The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-05-24
MARKET FOR IRON
MANUFACTURERS HAVE CONF.
DENCE IN THE FUTURE.
They Believe That Time II Near when
Every Furnace In Birmingham
District Will BE In Full

Birmingham, May 23.--(Special.)-
Manufacturers Of pig iron In this see
tion of the country are full of hope
and confidence in the future and speak
as IL the time is not far distant when
it will be necessary to bring every
furnace possible into action TO meet
the demand. tttt
Through necessity of repairing sew
eral ironmakers in this district win
In q few days now go out of blast.
About fifty per cent of the furnaces
in this section Of the country Will be
out OF blast the hrst part of June.
However, ii is given out auth oritative-
ly that the furnaces undergoing repair
ing will be rushed to completion. no
time to be lost in placing the iron
makers back into condition that the
torch can be applied when needed.
While the furnaces are out all demand
for iron will be met with the product
that Is on the furnace yards In this
district Some Of the iron companies
in this district are not selling iron for
delivery during the last quarter of
the year at the prices that prevail
now.
There is some selling going on and
immediate iron can be bought at $11
per ton, No. 2 foundry, though $3.50
Is being asked by the large number of
makers and the third quarter OF the
year is stipulated for delivery. 1t is
estimated that the larger portion of
the iron on the furnace yards In this
district can and will be moved out be-
fore the end of the summer. including
the large tonnage that belongs to the
large brokerage dealers who bought
last year and since at the lowest prices
that have existed in some time in this
territory.
The production in May is likely to
show a reduction as compared to the
output in April and In March also but
there is to be an increase as COM
pared to the figures of the same month
of the furnaces now reported as being
prepared to go out of blast may be
kept going as long as the present
lining will hold out. The Tennessee
Coal, Iron and Railroad Company has
but four furnaces in this district In
blast, all located at Bessemer, the
iron makers at Ensley belonging to
this company being cold. The Sloss-
Sheffield Steel and Iron Company has
five out of Its seven furnaces in oper-
alton. The Alabama Consolidated Coal
and Iron Company has three out OF
four furnaces going. The Woodstock,
Central and Birmingham Coal and Iron
companies may blow out their furnaces
shortly for repairs. The Williamson
furnace in the city still holds on but
it will be out now before another
three days have passed. the coke be-
ing used at this furnace to go to the
Woodward Iron Company, where two
furnaces out OF &hree are in blast
Steady shipments of iron northward
and westward are beginning now and
1t Is believed that orders received
during the past two months will be
filled right along. All of the furnace
companies in this district will be able
to fill contracts right on time this
year.
Inquiries for pig iron delivery dur
ing the latter part of the year are
coming in steadily and much business
Is in prospect. These inquiries are
causing much OF ~the hope and conf
dence that is being expressed by the
manufacturers.
The large force of men being en-
ployed in making repairs about the
big steel plant of the Tennessee Coal,
Iron and Railroad Company Omitted
states Steel Corporation), at Ensley
are working hard and every effort ap-
parently is being made to complet the
job. While no statements are forth
coming, a resumption of operations in
the near future Is anticipated. If
there was to be a lengthy shut down
1t is pointed out that there would not
DC 30 much attention given 10 an early
completion OF the repairs and improve
ments that are being put in.
The men employed at the plant APP
pear to have an Understandings also
that there is to be an early resump-
ton of operations and as a conse-
quence there is a generally good feel
ing expressed in and around Ensley.
AS expressed by one of the big real
estate men in the place, despite the
fact that both the big steel plant and
the big steel rod. wire and nail mills
are closed down. there appears to be
confidence among the people and the
real estate business Is active, the work
ing men and others are buying homes
and other property is changing hands
right along"
The cast iron pipe and soil pipe
manufacturers are enjoying great pros
perity. The shipment Of solid train
| load of universal pipe and Joints by
the Central Foundry Company from
Bessemer. to Arizona. was an incident
that attracted much attention during
the past week. The pipe and Joints
was loaded into box cars 1t will take
/ a couple OF weeks and longer for the
goods to reach the destination. Train
loads of cost iron pipe out of this dis
trtct Is not q novelty any more but
/ soil pipe and jints was a unique ship
' East4r fysxF