The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-19
WEEK DEVELOPED
IRON INQUIRIES
Movement on Contracts Being
Promptly Consumed
COKE CONTINUES SAME
Pipe Shops and Other Industries Are
Using Great Quantities Of Biz
mlngham Iron-Baslc
Iron Active.
COKE CONTINUES SAME

The Birmingham iron market has been
quiet during the week but quotations re-
main unchanged.
Rogers. Brown & Co.'S Cincinnati re-
port Of yesterdays date follows:
The week has developed a number of
inquiries OF fair size but actual trans
actions have been limited. There is
tren. endous amount OF iron in movement
on contracts and this is all being prompt
ly consumed Sales of southern iron are In
excess Of the make for the same period,
and this has been the case for several
weeks In the north the demand for basic,
Bessemer and special irons is strong,
with many of the grades scarce.
Several reassuring incidents have oc-
Cured, chief among them being the re-
eovery of the stock market. better
tone in all industrials, satisfactory ad-
justment of the anthracite coal strike and
the lake longshoremen' difficulty, al
though at the present writing the last Is
reported to be in trouble and far from
settled owing to further disagreement
A most remarkable advance in the price
of copper, tin and other metals has so
far had no appreciabe effect on pig iron
again demonstrating the strength of the
latter and for once its freedom from
outside influences, either up or down. Ii Is
strongly intrenched in a position of its
own and it is firmly believed will so con-
tinue for the balance of the year at least
With consumption proceeding at phe-
nomenal rate, with no accumulations of
total stocks in furnace yards and little
change in production, the market condi-
ton justifes all that has been said of 1t.
Coke continues without change. The
movement is easier and production is be-
ing well maintained.
Matthew Addy & Co.'S Cincinnati pig
iron report for the week follows:
Things have been comparatively quiet
during the past week far as inquiry
and actual orders are concerned. and we
seem to have what may be termed a
waiting market" Statstically the situa-
ton is strong, for consumption goes on
at an unprecedented rate, and furnace
yards-especially in the south-are almost
bare; and yet there seems to be a gen
eral disposition among consumers to hold
off purchasing as long possible, and
the past weeks business was made up
mostly of small lots for spot shipment
Buyers seem to feel that If they can de-
lay covering until summer that they will
have an opportunity to get in at lower
figure On the other hand, the pig iron
manufacturers without exception are firm
In their belief that under the existing
condition of furnace stocks prices must
remain steady.
The pipe shops and other large users
of iron in the south are all extremely
busy, and great quantities of Birming-
ham iron are being used in this direc-
ton.
Perhaps the greatest activity has been
in basic iron. Several large sales are re-
ported again this week. and inquiry con-
tinues The recent purchases of Virginia
basic have sold up the furnaces pretty
we'll through the third quarter, and ma
turally prices have stiffened up material
w. While there continues to be a great
dearth of higher foundry grades buyers
are not worrying themselves on this score
but seem content to let things drift
along. purchasing from hand to mouth.
The existing condition is rather pecu-
liar one, but the fact remains that sum-
mer is now at hand and those who have
not provided for themselves must make
up their minds to do something.