The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-08-28
BUSINESS IS
IMPROVING
TRADESMAN'S REVIEW OF THE
WEEK SHOWS CONDITIONS ARE
FAST BECOMING BETTER IN
ALL LINES OF BUSINESS.
The Tradesman this week says:


can sell iron if they desire to- The
probable make for a little while at
| least has been sold ahead, and there
is no desire to force the market and
place orders for the coming year until
a quotation has been fixed for that
period. Inquiries are still being re-
ceived as to iron for next year. The
sales that are now being made are
Altogether with the regular trade and
practically in small lots. No. foun-
dry is being held throughout the
south on a $3.50 per ton minimum
basis.
Accumulated stocks of iron are
being worked down by degrees Prac-
tfcaIIy all of the iron to be seen
around furnaces in the Southern ter
ritory belongs to spectators, brokers
and others and not to the producers.
The latter are watching the make
now in order that the demand and
the business already booked can be
cared for right along. So far there
has been no shortage OF cars in the
South nor are furnace companies be-
hind in their deliveries The make
can be improved just when needed,
several furnaces being ready for the
| torch or nearly so and preparations
have been made to furnish raw ma
terial for the additional furnaces that
NAV be blown in. No less than eight
| iron makers are being repaired IN
Tennessee and Alabama alone, includ-
ing furnaces of the Southern Iron
and Steel company, bankrupt, and ali
win be in operation, IL is expected,
by the middle of October. Two OF
the furnaces are ready right now Tor
the torch
so far very little talk has been
heard in this section as to foreign
iron being brought in to compete
with the United States product. The
prices can still go up couple OF dol
lars per ton before the foreign iron
can begin to be considered, say some
of the Southern manufacturers.
THE predictions are still made IN
this territory that the quotations for
mig iron will have advanced to SIS per
ton. No. 2 foundry, by the middle
of the fourth quarter of this year. BY
that time it is figured that the buying
for the first quarter Of the coming
year will be we'll in hand and tn
prospective needs of the large con-
sumers Of iron will have been esti-
mated.
THE steel situation shows no
change, the one plant in operation
doing well and shipping its product
about as rapidly as it is being manu-
| featured.
..Foundries and machine shops
show a little improvement in their
condition though not yet employing
the full complement Of hands.
THE cast iron and soil pipe max
ers have no word to complain of and
municipal contracts being let now
with the pipe makers are proving OF
interest to the smaller concerns. The
pipe people have been in the iron
market again lately showing that
their probable make in the future VIII
be of some proportions.
Hardware.
Still improving is the summary W
the reports of all hardware jobbers
catering to the southern trade this
week. and many of them express the
belief that the fall trade will break
all former records. Orders are fire.
duent enough this week and are larg-
er than jobbers have handled for
many months. The cotton crop Of
most of the south is now far enough
advanced to make it practically sure
that the yield will be an average one
and the prospects for high prices
have stimulated the retailers mate
rally Prices are advancing on many
articles but this has a tendency to
stimulate rather than hinder trade.
Lumber.
unless all signs fail the lumbeC
trade will reach and even pass the
normal point by the middle of Sep
TENDER More activity is noted III
manufacturing centers this week than
has been seen for practically two
years, and this added to the general
yard trade in agricultural sections
will make the volume large. Rail
roads continue to buy more literally
of heavy timbers, ties, etc, and car
manufacturers are now placing maxi
mum orders for stock. Building ope-
rations in the cities are more prOmis-
ing this week than for several weeks
past, indicating that the fall season
will see a splendid trade with con-
tractors and mills. The summer sea-
son is fast passing. business men are
getting back from their summer
haunts and in a brief time the fall
business will be on with a vim.
Banks appear to have plenty of mon
ey and are willing to make liberal
loans, which is another trade stimu-
lator. Taking all conditions into
consideration the fall trade can hard
ly be disappointing to anyone"