pig iron. 1t will probably suffice
to briefly note the developments during
the past week. In consequence of failure
to receive sufficient fuel a still larger
number of furnaces are banked This
additional curtailment of their output will
naturally result In their running still fur
Their behind on orders. Foundries are be-
ing disappointed In every direction and
the demand for quick delivery iron of any
disable character is greater than ever
Labor troubles continues to harass the
coal and coke operators and the situation
shows little or no Improvement and natu-
rally the shipments of pig iron will not
be increased until the labor difficulties
referred to are adjusted. The term Tabor
troubles refers not only to strike condi-
tions but also to the scarcity of men
where the remuneration offered is all that
could be desired
AS TO any appreciable decrease In the
quality of manufactured goods turned
out. which could be directly traced To
high prices for raw material, nothing
definite has been learned There still
seems to be iron available for those who
are willing to pay the price demanded.
The country is being secured for scrap
iron, and pig iron is being made to go as
far as possible. 1t is quite noticeable
that the strongest demand Is for high
silicon irons.
Sales for delivery in 1908 are being made
steadily, although the buying cannot be
said to be general. In many cases after
prices on large lots have been secure.
from all available quarters. the decision
has been adverse to buying under exist
| ing conditions. The more conservative
buyers are taking hold for at least a mart
of their requirements for the first three or
six months of next year but the jobbine
| foundries are not finding anything ar.
tractive in what appears to them to be
| long range speculation.
There seems to be no uniformity In
| prices for future delivery; furnaces are
considering business as it comes IN and
making prices according to its desirable