The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-05
PIG IRON MAR1kET
FURNACE CoMPANVl
 ED WITH F. =
o....,.x ..A Ssaiity sf Product Tne .."r kS, Bat Prices and Ces Ds...S Ire Decidedly

>,,.xh.rZ Aug. 4-(Special.)-
 ,Rown that up to September " " n1a 1aos q no iron had been sold for 1907 ao; ao;,xsrv nsvv hile before Jury l. 1907. some Fbeen sold for delivery during ron ~. n half of 1908. with splendii - s..a m Rte sold by August l. 1t can we'll en that the Alabama pig Iron ma let n is in fine .n,,saaI.: shape, .nn..r to he
 ased at conditions and the prospects
 far as they go. The quantity and ,uality of the iron as present could be Improved on, but there are local con- ltions which are having effect. Some
 the furnace companies believe that khe humidity has something to do with Vthe quality of iron. much or the lower grades being turned out now. while 1t 's . hard task in addition to keep the furnace at full blast or to get furnaces under repairs ready for tn torch. Ire quotations are still strong and no in dications visible that there are to be any reductions In the near future.
 very little spot iron trading is going gray. which Is better grade than No. foundry. This product is brining 323. 50, quick delivery. There is very little iron to be seen on the yards ,x- cspt iron under No. 2. foundry. Tho statement is made by one of the larger companies that the iron to be seen on the yards in this district will aggre- gate less than was here . year ago.
 The Sloss-S -Shefaeld Steel and Iron Company. for instance. reports about two thousand tons of iron on she wards at it's furnaces. and none of this Is above No. 3 foundry. It is further stated by this company that the iron on the yards has been sold. and awaits instructions as to delivery.
 mt hAQn made lately in the raw material sup. plies. The labor question is a hard one. Reports are current that consid- erable of .he foreign labor which was brought to this district during the past two years is dissatisfied with the work in the ore mines and many of the men will quit and take up other work. This will necessitate employing of other la bor again, perhaps the negro labor will be sought once again. The ore SUD- plies are not altogether satisfactory with all companies. . trouble that has been on in this district TOT some time
 The Tennessee and Southern Steel Companies are tho greatest sufferers from a short raw material supply. The statement h reiterated that an i'm provsment is expected in this direction in the near future. Tt takes time to get mines enlarged or to repair fur nacss," said a furnace man few days ago, and he was in earnest.
 To give an illustration of the trou- ble met up within furnace repairing, . prominent iron man Of the Birning. ham district siad that 1t was necessary to bring some men from the North tc do certain work about 8 furnace being repaired. When the man from ths North started to work 1t was discover. ed that they did not belong to the same union as did the boiler makers ant other men employed at home and th' differences between the unions became so intense that personal difficulties fol lowed and the work on the furnace wal delayed to a considerable extent. "W' were just simply up against it." sait the furnace man. ''and could do noth Ing but wait until the trouble betwee, the unions was over. We lost moro than two weeks time through thi' trouble. And, all the time. we were il a sweat to get the furnace started up 50 great was the demand for iron."
 There is some inquiry still being re ceived in this district in regard to th future delivery of iron, indicating tha the consumers have not made all ar arrangements for their needs.
 Cast iron pipe manufactured in th Birmingham district continues to nov out in all directions Soil pipe is als' in good demand. Foundries and ma