New-York tribune., 1906-06-21
SOUTHERN IRON PRICES
and Dissolution of Asso-
ciation Denied.

An announcement by 1.-The Iron Age" in its issue
Of this week that the Southern Iron Association
has been dissolved. is declared by the head of one
Of the companies interested to be incorrect while
statement issued in behalf of other interests in
the Southern iron fields denies that there has been
any agreement TO maintain the price of iron. The
Iron Age" says:
Almost like clap of thunder from a clear sky
Association, unusually shortlived organization
based upon gentlemans agreement among the
leading Birmin CHAM furnace companies. One Of the
principal transactions was the sale of ten thousand
tons to the International Harvester Company at
slS for No. Birmingham decline OF 81 below The
nominal price recently quoted, This break in prices
cannot help but have disquieting effect 1t cane
at time when in other sections the makers were
ing Buffalo makers had sent out orders to their
statesmen to advance prices 25 cents ton In COM
dry iron must follow. unless the tonnage which the
be only moderate. In such competitive markets
Southern iron is freely offered at s1S % to $3 Sc
It must be- Clearly that the situation
is entirely @ in the the markets for s1s see msK
good The leading interest during the first st fifteen fifteen
IN excess of its shipping records
The rail makers have added 5000 tons for the
Coast to their 1907 commitments. One OF the large
CONTRACTS act which are coming into the market is 1900
etc, of the New York Central terminal
business lately considering the season for wire
PRODUCTS and sales aggregating 10000 tons OF steel
bars for delivery during the year beginning July
Association
deal with the price cutting which has become more
prevalent lately. Light rails have advanced 81 a
ton.
Although concessions ranging from so cents to 81
a ton have been made IN Southern iron, President
Naben of the Sloss- s-Sheffeld Steel and Iron Com
pany says that there is foundation for the re-
port that the agreement between certain Southern
has been bnoken. He telegraphs TO this
city that the Soss-Shefeld company has sold 5000
of iron and that only 1000 tons we're sold be-
low s13 30 ton.
A statement understood to be official was issued
here yesterday. which in part as follows:
The statements arising from the recent sales Of
Southern iron have been grossly exaggerated. and
in many ways misleading. The report that there
has been a breach between the Tennessee Republic
and. the Soss- Sheffield Steel and Iron
Company is without foundation. These three COM
panies have been working in absolute harmony, and
no differences exist. The statement that an agree
ment maintain the price of iron Is wrong.
The Republic Iron and Steel Company and the
Tennessee Coal and Iron Company have been out
OF the market sellers of iron for some time,
They recently entered the market and sold their
products at current prices. We found q good de-
mand on the part Of consumers, and have sold our
product at what consider satisfactory prices.
Southern quotations hardly be regarded as a
barometer of the iron situation. Prices are made
largely by consumers in the North, and the South
ern furnaces have to meet the competition OF the
Northern furnaces.