The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-24
lNDS'TEEL
' OF ALABAMA CONDITIONS.
Iron at Good Prices. sn is Glven to the fracture of Steel.

Id there ts but lftt1e, IT any, atfon. What iron is going to lnce yards belongs to some one d is awaiting instructions for nts.
 fe are two furnaces in this State s4 are ready for the torch right and two others will be in that tition within very short while. production, despite continua- of the strike in the coal mining ms, interfering not only with the supplies, but also the coke, has study. However. there has been
 importation of these products
 he iron production has not been
 fered with. The quotations for iron are looking up wonderfully. theer is every indication that by . end of the month the prices will q at least 50 cents per ton over the present. schedule. No iron Is being sold in Alabama at the present writing suder SIP per ton. No. 2 foundry. In some instances where immediate de- lxery is stipulated, SIS Is being asked pd very little concession is being siven. either. No. 2 foundry at $12.50 * tier ton is rather common at present.
 Considerable inquiry Is reported in the Southern territory for Iron to be delivered during the first quarter of the coming year. The furnace com panaes have not as yet sold much of this Iron and do not appear to make any reasonable concession to book business that far ahead. This condi- ton, however. prevailed a year or so ago. that is business booked five and even more months ahead. The sales for last quarter delivery aggregate well and if the demand holds up. there will be need for blowing in all fur naces that are ready for the torch at the earliest possible moment
 A large amount of iron is being maffAd in the home farriforv Thers iR fairly good movement to the outheid. The inquiry that is be- ing received would indicate that South ern prices are not taking a very great lead over the quotations in the North, if any at all.
 A prominent iron man. in talking over conditions. said day or two ago that were the strike and troubles attending thereto over, there would be no end fo the improvement in all conditions. While the iron production is being held up through the importa- tien of coal and coke from adjoining States, this is causing some ineon- venience that could be avoided and other industries would be started up-
 For instance, 1t is given out on the best of authority that the operation of plants of the Southern Steel Company, bankrupt, will be delayed until Mo- vember or later, because of the strike. The reorganization committee is work ing slowly. but a few weeks ago it was announced that the plans had gone considerable way towards 8 consuna- nation. The proposed officers were suggested and other announcements given out which looked as if the plant would be in operation anyhow during the month of August. The strike of the miners came along ard disturbed all interests more or less.
 The demand for pig iron Is coming ZH=FE@~ ATM 1s4RR. ton price anticipated win hardly de- lay any business that might be looking this way. The Northern furnaces, ac- cording to reports which come this way, are keeping up with their South ern brethren in the way of advancing quotations. There is hardly a chance Of the Southern furnace companies ad- vancfng the prices too rapidly for 2their own good
 The make of pig iron in Alabama during the month of August will equal and most likely better the output for July. As will be remembered. there was a larger output during July than during any month this year., The fur nace masters have been watching all points and the effort is now being made to not only care for the demand. but to overcome any difference that might exist as far as the make goes as compared to the ouput of last year. It will be accounted for that in the make last year but three depressed months wepe experienced. while this month sewn and a half months of de- pression must be considered.
 Statements made by high officials of the Queen and Crescent Railroad, who spent two or three days in Birming- a nam the past week. were most encour- aging. They stated that conditions generally throughout the country were picking up and that prosperity was returning rapidly. The Birming- M ham district. they said, would keep up with any other section of the country that might be named inasmuch as the resources here were of solid nature and the kind that made the country VI While here the gentlemen called on the big shippers and the merchants and gave them words of encourag gment.
 It was promised that just as soon as the improvement had made that much "A gain as to require more equipment, the shops and other works of the system would be put on full force in all de- partments. At present only such work as had to be done was being M given attention. W. c. Rinearson, the General Passenger Agent of the Queen and Crescent. was enthusiastic in his expressions as to the future prosper ity.
 Much attention is being given to the manufacture of steel by the Ten-
 
 pany at Ensley There is no doubt but that the output is being improved # right along, the output for this month to be much greater than 1t was in July and just double what it was a year ago. There is good demand for every ton of steel that can be manu- factufed, no matter what shape. Steel raiI in particular Is enjoying a great demand.
 4 That some very healthy orders have recently been booked for Alabama steel rail cannot be denied The rumors that some of the larger systems through out the United States had offered contracts hereabouts for steel rail are being verified from several sections oi the country. The rail Is not being allowed to accumulate at all. The Bessemer rolling mills, belonging tc the Tennessee Company also, is rolling e66sfderable steel and ,t.here Is a strong Remand for all of Shs products there.
 Good prics obtain for steel.
 The coal production in Alabama be- cause of the strike is at its lowest ebt in several years. Several of the com nercial coal companies have made nc