The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-25
IRON, COAL AND COKE
WEEKS REVIEW OF MINERAL DIS.
 TRICT CONDITIONS.
Floods in Pennsylvania Have Caused Renewed Inquiry for the Alabama Producfs-The Shortage
 of Care.


 Birmingham, March 24.--(Special)- Because of interruption to the pro- duction in Pennsylvania through floods, Alabama pig iron manufacturers have been receiving many requests to supply spot iron or accept business for delivery during the next thirty days.
 This new business could not be ham dled, the regular trade being sufficient to take up whatever iron there was to be had for immediate delivery. The premium being paid for the little lots of spot iron obtainable in this district Is still interesting, but the amount of spot iron that is being sold is so small that 1t can hardly be considered In the general statement of mart conditions.
 There is such a strong inquiry for iron to be delivered during the latter part of the year, too, and the demand Is assuming such a shape, that predic- tions are made that before long all quotations in this district will take an upward move and orders will be de- clined for delivery at any time in 1907 except at one price. No foundry is selling at $1s strong for delivery durI Ing the third quarter, while the lowest price made for iron to be delivered dur ing the fourth quarter is on a basis of s1S.5O per ton, No foundry.
 Nineteen dollars per ton promises to be the common price before many days have passed for iron to be deliv- cred, even during the last month of | the year, if the conditions continue to solidify as they have been doing re- gently. Well-informed brokers in this district assert that there is only one | thing that can shake the iron mart, | and that is for a general demoraliza- | tion of the stock market in the East. The troubles recently experienced in
 the stock mart did not have any ef-
 feet on the iron market, as far as can | be seen, though some of the stocks of
 the industrial corporations in this dis | trict felt the disturbance some. Orders | are in hand for such a large quantity | of iron and consumers have shown
 through their inquiries that there will | be need for so much iron yet this year.
 that the conditions promise to be in- | teresting at least through this year. Alabama iron makers are now dis
 turbed over the output as well as the.
 transportation facilities The railroad car situation and the locomotive power | capacity on the part of the railroad handling the traffic of the furnace and pipe companies of this section show but little improvement. Consumers are urging delivery on the product. The l production is off considerably in this | State. Several furnaces are undergo ing repairs which, 1t was thought a
 few weeks ago, would be in full opera ton by this time.
 The Shelby Iron Company Is consid- ering the blowing in of a stock at | Shelby on coke iron. One of the fur | naces at Shelby is now on charcoal iron. It is understood that business is l being accepted on coke iron by tlxis company and the second furnace will go on. The Woodward Iron Company,
 who lost a furnace from operation by
 the lining of the iron maker needing
 immediate repairs. is selling surplus ore, coke, coal and limestone. The Woodward Company has only one fur mace in blast right now, but no time is being lost in making repairs on the , two iron makers out This company has sold up we'll on its probable make. The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company has three furnaces under re- pairs at Bessemer and two at Ensley.
 The Sloss- -Sheffield Steel and Iron Company will not be able to get their Philadelphia furnace at Florence in
 blast until after May. It was believed some time ago that the furnace would be ready for the torch this week.
 The Republic Company has one fur mace out of blast.
 The Alabama Consolidated Coal and | Iron Company has a furnace under | temporary repairs at Gadsden, with a new furnace almost ready for the torch The Southern Steel Company has one furnace out Of blast. Nearly twenty 1 furnaces are out of blast in the South- ! ern territory.
 Announcement is made that one fur
 mace company in this district has fin ished deliveries on orders booked for | December. This means that this com | pany is but two months and a half l behind on its business. Other compa-
 nies are said to be in a worse condition
 as to delivery.
 No mention is made as yet as to the advance in freight rates which are | due to go into effect on April 3rd It | is believed that announcement will be
 made during this week that applica- | tion has been made to the interstate | commerce commission to delay the ad-
 vance of twenty-five cents per ton
 on iron and pipe and kindred products
 from the Southern territory to the Ohio
 river. as was done on two former oc- casions. The furnace companies ex-