The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-16
PIG IRON MARKET
REGENT INQUIRIES INDICATE THAT CONSUMERS ARE SOUNDING
 MARKET.
Raw Material Supplies Tn State Of Ala baxna Are Better-A Large seam Of Ore Has Been Dis
 covered,

Birmingham, Sept. 15.-(Special )- l Alabama iron manufacturers are in 6 better mood this week as indications point to change for the better in the iron market. While quotations are of from one to one and a half dollars as compared to the prices six weeks ago, the weakness has vanished and the prospects for recovery are exceed ingly bright.
 There has been a steady line of in- quiries recently. indicating that the consumers are sounding the market. While they are not placing any busi- ness the manufacturers believe that they will shortly begin buying and conditions will resume the s@te they were in some few weeks since. In the meantime the iron makers are not suf- fering any mentally because of the weak market for the reason that the probable make for the last quarter of this year has been disposed of and a few sales will lap over into next year. Consumers are urging delivery on or ders placed several months which is taken as an indication that there is need for this iron.
 There Is a little iron on the yards at made when inquiry is extended as to the cause of this is that for the better part of the accumulation, the product awaits transportation facilities and an- other reason Is that the iron is of low grade. The make in this State is holding its own. Che furnace is slated to go out of blast during September with one to go in about the latter part of the month. The Woodward furnace which has practically been rebuilt will be ready for the torch in the next two weeks and as soon as the drying out process can be gone through with it Is expected that iron making will start at this place.
 Raw material supplies in Alabama are better. Announcement was made during tho week just closed that the Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron Company had discovered a large seam of ore uner some smaller seams and that the seam would be mined through shafts. There is not much shaft min ing in the ore fields in this section of the country but the report given out says that reputable engineers made the investigations and that enough ore is to be accounted for to run up in the billions of tons. Future develop ment, though, will have to prove the expectations as to the quantity of this ore.
 Several prospectors are in the fields in this State for ore. As is known, there is no telling how thick the brown ore veins will run but so far there have been no indications of the product giv- ing out. Red Mountain, in the neigh borhood of Bessemer, where the Ten nessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Com pany, the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Company and the Woodward Iron Com pany have extensive operations. Is fur nishing more ore now than ever be- fore and the complaint of a short sup ply Is not so prominent as it has been. There is need for more ore, however, but strenuous efforts are being made in that direction and the prospects are bright.
 The blast iron furnaces now in oper- ation are producing a lively amount of iron. This product is needed almost as rapidly as 1t is being manufactured. Some complaint is heard as to rail- road cars, the officials of the trunk lines being urged to keep up the sup ply of cars almost daily so that there can be prompt handling of the iron.
 In steel, cast iron pipe. soil pipe, machine shop and foundry products, rolling mills articles and otAer things of a kindred nature, conditions are re- ported as being fairly good Ship ments are steady, in fact the melt is as healthy as 1t has been in many a day.
 The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Rail road Company has consummated the deal for thirteen acres of land adjoin ing their steel plant at Ensley, to be used for extension purposes. The com pany paid S3.000 per acre for the prop erty. As has been announced before, the steel plant at Ensley is to be en- larged just as quickly as men and means can do 1t, in fact double plant is under construction already. This enlargement is to be enlarged upon also There Is a ready demand for every ton of steel that can be manu- factured, no matter what its shape.
 A peculiar condition obtains at the Birmingham rolling mills (Republic Iron and Steel Company. For years the company has had contract with the Amal gamated Association of IroD and Steel Workers. During the past few years a new organization sprung up among the puddlers in rolling mills throughout the country known as the Sons of Vulcan. The latter or ganizatio1 a few months since de- manded a contract also but having a contract with the Amalgamated the company declined the request. Then the Sons of Vulcan walked out crip- bling the pudding department The Amalgamated was strong in the finish Ing departments of the mill but hay ing no muck iron they could not keep in operation. So the mills had to shut