The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-01-21
PIG IRON MARKET
SOME IMPROVEMENT IN FACILITIES
 FOR TRANSFORMATIONS.
Oufiook For Production In Birmingham District Is Bright, And Visits Of Gates, Hoadley And Topping
 Makes Boom.


 While 1t Is admitted that there Is some improvement in the transportation fa- cfIities in the industrial section of Ala bama, 1t is fact that the improve
 ment is not as extensive as the man. ufacturers of pig iron and kindred pro- ducts had desired.
 The end of this month will see a large proportion of the accumulated pig iron still on the furnace yards The advance of twenty-five cents per ton
 in freight rates will catch a large amount of iron. The protest of the manufacturers against paying the ad-
 vance on such iron as accumulated by
 reason of the railroads not being able
 to handle the product as rapidly as it
 was offered to them has been in vain and the indications a-- there will sbe
 which should have been moved out
 weeks and weeks ago.
 There Is a good demand yet for pig
 iron, delivery during the last half of
 the year. The prices for the product
 are very high yet and positively no intimation is given that there is like
 ly to be a change. Iron for delivery
 during the first quarter of this year
 is hard to get and Is considered a spot
 iron.
 Even second quarter iron is not as
 plentiful as one might expect. though
 1t can be secured. This product brings
 healthy price, too. Iron for delivery
 during the last half of the year com mands SIS and $19 per ton. No. found- dry. The melt this year will be much greater than it was last year. The make shows no improvement whatso- ever. One furnace is to blow ip during this week in the Birmingham district. according to preparations. Others are fast getting into shape and will be started up in the near future. Re- ports which come here do not indicate that the raw material supplies are very much improved. Together with tho bad transportation facilities, this has been preventative for a larger iron output in the State.
 There is no charcoal iron being man. ufactured in Alabama at the present time. The Shelby Iron Company is making preparations to blow In one of their furnaces at Shelby Charcoal is a rare commodity but the iron brings big price, $25 being the price given. There is good demand for the pro duct and the Shelby Company expects along run if charcoal can be secured The Alabama Iron makers are as con- l fident as they can be that there will be | strong demand for thefr product all 1 through the year. Thfs condition Is re- | sponsibie for the effort that is being | State. It is almost a certainty that  l the production in this state cannot be | increased too much. The delivery dur I ing the present month is being closely l watched. The shipments are in all di- | rections.
 The Tennessee Coai, Iron and Rail l road Company will blow in ono of their l furnaces at Bessemer during the next | few days. The Sloss-Sheffield Steel and 1 Iron Company will shortly have fur
 mace ready for the torch. The Wood stock Iron Company IS rushing the | work of rebuilding of tho furnaces at I and Railroad Company Is rebuilding a | furnace at Ensley. Every preparation l is being made for steady output of | iron.
 A remarkable furnace in the Bir- 1 mingham district Is that of the Will | liamson Iron Company, located in the l city, on Fourteenth Street. The com | pany purchases all of its ore. coal coke l and dolomite, and is manufacturing l iron at profit The furnace has a | daily capacity of less than 100 tons of | iron.
 | The statement is made that the prob | able make of steel rail for the balance | of this year has been sold ahead. The | production in this district has been l steady and the prices have been high. | There is a strong demand also for steel | in other shapes and shipments are be- | ing made as rapidly as the production almost In steel rod. wire and nails | there is good demand. in particular. Coal and Coke.
 The first month of the ear will see a large production of coal and coke in
 Alabama. The mines have been doing
 better lately in the way of production.
 The only interference in the produc-
 tion has been In the railroad car short
 age There has been good demand for coal and coke on for many weeks,
 but the mines could not work full time
 because there were no cars with which
 to move out the product. The improve
 ment in the transportation facilities,
 as stated above, has been noticeable.
 but not enough to make loud brag
 on. However, there has been an im-
 provement in the coal production in
 Alabama, and this will show itself in the annual report.
 As with the pig iron situation, the
 prospects are very bright. and It Is be-
 lieved there will be steady operation
 at the mines all through the year. Good prices obtain for coal; in fact, the prices were never better than tney are at present. There are more mines
 in the State than ever before, and the development is on in several sections or
 the coal fields of the State.
 The purchase of 2.300 acres of coal
 lands in the lower part of the county
 by Dr. G. B. Grove and associates, in what is known as the Connellsville dis trict, means much development. Mines will be opened at once. The new Woodstock Iron Company will begin developing the New Castle fields again
 fin the northern part of Jefferson Coun-
 tv. Other preparations are being made in the state for coal development.
 While definite figures are still lacking. the indications are that the production
 for the past year, as far as coal Is con-