The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-03-18
By RICHARD F. JOHNSTON

ply the domestic demand for it's prod ucts, the Birmingham district was called on last week for pig iron and coke for European and South Ameri- can consumers customarily relying on the Ruhr basin. No pig iron was available for export and, after 10.00U tons had been engaged for Hamburg, South American, and other points, there was 10 more export coke to be had.
 Pressure on district production reached a new high point last week. The Alabama company blew in a second furnace at Gadsden and the Tennessee companY's furnace at OK moor should resume by April l. With these two going. Alabama's iron pro duetion should make a new alltime record Sloss- Sheffield promises q sixth stack in April. As it is iron production is 100 per cent ahead of last year.
 Coal production is within 10000 tons of the high water mark of 400,- 000 tons made q short time last fall during the westerh emergency de- mand. Domestic mines suffer for lack of cars, but the steel and iron producers are operating mines at capacity,
 The mine wage advance went into effect Thursday and next pay day will incorporate the advance for 27 900 coal miners and 5000 ore min CTS. Furnace men and pipe shop workers and others to receive the wage advance will swell the recipi- ents to 10000 to 50.000.
 At the very Top.
 Large pay rolls and big commer- cial business are reflected in bank clearings. which for first half of the month show an increase of 54 per cent over last year. In the week ending March D Birmingham made a gain of 65.1 per cent, leading all cities in the country except Calves ton, which was fractionally ahead.
 Pig iron sold at $27 and no other price during the entire week and large bookings were made both for second and third quarter. Such transactions as 8, ,000 tons for an Illi- nos melter and 1000 tons for De- leading pipe maker is understood to have come in for 10000 tons. Spot iron is difficult to obtain.
 Pipe shops Are Loading.
 Pressure pipe could not he strong CT A few of the orders booked by the United States Pipe company in- clude: Chicago. $500 tons; gas company, New Orleans, 1000 feet of 24-inch and 1000 feet of 16-inch; city of Talladega. Ala, four miles of G inch Lenore, N. C., 20.000 feet ot S-inch five-meter pipe. Some orders for 4-inch pipe have been accepted with promise of delivery next Sep tember. The shops are overloaded on popular sizes and soon will be on the larger ones. according to in dications. Small sizes range around $47 to s52. Larger sizes hover around s46
 Soil pipe is continuously active at $7O base with all shops busy. All Steel Mills Busy.
 All steel mills report the same 1oo per cent capacity as far as machin- cry and men will allow. The usual double turn is on this week at the Bessemer plate, bar and guide mills, at the Ensley blooming and rail mills and at the Fairfield structural and tie plate mills. American Steel and Wire and Gulf States Steel, as well as Corners Steel. could not be busier. Japan Regular Customer.
 Exports via Mobile continue heavy. One ship left yesterday for Japan with 5000 tons of steel products and another is loading. A third is due to arrive March 25 to take a similar cargo That will make the firth cargo for Japan out of Mobile this year.
 The ship Koranton with $500 tons of Brazilian are for Birmingham mills is due to arrive today.
 O O O Coke For Export.
 A ship carrying 1000 tons of Bir- coke for Hamburg cleared Pensacola last week and another one similarly laden for another European point in distress on account of occu- nation of the Ruhr basin is about to | leave. One will leave Mobile this week with coke for South America.
 O O O Tarrant City Industry.
 Tarrant City is to get another im- l portant industry. The Creher ship building interests of Tampa, Fla, closed last week for the remainder !, of more than fifty acres secured by | them at Tarrant City, where they | will build fabricating steel plant. | The purpose is to fabricate steel shapes here and float them down the