The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-17
Pig IRON MARKET
ALARAMA FURNACE COMPANIES
ARE UP A TREE.
Not Able to Receive A. Many Oraers
As Are Coming and Workins
To Please Regular Trade.

=
able to receive many orders for IRON
10 be delivered during the balance ol
this year, so well ahead have they
sold their product.
The probable make Tor the ia'ee.
part of the year has been closed ou'
and there cannot be much more iron
counted on than that figured on al
ready. There is not an abundance o!
raw material such as ore. coke anu
limestone as the iron manufacturers
would like to see and as a consequence
the production cannot be improved 70
any great extent. One furnace wen.
into blast in the past week or so put
its capacity is not so large. A ehar-
coal furnace will resume operation this
week.
Considerable anxiety is noticed
among consumers who have been Duy-
ing in small lots. There appears 10
be some fears that their needs Will not
be covered by the manufacturers
though 1t is announced that regular
customers will be protected at all stag
es of the game. Fancy-price iron
could be sold in good quantity II the
manufacturers were only able TO
handle the business.
1t is a sad disappointment in some
circles that SIT iron cannot be deliv-
cred but orders taken in under $lo
nave 10 De I1lleQ. mere 10 an NV
nation that $3.50 and $3.50 per ton,
No foundry iron, will be in reality
for small lots of iron delivery within
fortnight of acceptance of order.
There is no possibility of runaway
market now as the iron makers are
not in a position to sell any iron, even
IL they desired to.
Inquiries being received in Alabama
for iron to be delivered during the first
half of the coming year would indicate
that there Is going to be need for
large quantity of iron. The Tenncs-
see Coal, Iron and Railroad have all
their furnaces at Bessemer and Ensley
in blast. One of the Oxmoor furnaces
and one Alice, Gin city, belonging to
the same company are going also.
The Sloss-sheffield Steel and Iron
Company has six furnaces in blast.
The Alabama Consolidated Coal and
Iron Company has three furnaces max
ing iron. The Republic Iron and Steel
Company has two going, the Wood
ward Iron Company two. while three or
four of the smaller companies have
one each In blast.
The formation of ore companies in
this state. it is believed, will be of
great assistance In the iron making
circles. The iron companies as are
able to sell their surplus ore and coke
are finding customers with all ease,
Two ore companies were recently or
ganized. one in the vicinity of Sylacau-
ga and the other with ore beds in the
vicinity of Admission. The Birmingham
Realty Company, the successor of the
original land company OF. Birmin CHAM.
in which New Orleans, Montgomery
and other places were for years inter-
ested in. will shortly take up the
quarrying of lime stone.
The company owns some valuable
Limestone fnp Ia
ed this property can be worked with
profit. There is need for good lime
stone for fluxing at the furnaces.
A casual inquiry among the indus
tries using pig iron in their daily op-
erations. such as cast iron pipe works,
foundries and machine shops would in
dictate that there will be steady opera
lions for some months to come The
cast iron pipe plants are shipping
their products about as rapidly as they
are making same. The yards are pref
" wei supplied with stock vet. Good
prices obtain for pipe
Some healthy orders are being bid
on right now with prospects of being
secured. The larger machine sheps
and foundries all appear to be well
stocked with orders that will keep
them busy for a while at least while
dence
Pig iron quotations and sales being
made for delivery during the first half
Oh the coming year assures the vari-
Gus producing companies of healthy
earnings and good financial reports
should follow.
Much attention Is being given to the
steel production and there is need for
every ton OF the product that can
possibly be turned out. At Ensley the
greater portion of the steel is going
into rail, while the Southern Steel
Company is using the bulk of their
steel in the manufacture of rod, wire
and nails.
There Is an extraordinary demand
for rail, In fact orders have been
received for the probable make of the
rail mill at Ensley through the bal
ance of this year and for about nine
months of the coming year. Rail pri-
ces are strong. That is one reason
why the Tennessee Coal. I'm and Rail-
road Company. Is so anxious to get
their second steel mill up. Much pro-
gress has been made on the founda-
tions for the second mill, the excava-
tion work being almost completed. A
large force of laborers will be nm-
ployed through the better portion of
twelve months erecting the plant. and
1t Is believed that before the expira-
ton of 1907 the new mill can be sup
plying steel The contracts for every
part of the building nave been let ard
the material and machinery is now in
the course of constr Iction.
Coal Operations.
Alabama coal operations are ext<n-
sive There is a de1'ani for every
ton of coal being produced and goal
prices are being given. The winter
trade has already started In. The rail-
roads have been doing we'll SO far in
moving the product promptly and it
Is believed that conditions in this
line will be satisfactory during the
coming. fall and winter.
A large amount of Alabama coal
will be shipped out during the winter
months, some healthy orders having
been received. No small amount of
the product will find it's way to New
Orleans Alabama coal is still being
shipped in considerable quantity. seven
or eight cars day 10 Nc Xico, VII Vera
Cruz.
Coal from Cullman county IS being
used in tnia trade on account of the
hardness Of the product. The hsid