Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-09-15

THE PENNsYLvANIA COAL TRADE-Saprfy
and Demdad.-The Philadelphia Ledger. OF
Monday, speaking OF the coal iGsde for tue
past week. remarks:
The anthracite coal trade does not We; show
that activity tha; Is deemed essential , the best
interests OF consumers as well as producers IL
and have reports from Boston and NewEngiand
generally Of a like condition there, while at
New \ ork the report comes that there is a fair
demand, ana that prices are firm. We reps 2
what was said in our last weekly article on tnis
trade, namely, that unless there Is q Quick
ened demand for coal AZ once. production wIii
piling, and IL it were not wanted. the time aud
labor imposes additional cost Those best in
formed as TO the condition of the trade positive
ly assert that the an nnal production Of anthra-
cite coal hence 20 the end of the year cannotex-
ceed that OF last year in corresponding time,
and II it does not, the price of coal is more lik--
iy 10 advance than 10 decline on present quo
tatIors. 1he price OF coal at the mi mes IA ;
fallen on 81 per ton since the last of Augus !,
and can scarcely go lower and avoid strikes
among the miners. The carrying comp .uIes
may, should the supply Of coal be short OF their
capacity, IN the competition that may arise for
tonnage. put down their rates, but their reduc- =
ton rs not likely 10 exceed twenty-five cen :
PER ton, and - about as likely 70 advance
that much as 70 decline. These are facts
worthy The serious consideration of con =
srpers here and in New England, the
peinis now slowest in sending forward their
orders The trade IN the mining -egions last
week was interrupted TO some extent by the
calamity AT the AyondaIe mines. aud e se-
cially by the almost entire Suspension OF sh n
menis on the SchuylkIIl canal. II is ct lied
with but $50 tons for the week, which puarx
ITS seasons business down 20 i5i 545 tons II0
532 f0ns less than to corresponding tine last
y: sr. The tonnage Of the RPading railroad Tor
tbe week was IOs ,sts tons. and for the ysar
2,es2,'6e-an increase over the tonnage to
the same time ia i-6S OF s. l22S tons Toe to-
tal coal produc ION last week, as reported by an
me carrying companies. up 20 the date OF
their respective weekly returns, was 2s7 ls2
tons, and tcr the year TO the same time 8 7Ia.572
tors, against s,6s6,si3 tons 70 the same time
IL Il year nowIng an increase for the yesr of
only $3.50 tons. ana a decrease as conpa-ed
win tre corresponding week IN IS6s of % Os2
TONS MS Is not at all encouraging, when N ~
remem bered that the increased consum % ption Of
coal is annually about ten per cent That estl
mate ceunot be reached this year. The shin
ment OF coal rom Port Richmond Is light and
an unusually large number OF vessels are now
awaitn cargoes, which cannot be had for the
reason that Eastern buyers persist in holding
orto the market. Freights 10 Boston and like
dIstan ces are nominally a uoted At - IS per ton
hut less, II IS believed, would, by n my of the
captains, be accepted. Georgetown and Bal
umore are shipping large amounts OF soft coal
and nsny vessels that freighted from PORT
Richn ond are now trading from other port.
As low a freights are, IL L. believed tney would
be much lower but for the Vessel Owners As
sociations. As 1t rs, there are many violations Of
TIE conditions imposed by the ASSOCIATIONS az
10 maintaining rates, and quite a number
CT suits have been instituted 70 recover the
penalties.