The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-30

with all manufacturers. with the gen erally sound conditions existing in the iron trade and other leading branches of the country's welfare. the first six months Of 1906 should see no letting down from the present stand.
 Returns from the car and locomotive builders show that records in both have been made. 16S,000 cars were built during the year, including those for use on sub way and elevated roads. but exclusive of street and interurban electric cars. These figures do not include cars built by rail- roads in their own shops, of which an exceedingly large number have been put out. 165, 465 are for freight service; 2551 for passenger service 162,1v4 for domestic use and 5205 for export This Is more than double the total output for last year. Dur ing the past three months car builders have booked record-breaking orders. A majority of these are for 1907 delivery and among them are orders from two of the leading roads. which alone amouyt to almost as many cars as the total output in 1904 5491 new locomotives were built in 19O5 against 3441 the year previous. This does not include locomotives built by railroads in their own shops, nor does it include orders given for repairs or rebuilding. This Is also a record num- Der. The expenditures represented by these figures Is estimated at $lG5.500,0 GOO for freight cars; $17, 800, ,O00 for passenger cars, and s76,SO00O0 for locomotives. In other words, the total amount spent by rail roads during the year for motive power and rolling stock approximates ,ne enor- nous sum of s2600o0.00o.
 U. S. Steel Corporation.
 A record unparalleled in the history of the United States Steel corporation and, therefore, establishing a precedent, are the orders on the books of that company for total of S,SoO00o tons of various forms of iron and steel This means that the constituent companies have enough orders now booked to take their entire product for the next seven months at least. The total monthly out put of iron and steel by the allied n- terests approximately 100000 tons. and in face of this they are unable to take orders for any more material for ship ment prior to July of next year. There is not a single article of iron steel fabrication which is not over-sold and behind in delivery. These are simply re- factions of the conditions of the order hooks among independent concerns, and give a very clear idea of the wondrously prosperous condition of the iron trade and the splendid outlook for next year
 The imports and exports for eleven months make 1t certain that all previous records will be exceeded. For this period the imports passed the billion dollar line for the first time. being slightly over s1 .07S. .00nQ0O. For the eleven months end Ing with November the total exports were over S1, ,427, ,0o0 GOO, a record amount
 At the years close it is extremely easy to find cause for congratulation in many directions We have passed through twelve months of unparalleled business activity, records on all sides for volume and profit having been broken The mineral indus tries particularly are going through wonderful period of development, and metal trades have never experienced any thing like the magnitude of results shown by 1905.