The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-01-31
FOUNDERS WROUGHT
Up BY RATE ADVANCE
Is Cents Per Ton Added for
Southern Pig
AND ROADS CAUSE DELAY
Northern Deliveries Are Better-De-
mand for SPOT Iron Is Lessened.
Southern Shipments made
quate-Steel Orders.

New York. January SO.-The Iron Age
will say tomorrow:
Deliveries Of pig iron to foundries and
steel works have been better, particular
~ north of the Potomac and east of the
Allegheny mountains, and the demand
for spot and prompt iron has been much
lessened. The territory more directly de-
pendent on southern iron seems still to
be suffering from inadequate shipments.
Generally speaking founders have been
much exasperated during the past few
months over the inability to get iron on
lower price contracts while a stiff pre-
MUM when paid for spot brought the
same iron to the foundry. Founders, too,
are exercised all over the country over
the action of the railroads in demanding
an advance of 25c per ton freight ON pig
iron from southern furnaces, effective
February ], when the very iron affected
was due them months ago and did not
reach them because the railroads could
not handle it.
Prices abroad have weakened and Mid
dlesborough today was reported at sc
shillings l0Ia pence This means that No.
Middlesborough can be laid down duly
protected at $19. 80 to 500. Last week some
foreign iron was sold on arrival at a
concession in preference to storing. There
is still considerable foreign iron to come,
practically all of it sold.
There has been quite a movement in
the central west.
The condition of the finished iron and
steel markets is well reflected In the
large amount of orders which the steel
companies have on their books. No par
tieularly large sale of steel rails is
ported but it is a fact that premiums
are being offered to the mills to secure
deliveries during the first half of the
year. The same is true of plates.
The supply of steel from outside sour
ces is growing slightly better. The steel
corporation itself Is suffering of short
age as keenly as ever and the Ohio mills
have been put on sheet bars for a week
to help out in that direction.
Orders continue to flow into the struc-
itural mills. both for buildings and
bridges.
Philadelphia foundry was the lowest
bidder ON the 100000 on pipe contract
for New Orleans. No award has yet
been made.
Cleveland. O., January 3O.-(special)-
The Iron Trade Review tomorrow will
say:
I'm spite of the fact that buyers are
showing more elaboration in placing or
ders for the last half of the year, and
that slightly lower quotations are made
In some cases, the pig iron market con-
tnues very strong. The Importance of
some small concessions recently made in
the east under unusual conditions have
been exaggerated
about ten days ago some of the for
eign iron was sold in New York at a low
er price than the prevailing quotation,
and another lot of foreign iron was also
disposed of at rather low figure in or
der to avoid eXorbitant dock charges. due
to unusual conditions in part of the
New York harbor.
Notwithstanding these concessions on
small lots the prices in the east have re-
manned firm sales have been in good
volume and in some instances quotations
have been advanced
Taken as a whole, the pig iron condi-
tions are easier, but furnish absolutely
no cause for belief that there is to be
any decided decline. The demand for
structural material has improved in most
centers. but competition is brisk, and
the principal producer has recently lost
number of orders to Independent inter-
ests, which We're eager for business
''rhere is, however plenty of work in
sight with plans and specifications for
operation requiring big tonnages, but
financial considerations prevent immedi-
ate action"