The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-25
FOR IRON
EXCAVATIONS REMAIN AROUND SIS FER TON.
There is Ne Accunulaties sf fi& Tres in she Dirpsangksm District
 Nc Cene<wsfena Made .s. te Secure Businrss.

" 2EE8FG 188A1~~~e
 'fs t
 r<irSninwham. Ian. 2l,--tSpeclal.)- There fs no accumulation or pig lroh tn the Birmingham district. The mar ket. however, Is quiet but hrm. 0no- tztions remain around the SlS per ton mark. No. [ foundry, with ne ecnces- rions being made to secure buslness. Tn some cfiices the statement Is mace that the sales are equal to the make In others 1t is given out that there IS q Mttie more iron being sold than Is heinr produced though the business that Is on right now Is not near up to what was expected at this time. Thers ts still much complaint made by pro- ducers of pig iron in this district that the tariR agitation is hurting the trade some and that If the proposed reduc- tions are made in the tarln this dis- trict will be more affected than any other in this country.
 The preparations for a better make of pig iron in the Birmingham district have progressed so far that the state ment can be made that at any time the conditions warrant 1t there can be three or four furnaces started up with in twenty-four hours notice and tnis can be hettered in a short while after wards. The make has been holding strong In this district right along, the furnaces In blast producing the capac- ity almost without the least hesitation. There Is an ample supply of raw ma teriai the railroad service among the coal and ore mines. to the coke ovens and limestone quarries being all that could be asked for. There have been no inroads made on the, large stacks of coke which was accumulated during the summer and in the fall. There is no apprehension though that there will be no need for the product for the pro- ducers ,f pig iron expect to see the buying open up shortly and all fur naces will be called into action in keep ing up with the demand.
 A prominent iron interest in speak ing of the market conditions, demand as well ss price, put 1t thus:
 The Birmingham pig Iron market is quiet but firm. The iron manufac- tured in this section is selling at SI3 per ton. No. foundry. and there Is no reason why concession sh hould be made on that price. While a better price Is likely to come on at no late day, 1t would be better. 1 believe. for all concerned if the SIS rate or near that was maintained. A runaway mar ket and iron at s15 and SIS per ton, even 319 or e20. will hurt the manufae- turers as well as the other parties. The iron market in this section should continue steady for some time to come The furnace companies. l am judging others by our experience, are selling about the make so that there need be no accumulation whatever in the Southern territory"
 Railroad officials are keeping their word about the service in handling raw and finished material and shipments from this district are steady and good. The accumulated stacks of iron are be- ginning to show some change. It should not be many weeks before ba-- ren wards will be noted.
 Cast iron pipe makers are busy and indications are they will be In this condition for many months to come. This means that this interest will be in the market for a large quantity of iron right along. The sale of 2O,OOo tons of iron to one of the larger pipe concerns last week brought up the aggregate for the week as we'll as for the month handsomely. The total amount Of business booked during the first month of the year promises to be satisfactory though six weeks ago 1t was reckoned that there would have been g much larger tonnage of iron sold. The buying for the second quar- ter of the year will hardly start up now for another fortnight If not lcng- er The several matters under discuss sion tariff; etc. to bo threghed out be- fore the consumers are willing to place orders for any great amount of the product.
 4 larger number of men are being given employment now at the steel plant of the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company at Ensley and prac. tieally the whole mill Is in full opera tion. There is a good demand for all shapes of steel. rail In particular bring ing a good price. As stated before the rail Is being shipped to Southern rail- roads.
 The foundries and machine shops ap- parently are busy and the prospects are stated, upon inquiry. ss being bright.
 The coal situation in Alabama Is not as bright as it might be. The demand is q little slow. though the production has not dwindled much so far. The Louisiana- trade has fallen off consid- erably since the large amount of coal was brought down the river from Pennsylvania. While the river was low and the barges could not be hand led, the Alabama mines prOspered and there was steady shipment of the product into New Orleans and other places on the lower Mississippi. Tne larger consumers in this district too. because of warm weather, have not been requiring their usual quantity of coal.
 The coke situation is unchanged The coke ovens are in full operation and what coke iS not being used up imme- diately is being stacked with no fears that it will be dead stock. The pros- poets are that coke will be needed all the time.