The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-13
PIG IRON MARKET
 BECOMING ACTIVE
First Two Weeks of January
 Business Satisfactory
PRICES ARE NOW UPWARD
Brisk Inquiry Which Developed Soon After First of the Year Has Re- suited In Considerable Trade.
 The Coke Situation.

The pig iron market is giving unmis- takable signs of increasing activity. Not only are prices firm at s145O on No. basis but sales this week will total quite good tonnage. Inquiries show an eager these needs without much delay Higher prices are predicted.
 Rogers. Brown & Co.'S Cincinnati re- port of yesterdays date follows:
 The first two weeks of the year have been marked by active buying by steel makers in both the east and central west, and the aggregate tonnage so placed is large. In most cases purchases have been for early delivery. Basic and Bessemer are in consequence very strong. In foundry iron the principal buyers have been the pipe works, and a good tonnage has been booked iA this direction
 The brisk inquiry which developed soon after the first of the year has resulted in considerable business and prices on both northern and southern iron are firm It Is generally conceded that in this ter ritory the stocks on consumers yards are
 
 yards generally The first of the year with it's stock taking Is responsible in large measure, but the tremendous con- sumption and lack of proper transporta- ton facilities Is the main cause for short supply. The furnaces both north and south have a much smaller amount of iron than most people realize It is understood that a good portion of this will be reserved and sold for spot shipment The order books of the furnaces could hardly be in better shape. The large consumers, all though they have been buying regularly continue in the market and in the east and west are figuring on further supply.
 One reflection of last years remarkable activity is recorded in the bank clearings, which show the aggregate at 94 leading cities to exceed by 27 per cent the az gregate at the same cities for 1904, and 21 per cent in excess of the hitherto rec orded record year 1901. Every section in the United States participated in this en- largement of figures
 Coke continues without noticeable change, but with the severe weather which is seasonable and will probably continue the ovens will not only find increasing difficulty in keeping full sup ply of labor al work but the railroads will meet with the usual delays and shortage of cars. At present the supply of coke on the yards is very small. This is particularly true of the Connellsville region. The recent shading of prices and slightly bettered railroad services result Ing in clearing them up.
 The Cherokee furnace of the Alabama and Georgia Iron company. devoted to the manufacture of high class charcoal iron. is again in satisfactory operation after an idleness of over year.
 Matthew Addy and company's Cincin- natl report for the week ending today, says:
 Now that we are thoroughly well into the middle of the month it Is apparent that January's business Is going to be wholly satisfactory. Trade has started off very briskly and there has been considerable free buying. The most nota- ble purchase of the week consists of lot of 225O0 tons bought by aksingle com pany for the manufacture of pipe. This order was widely divided among various northern and southern furnaces. From this large block of iron orders have ranged down to carload lots In great variety. One very marked feature of the trade just now Is the number of orders for 100 ton lots for comparatively quick shipment. It is very evident that such orders are coming from concerns who thought themselves fairly well covered by previous purchases, but who either have not received the iron as fast as they expected or have used it more rapidly than they anticipated, and need additional metal with which to fill out.
 Freight rates on shipments from south ern furnaces up to the Ohio river advance % cents March 1. All business. whether new or old, shipped after that date will have to stand the additional freight Many consumers are ordering iron due after March 1 shipped earlier as to get the benefit of the lower rate. It does not seem likely that requests of this kind can all receive consideration, much as the sellers would like to accommodate their customers. This advance in freights, however, make 1t very evident that from now on through February every effort will be strained on the part of buyers to get their southern iron forward, as of course there Is decided economy in getting shipments made during this time. Demand for coke is very much brisker than heretofore. In fact there has been most decided increase in inquiry, and also in sales
 All told the business of the week has been exceedingly good, and the prospects ahead are very promising.
 
 ALL-DAY MEETING.