The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-06
AGAIN
 IN EVIDENCE HERE Iron is Advancing and Business
 Outlook is Excellent MANY FURNACES IN BlASl Mining Situation sali to Be Improving Every Day-Furnace Operators
 Greatly Encouraged-steeI
 Plant Making Records.

With the coal production increasing steadily with the number of furnaces in blast increasing with the steel plant at Ensley making records, with the Bir- mingham rolling mills, long idle, starting up and with the price of pig iron advanc- ing, the business situation in this district Is indeed cheering.
 All the furnace operators are greatly encouraged over the mining situation and say they are now nearer normal conditions than they had expected to be at this tlms when the United Mine Work CTS declared their strike July 25.
 Tennessee Company.
 The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company Is running all of it's blast fur naces at Ensley. It's Mo- furnace at Bessemer is in operation and its No. 1 Bessemer will be lighted by the last of this week. It Is expected that by the middle or latter part of the month all of the Tennessee company's Bessemer furnaces except, perhaps, Nc. 5, which is being repaired, and its Oxmoor furnace will be in blast. This increase in fur nace operations. 1t is pointed out, re- fleets unmistakably the increase in its output of coal.
 Record at Steel Plant.
 The Tennessee's steel and rail mills made a record in September, and another record is expected this month Work Is progressing on the companys new blast furnace No. (, at Ensley, but 1t will be probably three months before it Is f1n- ished The Alice furnaces will remain idle until i1on gets up to SIP.
 The company's rolling mill at Bessemer is doing good work and is now employing about 300 men.
 Soss-S Sheffield Company.
 The Sloss- Sheffield Steel & Iron com pany is operating five of it's seven fur naces. Six were in blast during the for repairs four or five weeks ago. It will be ready for the torch again by the last of October or first of November. The five active furnaces will turn out about 30,0 GOO tons of iron this month and when No. 1 is In blast the six, it Is believed, will make a record.
 The Sloss-S Sheffield Co.,. Is not in the market for selling iron and is only book ing orders for its regular customers.
 President Maben reported sale of 2OO0 tons yesterday at an advance of fifty cents ton. He said that as his com pany had large cash surplus the exec utive committee decided to use some of 1t for stocking the yards while waiting for higher prices.
 President Maben said that the local coke situation was fairly satisfactory; that so far as he knew no furnace company was buying coke.
 Other Companies. The Woodward Iron company Is oper- ating its two furnaces, the Republic Is op- erating two of its three furnaces at Thomas, and the Lacey-Buek Iron com pany's furnace at Trussville is running well. The Tutwiler companys furnace is being refined.
 The furnace companies are adding men to their mining camps right along. Mining superintendents say that while many of the new men are inexperienced in cut ting coal, and will therefore have to learn, a good percentage of them are first-class miners
 Advance In Iron.
 Speaking of the rise in the price of pig iron from 9.50 to $1O on No foundry basis. Mr. Maben said: Tn general way I attribute the advance to the fine crops and the high prices that farmers will receive for their crops This condi- tion naturally makes prosperity. Wage workers throughout the country are being well paid. While the level of wages Is not so high as last year, which was ex- ceptional in high wages, workmen are making enough to enable them to buy good clothes and live we'll. When farmers and wage-workers can afford to enjoy the luxuries of life the business situation Is surely good.
 '"The advance in iron means, doubtless, that the demand for the finished product Is increasing, and when manufacturers of finished goods are busy, the demand for pig iron Is at once in evidence. Big crops and stiff crop prices are certainly at the bottom of improved commercial condi- tions.
 'I look for good times this winter" ------>e~-------