The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-21

perienced except by one or two of the smaller companies who are about ten oays behind in their orders.
 Tnere is confidence that quotations
 for Iron in the Birmingham district will not so back ward. $12.s0 per ton, NO. foundry being the minimum sue- gested for twelve months to come at least.
 There is a steady inquiry being re- ceived for iron and some small lot
 business Is still being accepted in some quarters. As stated, there is precau- ton being taken in the acceptance of business as the probable make must be considered. This is the first time | in several months that such a thing was taken into consideration, no hesi-
 tation being expressed when 1t came to
 booking orders. In almost every fur mace company office the statement is to be heard that every attention Is being given to the production.
 The steel plant at Ensley Is not only working steadily but the large complaint of men Is being increased. | couple of hundred additional cm- ployees were put on during the past week and still more will a little later be given employment. There Is need
 for all the steel that can be produced.
 One indication that all the steel that can be manufactured Is In strong de- mand was demonstrated the past week
 when the big rolling mills of the Ten nessee Company shut down a few days because the raw material was not in sufficient quantities to meet the full capacity of the plant. The rolling
 mills will not be down but a few days
 as the steel supply will be improved. The big Ensley industry is not losing
 a minutes time and in some depart ments double time Is being put in. Announcements made during the past week that the Tennessee Coal.
 Iron and Railroad Company would
 take up immediately the proposed im-
 provements at its furnace and steel plants in Ensley was most encouraging
 to the district. The replacing of three
 of the old blast iron furnaces at Ems ley with new and larger iron makers means no little while the addition of a six hundred ton metal mixer in the open hearth department of the steel works will greatly enhance the pro- duction ability. Other improvements to be made will be the erection of number of houses around ore mines so that the force of employees in this part of the industry can be greatly increased and when the new furnaces are in operation and there is a demand for more ore the demand can be met with ease. That the works above de- scribed will be taken up at once and completed at the earliest possible mo- ment Is shown in the fact that already some of the contracts have been let. material Is being assembled and steps being taken looking to the formation of the forces with which to do the work Two million dollars and more will be expended by the Company in making these Improvements which means that the future intentions are
 that the company will not withdraw
 from this section nor will they suffer
 the industries to remain idle.
 Coal and Coke-There is a decided
 better condition in the coal fields in
 Alabama. The mines are doing well
 and the production Is improving at
 rapid rate. There Is no accumulation
 of coal as yet nor is there any in sight
 There Is some appr ension of a short
 age of railroad cars in the near future
 and steps have been taken to bring
 back all cars possible which have been
 used in sending coal from the district.
 There are not so many men who have
 not been assured that they will get em
 ployment in the mines. A few of the
 men who have been very active in
 Union affairs and have been more or less prominent during the strike have been put off some when their applica tions for work were filed, being told that further consideration would be given to their application but In the men who were out on strike for two months and longer are being hired ! about as rapidly as they are making application for the work. The coal production for the year will, however.
 show a decided falling off as compared
 to the output of last year or the year previous. The statement Is made that there are some handsome orders for
 coal on hand and that the shipments of the product to the gulf and coast, the new railroad already doing a nice