The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-02-18
ny RICHARD F. JOHNSTON.


Height of production having been
about reached along with demand
eager for prompt delivery, some
bonus prices for prompt delivery of
steel products already obtain in the
east and steel prices generally. have
risen. Alabama producing capacity
is practically at maximum. Very
little can be added.
While afraid of killing the goose
that lays the golden egg iron and
steel makers find it difficult to re-
main conservative, but so far those
in the Birmingham district have at
least held back from hot-housing the
market.
Operations of the Tennessee cont
pany are continuously at as near 100
per cent as possible. The weeks
schedule includes the usual double
turn at Ensley blooming and rail
mills with full turn at ingot mill,
double turn at Bessemer guide, plate
and bar mill, single turn at Fair
field structural mill and double turn
at the tie-plate plant there.
The American Steel and Wire and
Gulf States Steel are heavily loaded
with orders for future delivery. One
mill is up to capacity on one item
for 35 weeks. Main effort is to care
for regular customers and even they
are not getting all their require
ments. Newcomers find it difficult
to place steel products orders. Agents
of northern mills producing steel pipe
and sheets are declining all new
business.
Iron Strong at $25.
The iron market, is strong at SIS.
Two OF the smaller producers are out
of the first half market entirely and
selling only for third quarter. They
have booked 10000 tons for that de-
livery at SIS. The larger makers
have no more first quarter iron left
and not great deal of second quar-
ter iron. Recent sales included 10000
tons to a sanitary manufacturing in
terest placed with four makers,
thousand tons for a consumer in an
adjoining state, and numerous lots
of 200 to 500 tons.
Furnaces to Resume.
The only prospect of increase in
the iron make is in Oxmoor furnace
of the Tennessee company, the second
Gadsden stack of the Alabama COM
pany, and the charcoal stack of the
Shelby Iron company. The two first
mentioned will resume by March 10,
it is expected The Shelby stack is
to resume forthwith.
o o o
Pipe Market Active.
The pressure pipe market continues
active. Recent bookings include
$500 tons of 42-inch for st. Paul and
400 tons for Rockford. ILL.,, taken by
the U. S. Pipe company; 700 tons for
Kenosha and 400 tons for Fond du
Lac, taken by the National Cast Pipe
company, and 1900 tons for Mime
apolis, on which the American Cast
Iron Pipe is the low bidder. The
Alabama plants have all the business
that can well be cared for. The base
is a minimum of S45.
One maker advanced sanitary pipe
to- $40 and others have followed.
Plants are all covered for so days
and some makers are out of the mar
ket.
j. r. McWane expects to begin OPP
erations at his new pressure pipe
plant in East Birmingham on sehed-
ule time, March /.
Otto Agricola and his sons, Hugh
and Fred, have incorporated the
Agricola Pipe company, Admission,
capital s25o,ooo They operate ono
of the largest sanitary pipe shops in
the south.
The Central Foundry company has
completed remodeling of the pipe
shop at Holt and is turning out sani-
tary pipe. Universal pipe will be
turned out there in the immediate
future.
O O o
Shipments Via Mobile
Far afield movements out of port
of Mobile recently include steamer
with 1900 tons of rails for Alaska
and steel products for Seattle and
Portland. and two ships for the Pa
cific coast with large tonnages OF
east iron pipe and steel products.
Three ships are now in Mobile to load
FAIRFIELD and Ensley rails, plates and
ammonium sulphate for Japan and
China. Total of this movement will
be about 1900 tons.
O O O
Hollow Tile Brisk
Hollow tile makers agree that bust