The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-13
IRON STOCKS ON
 YARDS ARE LIGHT
Market Strong and Active and
 Buying Will Continue
REDUCED IRON PRODUCTION
Owing to Several Furnaces Being Out of Blast for Repair the Output Is Less Than at This
 Time Last Year.

The Birmingham iron market has been without any special features this week. It is exceedingly strong, however, and eager inquiries indicate that active buy ing will continue throughout the year. A prominent broker predicts that spot iron will command a premium right up to the end of the last quarter.
 Production in Alabama is less than this time last year. This is owing chiefly to a number of furnaces being out of blast for repairs.
 Rogers, Brown & Co.'S Cincinnati report for the current week says:
 The second quarter of the year starts off with conditions intensified at all points. The market is stronger today than at any time during the past six months and furnaces are booked for a longer period ahead and at better average figures than at any time previously In their his tory. Consumers are taking every pound of iron due them on contracts and in many instances specifying for anticipation of the deliveries called for. Recent busi- ness has been largely sales of small ton mage for immediate shipment and is made up of off lots and high Silicon iron for which furnaces generally do not contract ahead.
 It appears from careful investigation in the Birmingham district that the large tonnage generally supposed to be on the yards there, only amounts to about 25,000 tons and as this is moving in fair shape, there will be no tremendous dump of southern iron on any market as has been anticipated by some. The southern fur naces are in very strong statistical position.
 Indications of heavy buying movement are again in the air. Last year about this time, the tendency was to go slow and only buy for business that consumers actually saw in sight The result was that from July on it was practically impossible to get iron to take care of pressing business, and these conditions are apparently going 10 be repeated this year on an intensified scale. When it is figured that even nsw with many north ern furnaces the whole at tude is one of complaceney and inaf lty to take care of additional business for the third quarter, buyers are profiting by experi- ence last year and recent active in- quiry indicates a tendency to forestall a repetition of these conditions. Reports llolil CoHSuTleTS Bellerdlly IHrOuRnOut the west indicate that business during the first quarter with them has exceeded any, thing previously for the same time.
 Several occurrences of national import ance and influence on tile countrys trade are noted in the Chicago municipal elec- tion, the settlement of labor difficulties in the west and the bright outlook for crops. Business conditions as traced by the commercial agencies show a stability nf frpA Aa 4tot fe ft,e,. irfx,
 Sales of Bessemer and basic iron in the Pittsburg district have cleaned up the market to July 1. Favored brands of foundry iron everywhere are held at fancy prices for spot shipment wherever available.
 Coke is moderately active with prices somewhat easier There is considerable tonnage of furnace coke, temporarily available on account of the blowing out or banking of furnaces in the west and south
 Matthew, Addy & Co.'S report follows:
 Interest in the pig iron market cen- ters entirely around the last half of the year. The second quarter is no longer open for discussion. All of the iron that can be made in the country for April May and June except a beggarly trife of spot stuff, the tonnage of which is not worth consideration, has been sold, and the second quarter Is practically a closed incident.
 In regard to the last half of the year. there is no question but the prevailing opinion is that prices are going to be firm and high. This is abundantly shown by the fact that so many consumers have already covered their wants for that time Furnace order books were never in the history of the trade better filled than at the present time A very large per centage of the iron that can be made dur inG the third quarter has been sold and probably more than one-half of all the iron that can be made during the fourth quarter. The faith that con sumers have in the market is we'll H. lustrated by the sale this week of up- wards of 200,000 tons of Valley Bessemer to independent steel makers. These Besse- mer transactions in their magnitude and interest overshadow all the other events of the week. Naturally at the high prices which have been ruling for last half, there have been consumers who have either been afraid to buy, or who have decided that it was a fair chance to wait There are several heavy melters Of iron who have practically nothing bought beyond July. Then there are others who desired to average up and who have purchased only part of their requirements. It is therefore very evil dent that unless consumption takes an unexpected drop demand Is going to con- einue right along.
 The southern railroads have been doing much better for the past six weeks than previously. and the 10000 tons of iron which had accumulated on furnace yards has been reduced so that now there is less than 25.000 tons on hand This 25 O00 tons Is mainly made up of off-grade iron. The quantity of merchant foundry iron on hand both in furnace and consumers yards is extremely limited, and within a short time users of southern iron will be entirely dependent on shipments each day as the iron Is made. This is already the case in the north, where there is no reserve supply at all.
 During the week business in foundry iron has been in small lots. There has been steady purchasing in minor auan- titles of iron for the last half and there has been larger demand than could be supplied of iron for immediate delivery.
 There is considerable jockeying going on at the present time in the coke trade. The coke trade always has readiust- ment at the beginning of the summer season, and we are very close to the time when many heavy yearly contracts are to be placed, and negotiations looking toward the close of these contracts are already under way.
 Prices remain unchanged, s23 for spot southern No ? being the asking price. and $1S.5O for delivery over the last half. Northern No 1 for immediate delivery is s25 and No. 1 for the last half, $22.
 Actress VIII Retire.
 New York, April 12.-Dispatches from RostOn where Miss Eav TamnIa