The age-herald., 1902-01-20
The New Furnace at Thomas Must First Be in
 Operation
II WILL BE BUILT IN SOUTH
President Thompson Talks of Steel Mlll Project and of the satlsfac- tory Management of the Com
 pany's Properties-Notes.

dent; Mir. Charles Hart of Youngstown, O., vice president, and Mir. A. W. Hous- ton of Chicago. general counsel of the Republic Iron and Steel Company, ar rived in Birmingham yesterday. and are registered at the Hillman. The party will remain in the district only a day or two.
 Yice-President Hart Is manager of the Republics northern furnaces, and ranks as one Of the foremost furnace men in the country. General Counsel Houston comes chiefly for the trip. He had not been to Birmingham for some time and he said last night that he simply wanted to have a fresh look at the great Birm- ingham district.
 The Republic officials spent most of the evening in the lobby of the hotel, where they had pleasant converse with Brming- ham friends. They were in happy mood and their talk was chiefly of prosperity. President Thompson is pleased with the way Republic properties are managed here, and he does not hesitate to say so.
 The Steel Plant.
 When MT. Thompson and party of Re- public directors and experts visited Birm- ingham early last fall 1t was given out that the company had decided to build a great 8, 100000 steel plant at Thomas. Asked last night if any time had been fixed for beginning work on the steel mill. MT. Thompson replied in the nega- tive.
 We intend to build a steel mill at Thomas said MT. Thompson. ''but will wait until after our new furnace Is in blast, which will be about March l. We have now two good furnaces in opera ton at Thomas and when the third one is in blast we will be pretty we'll fixed here.
 ''The new furnace will be the largest and most modern in the South. We ex- pect big results from it and we are not going to be disappointed. Until it gets into smooth working order, however, the question of the steel plant will be in abeyance."
 MT. Thompson said that his visit to the district at this time had no significance whatever. He had come, he said, for the purpose of looking over his compa- ny's property and that was all.
 With regard to the price of pig iron and the condition of the market MT. Thompson expressed himself as well satis- fled.
 Iron Statistics
 The total shipments of iron, steel and cast iron pipe from Alabama and Ten nessee in 1901 amounted to ], 1,6S5, 64 tons as against 1,416691 in 1900.
 This increase of last year Is regarded fttIIx ofaf but Iar volume of shipments Is looked for this year.
 This week will start off with strong and steady iron market. All large sales are made for deliveries beyond July, but pressing orders for small lots are being booked for earlier deliveries.
 The Sloss-S Sheffield Steel and Iron Com pany has extensively developed It's hold ings in the Russellvlle brown ore field The monthly production of ore fs 27OOO tons. the output going largely to the fur naces at Sheffield and Florence. The Lady Ensley furnace at Sheffield has been put in the hands of repairers. The Rus sellville ore is the richest in Alabama, averaging 50 per cent of metallic iron.
 Manager Gentry Hillman of the sloss- Sheffield furnaces in Birmingham reports good progress in the construction work of No. 2. This furnace will be completed about April 1.
 The city of Sheffield, which last year became the second largest producer of pig iron in Alabama reports the follow ing metal productions for the year 1so1 H1,sos tons if pig Iron, 3o.0o0 tons of rolled lron 65,0o0 stoves and 16O0 tons of castings
 The Gadsden plant of the Southern Car and Foundry Company has recommended operations with orders for 250 cars for the Florida East Coast Railway, 300 cars for the Seaboard Air Line and 800 car loads of castings for the Pressed Steel Car Company. At the same place the foundations are being laid of a new soil pipe plant.
 c. E. Buck and Company's furnace at Trussville is behaving itself admirably we'll. Its output Is about 15O tons a day.