The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-12
IRON. STEEL, COAL
THE HIGH PRICE FOR PIGS
 CONTfNUE.
shortage Of Railroad Cars Causes Much COmplaint---ERorts To Get LmbOreRs For Mfmerul
 District.

Bfrmingham, Nov. 10-(Special.J-- - The startling incident of the Iis iron market in the Birmingham district this
 week is the high prices prevailing for what little spot iron there is to be had.
 Every furnace company in this sec ticn of the country with any iron to ssli either immediate delivery of For first or even second quarter delivery during the coming year, shold be mak- ing big profit on their product. Oh- cials of one or two of the smaller com panies in this territory announce that they have been holding off from the market and will be in position to sell iron for delivery during the first quarter of 1907. This means that these companies will be able to get almost spot iron prices for their pro- duct When 1t iS known that mere than S20 is being obtained for even three months delivery iron. the eondi- tions can we'll be imagined However, the statement comes from companies which de. not have "a very extensiVe output, so that there cannot be much boastine as to the amount of iron to be sold. Spot iren Sells at $23 per ton. No. foundry.
 Inquiry elicits the Information mat the probable make for the first ouar- ter of the coming year has about been covered and a considerable portion Of the make of the second quarter. Fe- fore the end of the preseHH month it is believed the probable make for Jan
 uary, February and March willPhaVe been entirely covered and there will be as much a scramble on as there has
 been for the first quarter iron ln-
 ouiries being received here would indi- cate that there is need for large quantity of iron next year. The melt for 1906 in Alabama will be the lar gest in the history of the industry anu orders on hand or in sight warrant the assertion that there will be neea for a steady production for months to come, outside interests using Ala bama iron also indicate through their inauires that their melt during the coming year is going to be very ex- tensive.
 The iron production in this State shows very little improvement in con ditions. Furnaces being repaired will only replace furnaces which are to be blown out for repairs. Then the raw material supplies are not SC steady as to warrant any to much improVing or the production. Every ton of iron that could be manufactured right now could be disposed of, but none of the furnace companies in this district are figuring on output greater than it is right now.
 Much complaint is still heard ip-re- gard to the railroad facilities. The car shortage is exceedingly trouble some in the coal fields and at coke ovens, while the ore mines and lime-
 stone quarries also feel the effect. In moving out pig iron the railroad car shortage is playing a serious part, getting the credit therefor anyway. The railroad officials are doing every thing in their power to relieve the situation and state that they are doing
 the best they can. It Is announced
 that additional equipment has been ordered and win shortly begin arriv- ing.
 The Louisville and Nashville Rail-
 toad is said to have care under con struction at several of it's shops. The Birmingham Southern Railroad, which
 is owned and operated by the Tennes-
 see Coal, Iron and Railroad Company, has an order in for seventy-hYe cars to be used around the mines and it is stated the order vii be filled in the near future. The Frisco Railroad has | some cars coming also while other lines are said to be looking for more
 equipment. On the Southern Railway 1 1t is expected that inasmuch as the strike of the machinists is over, that
 the locomotive power can be put in better shape and that there will not be
 so much trouble in the future from this source as heretofore. There are num- Der of mines along the Southern Rail- way and the greater portion of tho complaints have come from this section. The steel situation in Alabama is very active. Mention has been made
 several times heretofore that the prob able make for many months of the coming year has been sold ahead. Go od prices have obtained for steel and steel products for some time and the profits
 in this line have been exceedingly strong
 There are hopes that the labor condi- l tions will be relieved in the near future. The Commercial Club of Birmingham, will send some representatives to New Orleans shortly to await the arrival of
 a steamer bringing a large number of immigrants to this country from Italy. It is believed that lot of desirable la bor can be secured from this boat that will be suitable for this district. The immigration committee of the Conner c.al Club will hold a meeting shortly
 to take up the question of inducing
 more labor to these parts. So far the foreign labor has proven of some as- s'stance though the amount brought in has not been so very extensive The present year promises to round out as one of the healthiest for the in- dustrial companies in Alabama ever ex- perienced. For month iron prices
 were down somewhat and one or two companies sold their product at un- l necessarily low figure as compared to present quotations. Those which could carry little iron found that they were
 most fortunate and the earnings for
 the year should be most happy. Machine shops and foundries are all l busy and have a healthy force of men l at work. Skilled labor, however, is far
 from being plentiful through the dis trict.