The Age Herald

WILL GO IN BLAST
Repairs Will be Completed Early in February

LITIGATION OVER MINES
Prevents the Blowing in of the Mary Pratt Furnace-Suits Pending for Possession of Mary Lee Properties.

The Gadsden furnace of the Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron Company will be put in blast early in February. The repairs which have been under way since last fall will be finished about February 5 and immediately thereafter the torch will be applied.

The Gadsden furnace was closed down last fall on account of the depressed condition of the iron market, and the operators took advantage of the opportunity this afforded to make some needed repairs.

Col. T. G. Bush, president of the Alabama Consolidated Coal and Iron Company, was asked when the repair work on the Mary Pratt furnace, near the eastern limits of the city, would be finished and the furnace put in operation. He said that the operation of the Mary Pratt furnace depended upon the settlement of the litigation over the Mary Lee mines and coke ovens. The Alabama Company purchased the Mary Lee properties over a year ago, but a prior lease had been executed and the holders of the lease declined to surrender their contract. Suits to determine if they can be forced to turn the property over to the purchasers are now pending in the courts. As soon as these suits are disposed of the question of operating the Mary Pratt furnace will be settled.

When the Alabama Consolidated Company purchased the Mary Lee property it was the intention of the company to obtain therefrom a supply of coal and coke for the Mary Pratt furnace. The 130 coke ovens would make but little more coke than would be required by the furnace.

With the expectation of coming into immediate possession of the coal mines and the coke ovens the company ordered the furnace repaired and put in first-class condition. Considerable work was done and within a few more weeks the furnace would have been ready to go in blast when the orders to stop were given.