The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-18
GENERAL BUSINESS IS MUCH STRONGER Rail Orders for Past Few Months
 Unprecedented PIPE MEN HEAVY BUYERS Foundry Trade Has Also Bought Heavily, But Prices Are Not Yet
 Quite as High as De-
 manded.

Cleveland, O.. January 17.-(speciaL)- The Iron Trade Review tomorrow will say: Business conditions are considerably stronger than they were one year ago, although at that time there was gen. eral belief. which proved to be well found ed, that 1905 would be a record breaking year.
 The factors which twelve months ago kept the immediate situation from meet ing every expectation were continued. These factors include the withholding of rail orders, the fact that trade with job bers was not as active as with mills and the tagging of orders with jobbing foun dries The orders for rails within a few months have been unprecedented being nearly equal to the expected production for 1906 Jobbers are doing an excellent business and the foundries have never been more prosperous.
 At the same time all of the strong rac- tors of the situation in January. 1905, are in evidence to a greater extent than they were at that time. Hence, the slight de- crease In demand in some lines causes no alarm. During the past week the Chi cago pig iron market which has been re- markable for its great strength for sev- eral months has shown some indications of weakness. This charge may be taken as an indication that the Chicago market is approaching more nearly conditions in other parts of the country rather than that there is any general weakness.
 In other sections while buying has not been very heavy there has been fair demand. Conservative observers expect, however. that buyers will be rather cau- tious and will not place orders for large tonnages until the market develops a more decided tendency.
 The heavy orders for cars recently placed have checked the downward tend ency of bar iron, but the prices are still rather irregular.
 New York, January 1.-The Iron Age tomorrow will say:
 The United States Steel corporation has purchased from the valley furnaces S5,- 600 tons of Bessemer pig for delivery dur ing the first quarter at S17.25 and also 10000 tons for delivery during the second quarter at an advance. Negotiations for about 5O,OO0 tons additional for the sec- ond quarter are pending. When the lat ter purchase has been consummated prae- tically all the surplus Bessemer and basic pig iron in the valleys for the first half of this year will be out of the market The cast iron pipe interests have been the heaviest buyers of pig iron lately. It is estimated that the consolidation has taken an aggregate of about 10000 tons and the Massillon shop has bought 22OO0 tons. the greater part from the southern furnaces.
 The general foundry trade has bought largely and yet, particularly for the sec ond quarter. prices are not quite as high as have been demanded lately and being freely paid for the first quarter delivery
 Among the larger railroad orders are % coo tons fo the Pennsylvania railroad which carries the total requirements of the system close to 2os'qso tons and ieo"
 The structural shops are doing d good deal of work A fair percentage of the capacity of the shops of the steel cor poration will be needed for the extensions and betterments of it's own plants.