The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-28
PIG IRON MARKET
ANGRY OVER FREIGHT
 RATE ADVANCE.
Furnace Men Are selling Product Months In Advance Owing to Attractive Prices Being Of-
 fered by Consumers.

Birmingham, Jan. 27.-(Special)- The selling of pig iron by the Alabama manufacturers, for delivery during the last half of the year, continues at a lively rate and there is positively no feeling expressed but that the entire make of the year is going to be need ed.
 Up to a year ago furnace companies in this State would not sell their pro- duct beyond three months. anticipating a change in conditions as regards quo- tations, etc. Now, the furnace compan- les are selling six months and long, er ahead. 1t being realized that the prices could hardly be expected to be much better than they are and then again the profit at present prices is satisfactory.
 The make in this district remains practically unchanged. The shipments are still a little more active but as predicted. the month is going to close with more than thirty thousand tons of pig iron on the yards, iron that should have been delivered last month and even before that time. The advance in freight rates, twenty-five cents per ton, will go into effect next Friday. The manufacturers had hopes up to few days since that this advance would he held off until a greater DOT ticn of the iron winch accumulated by i reason of the railroad car shortage in this territory had been shipped out It was figured that 1t was not exactly fair to charge the advance on such iron i that would have been shipped out weeks ago had the railroads been able 1 to handle the traffic.
 ! The manufacturers protested right from the moment notice was given that there was to be an advance in the rates. The understanding is that the traffic officials believe that iron prices justified that the railroads get i into the era of prosperity. It ia not i denied in this district that. when call- ed upon the railroads were always willing to assist the iron manufactur- CTS and many concessions were made in time Of need.
 When the iron quotations went up, it is asserted, the railroad officials thought that the time had come for | them to get part Of the prosperity and hence the advance in freight rhtes. Tho ! manufacturerds do not relish the pro- posed Increase Ill rates to SC Into effect in the next few days.
 It Is estimated that there ts more l than thirty-five thousand tons of iron | on the furnace yards in this district, which should have been delivered be. 1 fore the present month cane on. The amount of clamoring on the rart of con- sumers can well be imagined when these conditions are stated.
 The home consumption of pig iron in Alabama is better now than 1t has ever been in the history of the indus trv. The machine shops and foundries have their hands well filled and tho prospects are very bright. The Payne and Joubert Company plant at East Birmingham, part of the industry op erated by the same firm in New Or leans. has had good start. Mention Is made that this concern w.ll get busy quick on an order for sugar refining machinery that is estimated at one hundred thousand dollars and moro business is in sight The plant is no small affair and has capacity for more thu lhe ordinary foundry or machine shop. Otter pants doing similar work are quite busy and report that the fu- turc prospects are rosy.
 At the rolling mills there Is steady operation while the cast iron pipe | works are requiring great quantities of iron Tn their daily operation. Tho melt in the Birmingham district alone is extraordinary and the indications are | these conditions will last for some months tc come. To hear the iron mer talk one would think that thero Is to be no end again to the activity In Iron and steel
 The several steel plants in Alabama
 are doing as we'll as could be expec-
 ted with their facilities. Orders are
 on hand which will require the proba-
 ble make for months and months to
 come. In steel rail there Is no more | consideration given to orders and in
 quiries are answered politely, "solo
 up" It Is generally understood In thii
 district that the Tennessee Coal. 1ror
 and Railroad Company has been re-
 ceiving inquiries us to steel rail fol
 delivery during the coming wear, thu