The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-02
PIC IRON MARKET
 ACTIVE IN SOUTH One Sale This Week Involves
 30,0O0 Tons LIBERAL SPECIFYING 
LIBERAL SPECIFYING
Coke Market Attracting Much Atten- tiOn-Car Orders Bearing Out Recent Predictions Based on
 Necessities of Some Roads

New York, May Especially l)-The Iron Age will say tomorrow: Naturally new demand for some forms of finished steel has slackened as prices have ad- vanced and the new business actually placed in bars plates and structural shapes since April 20, when the s1 ad- vance became effective. is not large.
 Reports from all markets agree as 10 maintenance of the prices in these three lines and as to the heavy volume of specifications at the prices in effect before the advance The buying of bars at $115 Pittsburg was very large, pos sibly several hundred thousand tons in excess of the previous estimate of 400, 1000.
 Second orders for rails have already come from some lines and it is evi- dent that other roads failed to cover all their requirements in their original contracts for 1912 The Grand Trunk Pacific has bought 10000 tons in this country and the Canadian Pacific has just closed for 15.0Oo tons. A western road has bought about 6o,0OO tons and the Central of Georgia $500 tons. car OiQtIS dIt DtdTlnS Oul IeCCnl predictions based on the necessities ol the various roads. of the Hartman or der awards of S450 cars are reported The Atchison order amounted to about HOO. The Frisco system is taking bids on 6000 cars.
 In the south the pig iron market has been active, especially in basic iron, enc sale this week involving S0,000 tons and another 15,000 tons, the Birming ham basis being now SLED. For No , foundry iron sl0.75 Birmingham is the present minimum, sales for delivery after July 1 being at $11.
 Pig iron stocks at furnaces have been steadily reduced this year and the total apart from steel companies Is probably 1,300,00 tons as against D. O90,OO0 to 2,10O,000 tons at the begin ming of 1911
 Our English cable announces the re- r,ewal of the German Stahlworks Yer band for five years.
 Cleveland O., May 1.-(Specal.)- Iron Trade Review tomorrow will say
 Liberal specifying against contracts foi finished materials has resulted in in- creased mill activity and general condi- tions as to pig iron and finished products are very favorable. Naturally, following the heavy contracting which preceded the advance on bars, plates shapes and sheets, there has been little buying, and it is not expected that there will be in the near future.
 In the Philadelphia district prices of finished material still show some irreg- ularity, but in other parts of the country quotations are being well maintained. The Steel corporations thrilled tonnage state- ment, to be issued next week, will SLOW a large increase. New bookings through out April have greatly exceeded ship ments not withstanding the very large extent of the latter, as the corporation mills are now running 95 per cent of ingot capacity and continue to produce steel at heavier rate than ever before in their history.
 Pig iron buying during the past week has not been .heavy as during the preced- ing week. but numerous sales of moderate tonnages have been made There has been considerable buying at Buffalo, including a large part of from 20000 to 25,O00 tons. | foundry grades sold for delivery in Ne ! England. |
 A leading foundry interest has taken g round tonnage at Detroit In the Rit"l- burg territory. inquiries for 45,000 ! of basic are pending. A sale of fA 5000 to 10000 tons of basic has been ma at $li 40 delivered at Chicago Heights,
 The leading cast iron pipe maker hAs closed with the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company for 30,0o0 tons of south. ern grades for second quarter shipment on basis equivalent to s1i.25 for No. , A southern steel maker has placed T5O0 tons of basic for second quarter witll thu same maker at S11, Birmingham.
 The Norfolk and Western railroad ha. asked for bids for the construction of 7 large coal pier at Norfolk, Va, which vii