The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-12-30
IRON Is PICKING UP
LITTLE PIGS IN SMALL LOTS IN DE-
 MAND NOW.
Furnace Companies Prepared for Re- sumption of Business-Labor Slightly Dfs0rganised
 But Will Return.

Birmingham, Dec. 29.-- Especially The sale of little pig iron, in small sized lots. and the receipt of several inquiries as to future production and delivery. has encouraged Southern pig iron manufacturers to a considerable extent and the belief Is now expressed that there will be a decided change for the better in the next few days. The indications are that from two to four blast iron furnaces how idle will resume operation during this week, two belonging to the Alabama Consol- dated Coal and Iron Company, one of the Republic Iron and Steel Company and one of the Tennessee Cornpany's furnaces.
 Pig iron quotations are showing some strength despite the fact that there is no great demand. officials of one of the larger companies in the dis trict announce that they can afford to hold what little iron they have on hand or the prospective iron for $l4 per ton. No. foundry, though reports are current that some sales have been made as low as s12.75 per ton.
 There is no admission that a north- western stove manufacturing company has placed a large sized order in the Birmingham district for pig iron though 1t is positively known that few days back this same consumer was asking Tor quotations.
 The big plant of the United States Cast Iron Pipe and Foundry Company. at Bessemer, in the Birmingham dis trict. will start up again tomorrow af- ter a weeks shut down for the holi- days. This plant has orders on hand which will warrant an operation for sometime while other orders are in sight which will give work for a much longer period. Other cast iron At.G <-Ga AIvN resume operation tomorrow or two days later. The labor employed in the pipe plants in this section of the country is still here. Much of the la bor employed in foundries. iron works and steel plants which have been down for some time has been scattering late- ly. but it was stated that at the first indication of a resumption of the work the men would return to the district.
 Inquiry at. the general offices of some of the iron and steel companies elicits the information that everybody Is now ready for the improvement Tn conditions to start up and that no time will be lost in resuming operations at Furnaces at the moment the demand for the product warrants 1t.
 Four of the old open-hearth furnaces of the Tennessee Company steel plant at Ensley were blown out recently to be remodelled. No time is to be lost in remodelling these furnaces as the intentions are to keep up a healthy production of steel. There has been but little slack in the steel market. rail In particular being in strong de- mand
 De procured in this district, 1t is un- derstood that the United States Steel Corporation. which a short time back purch sed the properties of the Ten 'nessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Com- pany. intends not only rebuilding some of the furnaces in the Birmingham ter ritory but wiii@ build additional fur naces when the general conditions throughout the country improve.
 J c. Maben, President of the Sloss- Sheffield Steel and Iron Company left today for New York to attend meet ing of the executive board of his com pany. Before leaving for the East he said that all indications pointed to a change fer the better In the iron mar ket, that consumers of pig iron would be bound 10 return to the market and that everything else would not continue atNfhe present pace. He said that the fact that iron quotations recently had taken on some strength was an indi- cation of early improvement of condi- tions and that he did not believe the day was far distant before every fur mace company in the Southern terri tory would be making effort to pro- duoe the largest output of iron possi- bie.
 A general resumption of operations will take place at the coal mines in the State Monday, several of the larger coiiieries in the district still being idle, having shut down foH the holidays. Eff fort was made on the day after Christ mas to get the miners to return to work in order to keep up with the de- mand for coal. But few of the mines remained idle and this because all of the miners would not go back to work. Reports come to Birmingham that when the whistle blows tomorrow there will be a general resumption of work on the part of the men. The railroads are giving the best of service in handling the coal. this being the principal industry that is now under full headway in the district. It is be- iieved that no time will be lost at the coal mines for the new years day.
 Alabama coke will again move to- wards Mexico, another order having becn received from that country The product will be handled by rail through the Pensacola port. thence by boat ito Vera Cruz The first part of this year, at a time the coke market was dull the Mexico order was appreciated Good prices were obtained for the pro- duct.