The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-04-22
LUMBER DEMAND IS
MUCH Stronger NOW
Textile Industry Promises Steady
Recuperation, With Yarns Selling
at Good Prices and the Demand
Fairly Active.

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, April %
The Chattanooga Tradesman, in its IS
sue of tomorrow, will say:
Quotations for pig iron in the
Southern territory are not firm, though
some selling is going on and delivery
is again becoming strong, almost equal
to the production. Some furnace COM
panies in this section are holding their
product firmly at $11.50 per ton, No.
foundry, and claim that that price
will be the minimum before Ions,
while the largest company in the
South and others are selling under
this price. Three furnaces are under
going repairing in the South with two
iron-makers practically in condition for
operation when needed.
THE iron market conditions appear
to be getting more satisfactory as the
end of the discussion of the tariff
question approaches. 1t is believed
that much of the inquiry that is com
ing in will result in business just as
soon as the country's general affairs
become settled.
1.-THE cast iron pipe companies
throughout the Southern territory
together with the soil pipe concerns
have been in the market again fol
iron and their melt will be greater
this year than ever before.
"The steel plant of the Tennessee
Coal, Iron & Railroad company, al
Ensley, continues in operation, de-
spite remors that there will shortly
be a shut down. 1t is announced Off
cially that at least one thousand tons
of steel rails is to be manufactures
by the corporation at Ensley eacf
day this week, thirty-five hundred
tons shipped to Mexico, via Pensaco
la. In the meantime more orders fol
rail are expected, which will obviatc
the necessity for any shutting down
of the plant. There is a better feeling
visible among the high officials OF
the Tennessee company now than for
the past month or so, the hope being
expressed of an improving condition
right along.
Lumber Situation.
1.-THE demand for hardwood lumber
is improving somewhat the last few
days and the feeling in the different
markets is more hopeful. Some large
contracts have been quite recently
placed where for long while only q
piece meal lot of orders were being
distributed through the trade. The
lower grades continue to be heavy
on the market as a rule, and the high
er grades are not bringing oftentimes
the prices holders think they should.
Still the aggregate of business is bet
ter than it was ten days ago. There
is little activity in cottonwood and
gum. Cottonwood is particularly slow.
The box trade relies a great deal on
the two latter woods and this branch
Of industry has been enjoying a large
business on egg cases and fruit crates
up until fortnight ago, but the sea
son on these has practically drawn
% a close now. The cypress trade Is
Iuiet. The oak and ash trade is good. |
Export conditions do not improve. |
Ieavy rains in the producing terrific
y have interfered somewhat with
but the tendency over the
valley is to increased pro
lction, many mills getting back into
"On flooring and millkork with the
lpetus. of a better building trade,
siness is improving, the dealers and
tail yards are kept quite busy.
'The pine lumber situation is a {
cd deal more encouraging. The /
lis are getting back into their reg
r runs and carload shipments are