The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-07
E E. Johnstone & Co.
 Cotton Buyers and Warehouemen
 rrsps csnpes warhsss& Cotton Bought at Any Point in Alabama. S.o and Cou,pnmens Solicited Lowest Insurance best acde.
DEMAND FOR IRON
CAR SHORTAGE IS DRAWBACK TO
 BUSINESS.
Mir. Hoadiey win Spend . Month In Sir. mingham District and John W.
 Gates is Expected Seen. -i

DVD4NU36s sas' i Mir. Hoadley win Spend . Month In Bir-
 mingham District and John w..
 Gates is Expected Seen.
 Birmingham. Jan e.--(speciai. )--The first week of the new year witnssser . splen- did demand for pig iron. delivery during the second and third quarters of the year and a steady inquiry as to the product for the latter part of 1907. All iron wanted for delivery during the first quarter is being being asked for it.
 It is not an easy task to get promises of delivery on good sized contracts during the second quarter of the year some hand some sales have been made recently for de- livery during the third quarters. Were 1t not for the wretched condition of the rail- road car shortage and congestion. 1t might be stated that the iron mart conditions arc just as favorable as one might expect them to be. The indications are that many con sumers are going to scramble for iron be- fore long. Notwithstanding many promises there are indications that the railroad of- ficials are giving much relief and the move ment of iron from this section has not yet taken on much of a spurt this year.
 There is large quantity of iron on the furnace yards awaiting cars with which to move 1t out the product having been sold weeks and weeks ago. but so far there has been no improvement in the transportation facilities.
 The output of iron in this section has not been improved much either this year. if any, and while the blowing in of one furnace at Bessemer was announced the second day of the year, two days later it was given out that another furnace which had been making iron steadily for several months thad to be blown out for repairs II Is thus seen that the production Is not improved any. However, announcement ts made that in the next week or two there will be an iron maker or two ready for the torch and if the raw material supplies show any improvement there will be something doing inAthe way of increasing the output All the iron that can be manufactured in this district can find a ready demand.
 So far this year very little improvement has been made in the way of transportation facilities In this section. There is much iron on the furnace yards around Birming- ham and in North Alabama and the furnace operators are just as anxious to get the same moved out as they possibly could be. There are more reasons than one for want ing the iron moved at the earliest possible moment, and 1t is not necessary to mention the advance in freight rates which will go into effect on the first of February. Consumers are urging the manufacturers to do everything they possibly can to get the iron started away from the district. It will take much hard work to get the yards in this district cleaned by the first of Feb ruary. It can hardly be done, that is if the railroads keep up with their regular business.
 Mir. Hoadley is to spend the greater por- ton of the month in the Alabama indus trial regions. visiting the three furnaces, the several coal anu ore mines limestone ouarries. coke ovens and other properties or the company. Morris Rush, son of the former president of the company. Col. T. G. Bush, is accompanying MT Hoadey around the district adn II is nc: denoed Alabama Consolidated will not be inspect ed.
 Other high officials of industrial corpora tions in the Birmingham district who have office or reside in the East will be here shortly. As has been announced before the present year promises to be one of great expenditures of money for better ments and further developments. Not only will the larger corporation give up time and money to these purposes. betterments and developments. but the smaller concerns as well. In the coal fields there is great activity and the statement is made now that were the railroads in a position to handle the business the output of coal m Alabama could be increased twenty per cent. There is a demand for every ton of coal that can be mined in Alabama. There is demand for every ton of coke that can be manufactured. The local con- sumption is heavy and much of the out side trade is being worked u. Fuel agents of large consumers of coal are returning to the district to watch cars that are being sent here to handle coal for use by the concern furnishing cars.
 Pig iron quotations are just as healthy right now in Alabama they have ever been. Iron desired during the first three months of the year is considered the same spot iron, stated, and command from $23 to S24 per ton, No. foundry. The iron to be delivered during the second quarter of the year, and there Is not great Qusn- tity obtainable, is bringing between $2U and $2l per ton, No. foundry. while the third quarter is not more than from $1 to $150 per ton less. Fourth quarter iron is being inquired for and the furnacemen say tAey are not anxious to sell under slS.60 per ton.
 Positively no indication is apparent in this section that there will be a decided change in the happy iron mart conditions during this district are being attended to and every effort is being maQs to improve the pro- duction of iron. either immediately or in the near future. The extensive expenditure being made would hardly indicate that there is a period of depression looked for in Alabama. The labor question Is the only. one which any concern is felt whatsoever. save that of the railroad stua- tion, and ethere Is hope of an early im- provement.
 The bringing in of foreign labor promises to be Abetter during the next few months and conditions will ease up right along.
 The proposition is just simply this the railroads ill the Birmingham district have about as much business as they can take of. It is not denied that more loco motive power has ben ordered and new equipment is being delivered all the time, while some of the railroads are building cars every day. but 1t is stated that busi- ness is improving at more rapid rate than the equipment can be secured or that the various companies would be justified in lay ing in.
 There is but Title doubt as to the permen- cy of the great boom that Is on in the Bir- mingham district. Iron has been sold ahead for sixteen months and orders are being booked every day for the third quarter of the year with a strong inquiry for the lat ter part of the year iron. In steel rail the big plant in operation at Ensley will have to work hard to keep up with promises made for this years delivery. In steel rod, wire and nails. the probable make until August has been covered and orders are under con sideration right now which combe near cov- ering the probable make during the balance of the year. The cast iron pipe works in this state have much work ahead of them for this year. while soil pipe manufacturehs have plans in hand now for enlargements of thelr inductries.
 The rolling mills are working hard and as far can be seen there is no immediate prospect of a cessation of operations at any of the plants. The foundries and machine shops in this section are dong nicely and all proprietors appear to be as optimistic they can be. So, 1t is to be seen that there will be much traffic in Alabama during the next twelve months at least. The presence in the Birmingham district of Joseph Hoadley, recently elected presi- dent of the Alabama Consolidated Coal & Iron Company means something for the state. MT. Hoadley announces that there