The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-01
LARGE PIE IRON
 ORDERS PLACED Stiffening Caused in Price
 of Southern Iron PIPE TRADE IS ACTIVE Alabama Furnaces Have Sold Nearly 60,0OO Tons of Numbers 2, 3 and Iron to Pipe Works-Pipe
 Trade Is More Active

New York, January 31.-(SpeeiaL)- The Iron Age will say tomorrow: Statements concerning mill operations continue to be more impressive than those dealing with new orders for financial steel.
 A surprising development is that one Pittsburg interest unable to supply a local plant with open hearth billets on which delivery was due turned to an eastern steel works and there is thus the unusual occurrence of east ern steel being shipped into the Pitts burg district. There is also the prob ability that the leading interest will be a buyer of steel-malSing pig iron if the shipment demand upon it's cen tral western plants for semi finished steel keeps up in the next few weeks.
 The railroads have contributed quite heavily to the January business of steel companies, at the same time sticking to the policy of holding back the last ton.
 Heavy buying of cast iron pipe, and in turn the placing of large pig iron orders by pipe foundries have caused a stiffening in the price of southern iron Alabama furnaces have just sold nearly 60,000 tons of Nos. 2, 8 and 4 production of foundry iron in Alabama has been cut down by the putting out of three furnaces. while-~a fourth is about to go on the Idle list. No. 2 iron has been advanced to $10.25 Bir- mingham by leading sellers.
 The weakness of northern furnaces rather than the competition of south ern grades, is still the chief ob bstace to the establishment of a higher level
 Chicago is making large demands upon cast iron pipe works. In the past week the city has placed 5000 tons the local gas company has bought 20,- GOO tons and next week the city will open bids for 25,000 tons. The pipe trade is much more active than at this time last year, and some makers have taken courage from recent rises to ask slightly higher prices.
 Cleveland January 91.-(SpeciaI.)- Tie Iron Trade Review tomorrow will say: A leading cast iron pipe interest has purchased about 36. 900 tons of southern iron on the basis of 1925 for forge and $9.50 for No. 3. More south ern makers are asking S10.25 and S1050 for No. foundry, but find it extreme ly difficult selling at the new prices and s10 iron is still obtainable.
 The Westinghouse inquiry for pig iron for the last half of the year has developed very conservative tendency on the part of furnaces and prices quoted are believed to be higher than the company is willing to pay. liar risburg steel interest purchased about 5000 tons of basic from a Lehigh Val ley maker, and it is understood to have taken some southern iron in ad- dition.
 For the 10000 tons for approaches to the Hell Gate bridge awarded sev- eral weeks ago to the McClintic Mar shall Construction company. that com pany has awarded the contract for the plain material to the Carnegie Steel company. Competition for this ton mage was very active as the specif- cations were desirable
 Other structural lettings include 6500 tons for bridge work by the Southern New England, 5000 tons forothe Della ware and Hudson, both awarded the American Bridge company, and $500 to the McClintfc Marshall Construction company for the Boston and Maine shops at Bllerca, Mass. Very low fab- ricating prices are being made, espe- cially in the Chicago district.
 The Pennsylvania Railway specified tions, under which 150,000 tons were placed. call for more stringent in- spection and testing. The discard from ingot remains about the same as for several years. The Grand Trunk has purchased 10000 additional tons of steel rails from the Illinois Steel company. and 1t has also taken 250O tons from the Chicago Junction company. The Crank Trunk has purchased 800 auto mobile cars, divided between the Vest ern Steel Car and Foundry company and the American Car and Foundry company.