The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-18

considerable satisfaction was noted.
 The production during the first month
 and . half of this year already snows
 up we'll and many predict that tnere will be better increase in the pro- dnct;on this year than was shown by I the figures of 1906 compared to those of 1905. The preparations being mace to increase the output at furnaces in- dicates the desire to manufacture the l top notch of quantity.
 A visit to the ore fields in this dis trict show plainly the preparations mat are being made to Increase the pig iron production. On Red Mountain between Birmingham and Besscmer. much tim- Der is being cleared away and minins operations being started. There is al- most as much development on now in
 the ore fields as Is noted in the coal fields. At the furnaces where repair ing is going on at lively rate, the bins for raw materials are being en- larged so that instead of ten days supply of ore and coal and coke and limestone, a fortnight and even longer supply can we'll be cared for.
 Recently the work of developing the ore fields extensively was taken up and indications are that before long now there will be as much activity in this direction as is to be seen in the coal fields of the State. That there Is need for more ore is not denied, inasmuch as some of the larger furnace compa- nies are buying ore from independent mining companies to keep up with their needs. There is a large amount of undeveloped ore lands in this State and the product can he reached easily In but few instances will there be nec- essary to construct lengthy extensions of railroads as in the case Of the de- velopment of the coal fields.
 | y.lA.s ingham and Bessenier. railroad lines run within short distance of the ore beds and spur tracks and extensions can be put in at very small cost. The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company in particular has taken up the work of increasing the production of ore. making preparations for decid- edly larger consumption in the next few weeks.
 plants and the cast iron pipe works in the Birmingham district are doing the best. though rolling mills and foun-' dries and machine shops have their hands pretty well filled. It Is announ- ced that rolling mill men are being sought by Birmingham concerns to start up some additional departments In the big mills In this city. At the cast iron pipe plants shipments of the
 
 they have been in some times. A large shipment of pipe was started few days since from Bessemer to Norfolk to be used at the Jamestown Exposi- tion Some healthy orders for pipe have been placed recently in this ter ritory. New Orleans and several cas- tern cities in particular being good customers.
 The indications are that with what has already been sold and orders under consideration and expected that there will be steady operation of pipe plants In this district for great portion of the present year. if not through the whole year The machine shops and foundries, as stated, have bright pros poets also. Recently some orders hay" been received in this dIstrict, for ma chinery to be used in foreign countries Japan, Mexico. Cuba and other coun- tries have recently placed orders for machinery in the Birmingham district. It is believed that the givinR of tho contract for the Panama canal to a Southern contractor would be of hen"'s fit to the Birmingham machine shops and foundrteR.
 lnouiry in the coal fields elicits the information that there is a decided tmprovement in operations, the rail roads now doing little better in the way of furnishing cars with which to handle the coal. The demand for fuel continues strong and there is positive k no indication that the demand Is go- Ing to fall off in the near future. The weather this winter has been splen- did for the coal operators. The state ment by the State Mine Inspector that the years production was only 11,4a6.- 1G1 against 11,90o,153 tons In 1905. showing falling off in 1906 of 45s,- 992 tons, caused little surprise though 1t was announced about q