The New York herald., 1869-09-30
TIE COAL TRADE.
Tho Prospects for the Winter-Salc Of Scran.
ton COul Yesterday.

VkuItr-9;lhC
ton Conl Yesterday.
No more important question presents Itself to the
general public Of the metropolis than that Of the
probable price Of coal during the winter. While the
movements ana fluctuations in the trade cause no
anxiety to the rich the least advance In the price
brings with 1t suffering ana misery to the poor.
Like other minerals of commerce coal Is quently
regulated In price less by the measure OF demand
and supply than crafty combinations on the part
OF companies and wholesale dealers The
small retailers, whO it should be stated
can usually afford to sell 10 consum.
ers at the same rate per ton as they
purchase win be shown, rarely lower their prices
in proportion to an increased supply, and conse
quent deduction In the wholesale rate, but take
advantage OF every increase to add TO the price Of
housekeepers' COAL But IN this they perhaps no
more blamable than people similarly crcumstanced
in other trades BY custom OF the trade owners
of coal yards purchasing at auction from the Scran
ton Company getting their supply by contract
are allowed 2240 pounds to the ton, and Of course
retail ut 1900 pounds, thus making on each
ton retailed from their premises 2i0 pounds,
or twelve per cent. This furnishes fair margin OF
profit irrespective Of the difference between the
wholesale and retail price; but as general rule one
dollar per ton profit besides the gain IN coal, is the
least the dealer afford to charge. The supply OF
coal for the past month has been ewhat lrrcgu-
lar, and the pr,ce has luctuate1 accordingly.
Messrs Caldwell, Gordon & Go. were sellin1 at
the wharf ana delivering to yards, last April, coal at
five dollars; but owing to circumstances, to be pre-
sans sans quality a. s. g. since April .. Il has
one time as high as nine dollars. This, however,
was the result OF "COrner,' and was only tempo
defeat the machnaens Of the It is pos
sibe that the price might have been maintained at
Drought % in Pennsyvania almost closed the channels
sca On! The 6qk Of the coal from the mniag
Kill canal were detained for six weeks, being unsbIo
to proceed for want OF water AS soon as ram
within the last ten days al of these boats
have brought their carg0es to New York and vicinity
was more coal on hand than there was immediate
demand for and the prices OF coarse were seriously
affected. Whether the rate will be higher than at
present after this present supply Is exhausted
remains to be seen. The probabilities are, however,
that 1t wall go up somewhat.
The price Tor all sizes Is much lower to-day than
1t would have been under ordinary circumstances
and for the cause stated. Whatever fluctuations
may occur during the winter In consequence of
speculation, there is little reason to hope that 1t will
be below the rate OF last year. There iS unwOned
Quetude at present in manufacturing ana Cumber-
land coal, which was largely used through the
mer months, has consequently fallen In price. The
Lentga coal, which was also much used by the manu-
facturers, Is not III much demand The price OF the
bitumnOus and anthracite is assmatng of late,
though much more Of the former than the latter has
been used Tor Terry steamers and similar WORK the
past few months
Any alteration in the freight rate Affects the price
Of all descriptions OF coal. One the I'd OF August
the Schuyikiil Navigation Company and the ra,iroad
companies rascd the rate considerably, and
twice since then, Before August the charges on
coal by the Lehigh Valley road from Mauch CHUNK
to Amboy was three dollars per ton, and ia the
month OF June the raies on the Reading railroad TO
Port Richmond averaged 81 5o In Ihe month of
July the latter road advanced the rate to dollars
and in August TO 81 go 1t Is not likely that it VIII
exceed this. The cause OF the advance in the rate
nft nttny.y ~
coal trade through the popular outcry IN this city
against the ex0rDanl charges OF coal dealers. Con-
ers had no demand Tor their stock ana t;le compa.
MES made no sales. When- however purchases
began to buy Of the dealers the large auan.
was put in motion, aud the transportation compa-
mes found themselves unable to meet the pressure.
The cessation OF work on their routes for length
OF time no doubt weighed with them when they
determined TO advance The rates. Had It not been
for the temporary sIoppage OF trade 1t Is quite posi-
during the Sumner, and tnat the retail price now
would be rather under than over SO so.
good deal OF excitement was manifested by the
coal dealers yesterday ut The second auction
sale OF the season, which was he'd at the Dela.
Company's salesroom, IN Exchange place, 1t
being generally supposed that the price was
was quite crowded by promineDt dealers aud b.
parties not generally seen at the monthly auctions.
The bidding was spirited, though excessive caution
seemed TO characterize the action OF the majority.
Rarely II ever has there been larger attendance Of
buyers rom the Eastern States than present In
the room. These were the principal purchasers,
Few Of the lots being knocked down to city buyers.
Stove aud chestnut went or very slowly, ont was
finally disposed OF at lower rate than was
expected. Crate coal was In much demand, as was
also lump and steamboat The entire quantity put
up-9o,O0l tons, OF oil sizes-was sold before one
O'Clock. The decrease in the price since last sale
was sixty-seven cents per ton on the average The
following table shows the rates and comparison Of
prices With the average on each lott
20as Sept 20. Aug. 25
Lump ...............l000 900 So 20 SIS 80
Steamboat ........ 5000 604 6 81
Crate. .l60l0 20 o 81
Egg g.................l0C0 81 O 80
stove. $4,000 OF 742
Chestnut 1000 40 @ 81
Bidding for stove coal began at higher rate than
II could bring, but wnen II fell below seven dollars
the sale was rapid. Several OF the large buyers
seemed anxious TO secure al the steamboat coal to
themselves, aud O healthy competition was the
result The heaviest buyers were Ca.tner, Stckney
4 Wellington, Sawyer q Co., Manchester a. Honkius