The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-30
IRON MARKET
 PROMISING Production is Holding
 Up We'll. VIEW IS VERY OPTIMISTIC Finished Iron aud Steel in Strong
 Demand.
  Big Rolling Mills Are stm Being Operated By Negro Labor Though Waite Labor May Again He
VIEW IS VERY OPTIMISTIC

Birmingham, Sept, 2S --(Special)- The fourth and last quarter of 1907 will begin in a couple of days with the pig iron manufacturers having sold almost their entire probable make for the balance of the year, and waiting on the buying for delivery during the first half of the coming year.
 The pig iron market at present is firm and promising, There is no in- timation that the manufacturers are going to rush pell mell into the mar ket to sell their product for delivery next year. but they are in a position to wait a while and when, through necessity, the consumers seek the mart conditions will look favorable.
 As to quotations there are two sets of figures given. Iron for delivery during the last quarter of the year, with very little to be had. is qouted at from SIS to $1s.5o per ton, No.2 foundry. A report has it that some of this iron is selling at SIT to $1750 per ton, No. ? foundry. For delivery dur ing the first six months of the com ing year. and practically no sales be- ing made, ST is being asked with re- ports current that SIG has been ac- cepted for the product
 The iron production in Alabama is holding up well. considering the vari- ous obstacles. How material supplies are better but in more than one in- stance repairing is apparent. The Ten nessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Com pany Is getting a good supply of iron ore from the mines at Ishkooda, where some abandoned mines were rehabih- tated and are again in operation. The brown ore mines in Blount county are also beginning to make a showing and 1t is believed that by fall there will be q steady supply of ore.
 The iron being manufactured in this State IS being shipped out as quickly as 1t Is being manufactured. There Is very little accumulation noticed. As far as can be learned, all furnace com panies are right up on contracts and will be able to close the year in good shape, provided nothing happens.
 Reports of pessimistic nature are be- ing kept down and the furnace com panies in this section are showing no apprehension whatsoever. Confidence is noted on Aau sides and the efforts to keep up the output indicates that the future holds out inducements. Even at $15. the manufacturers in this State are making money on their iron and the furnace companies who have small furnaces and purchase all their raw material can keep in full blast also The home consumption shows but nt- tie difference of late. Some of the foundries are beginning to run slack but the big melters, the cast iron pipe concerns, can hardly turn out their pro- duct fast enough. There are orders on hand at the cast iron pipe plants, it is stated, that will warrant a steady operation of the works for many months to come. Several good con- tracts are shortly to be put out and bids asked for after the first of the coming year, deliveries to be made on them the following spring.
 ha of bat oar,, panies in this State are of an optimistic view as to the future market, Selling agents are keeping their eyes open and watching the consumers Some in- luiries have been received recently for Iron to be delivered during the first halt of the coming year, but whether this is bait or just an inyestiga ton into conditions, cannot be stated
 
 Finished iron and steel are in strons demand, the rolling mills in operation finding a ready demand for all pro. duets and shipments practically equa to output. The big Birmingham roll. ing mills are still being operated with negro labor, though it Is heard thai the labor is not as satisfactory as fl might be. There were notices posted recently at the big plant to the effect that the epublic Company had turned over the operation of the plant to the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company. It is known that the Ten nessee Company does not treat witt union labor. so this move was easily understood. The Republic Company mas a contract with the Amalgamatet Association of Iron and Steel Work, CTS but the Sons of Vulcan. who had { majority of the men working in th' puddling department demanded a con tract also, and not getting one. walked ont This crippled the mill and tn,