The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-09
COAL, IRON ANDSTEEL
WEEKS REVIEW OF MINERAL DIs-
 TRxCT.
Manufacturers are Holding on For Further Concessions in QuOtattOns.
 Little Trouble With Trans-
 portRtiOn FncIlItieas

Birmingham, Sept S--(Speciall l- Not withs tanding the pig iron consum- ers are stin holding off for further con- sessions In quotations, Alabama pig iron manufacturers are not inclined to give in further than they have already.
 The fact that quite a large portion of the probable make for the balance of the year has been sold and In some in- stances the manufacturers are behind in deliveries, gives some encouragement to thu manufacturers. It is believed that there Is need for iron on the part of the consumers. and that the latter are holding off from the market to force the lower prices. The product ion in this district is still strong and the average grade of iron Is better than 1t has been at any time this summer. The iron Is being shipped as rapidly as 1t is being manufae .red.
 The complaint as to transportation facilities Is not very pronounced de- monstrating that the railroad officials are making effort to carry out promises that everything posslbie would be done to give the iron manufacturers assist anee in handling their product The home consumption is still heavy. Espeo- laAly are the cast iron plants busy. Ma chine shops and foundrIes appear to have plenty of orders on hand. Labor is scarce throughout the district In both Iron and steel plants.
 The production will hardly be im- proved to any extent In this district until about the middle of October, if by tn n. If one or two of the furnaces now under repairs should be gotten ready Tor the torch, it is certain that furn- aces now in blast will have to be blown out for repairs, so that the general pro- duction will hardly make any gains. The manufacturers are not alarmed as to the weakness of the iron mart now in evidence, and are doing everything possible to improve the make. It is set forth that the iron makers can afford to carry some iron on their yards and therefore all work on furnaces will he pushed and just as soon as they are | ready for operation the torch will be applied. There was a time when couple of months make at least was be- ing carried on the yards, and this was worked off after some little time at a good profit. That could be done again 1t is stated. and a profit will again be made. The furnace companies have been making a strong profit with prices high as they have been for sev- eral months There is bound to be some reaction. Reports which come to this center indicate that steel manu- lecturers have sold their probable make for a long time ahead and there will be need for pig Iron. The average ST duS VI l1Oh DSAAb PAOudCSu m L0lS district Is fairly good. No complaint Is made in this regard further.
 The raw material supplies in the Bir- mingham district are somewhat easier and show that efforts have been made to increase the output. especially at ore mines. There is more ore needed however. and development under way is looked upon to go a great way towards keeping full bins.
 Machine shops and foundries in the Birmingham district are turning out some good work. Large forces of men