The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-04
IRON AND STEEL REVIEW

iron quotations in the Birmingham
jistrict-the Southern territoryr-are
settling on the $13 per ton. No.
foundry, as the minimum and the
expectations are that before the end OF
this week $3.50 per ton will be FAIR
price with fifty cents better price
for special analysis or brand iron.
There Is a lively inquiry and few
very small lot orders are being re-
ceived in this territory, immediate de-
livery. are being accepted with
premium of fifty cents on the ton.
Several of the furnace companies are
still out, of the market save as TO the
fourth quarter Of this year and SO far
there has net been any great amount
of iron sold for the latter part OF year
delivery. The estimate announcef
some days since that by the time the
buying for the last quarter OF the
year will be well on there will have
been an advance in the quotations SO
that the average will be around the
y14 per ton mark. appears to have
been, a fair anticipation and promises
to be realized Clifton iron has been
selling hight along at $13.5O per ton,
this being a special brand. towards
the latter part of the week JUST over
Pioneer iron. another special praho'
demanded 1880 per ton, for small lois
immediate delivery.
week to ascertain the amount OF re-
auctions of stocks of iron In this state.
There Is no doubt but that the piles
of iron that have been seen on Iur-
mace yards have been greatly reduced
and that the furnace companies can
claim but little of what is still here.
Some of the speculative iron Is oesih-
ming to move off.
There has been an appreciable in
crease in the make. Four iron max
ers were started up during the month
of June with one furnace bloWn OUT
for repairs. One furnace VIII oeglh
making iron this week and two others
will follow suit before the END OF the
first fortnight in the month. Inc
Inquiries and personal visits to the
district of consumers and representa-
tiyes of consumers besides brokers In
iron convinces the manufacturers In
this section that>there Is going TO De
a strong demand for iron right along.
The railroads throughout the country
are putting In orders for equipments
and material which will require In
the main much iron ami steel to I'LL
the orders.
As foundry iron In the Southern ter
ritory becomes active. the charcoal
iron market takes on activity In leaps
and bounds, in fact the producers OF
this product are now hesitating, the
order books beginning to show some
size. When 1t is taken into considera-
ton that the daily output at fur-
mace is seldom over sixty tons.
couple of 500 ton orders means some
thing and an overlooking in orders Is
possible In q short while. me de-
manJ for charcoal iron comes from the
car wheel manufacturers who have not
only a goodly number OF orders IN
hand. but are anticipating still great
Southern territory are making an eff
fort to handle the business OF the
Southern railroads, but their buying
has become so active that 1t Is not
probable that this business is going
to be kept at home southern car
builders, too, are receiving their snare
of the big business that Is being given
out by the railroads which means more
or less foundry iron. basic iron' char-
coal iron and steel.
Prominent iron men are authority
for the statement that by the time the
fourth quarter tof the year comes on
there can be an improvement made IN
iron make to meet a greater demand
than was ever before handled In this
district. The Republic Iron and Steel
Company, the Sloss- Sheffield Steel and
Iron Company, the Birmingham Coal
and Iron Company. the Alabama Con-
solidated Coal and Iron Company, the
Southern Iron and Steel Company. the
Tennessee Coal Iron and Railroad
Company and others will have fur
naces ready for a full operation that
are not now in operation. There are also,
or three furnaces nearing readiness
that may be blown in before the end
of the month.
Sales of pig iron. despite the advance
ing prices. aggregate more than the
make with those companies still in the
market.
The steel situation shows improve
ment every week. The Indications are
that it will not be many weeks now
before every department of the big
steel plant of the Tennessee Coal, Iron
and Railroad Company at Ensley Will
be in full operation. The steel rail
being produced at this place Is being
shipped out about as quickly as 1t is
being manufactured. The Tennessee
| Company intends some extraordinary
development at the rolling mills at
Bessemer, where steel Is worked ex-
clusively. Many rumors prevail to the
effect that the Tennessee Company
! intends the erection of a steel rod,
wire and nail mills besides a steel
cotton tie factory at Ensley. A verifi-
cation or denial is not forthcoming