Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1871-10-21
items Of Coal News.

! DuTlGE TIC past month there was an eX-
ccllent demand for coal of all kinds and
8 :es, and from the preseut outlook {
would not seem possible that there should
be any abatement from the present quota
lions, from this date forward until The close
Of navigation Cod weather appears to
be rapidly approaching and the consump-
IN Of coal is now daily increasing, and if
the production is not kept up, the rates
may be yet further advanced.
The result of the auction sale shows an
advance of an average in the price, of 27t
hts per ton all through, but last month
f'c,%hts from the dock to New York were
bit 30 cents, and now the rate ranges from
50 cents TO 81 per ton, there is also an adj
vance on coastwise freights, From the
other docks there is an advance demanded,
bat not so much as this
The Pennsylvania Co.'S contract rates
for October, are 30 cents higher on Stove
and Chestnut and 20 cents on the other
sizes.
Tie Lchigh Exchange advanced fifty
cents per ton ON Biokrn, Egg and Stove,
and twenty-five cents on Chestnut coal
for shipments from The ports.
The Delaware and Hudson Co. advanced
their prices II cents on Steamer, 80 cents
on Stove 10 cents on Chestnut.
The increase in the price of coal is, no
doubt, in consequence Of the shortened
supply, rs compared with last year This,
however, should create no alarm Much,
if not all, of the difference short, it is ey-
rected, will he made up before the close OF
navigation; and if it should not be by that
time it may easily be supplied by rail all
through the winter, as the market may re-
qure. II is not generally believed that the
consumption of 1871 will be any in excess
Of 1Sio-perhaps not equal to it. The
usual annual average increase of 10 per
cent. in coal production it is very certain
will not be forthcoming this year, nor is
there any probability that there would be
a mar ct for il if it could be produced
Prices therefore, should not advance from
this cause. There is reason to anticipate
good strong market for coal to the end of
the year at current prices, which slightly
advance to-day, say % cents per ton over
last weeks quotations; but there is no
reason to anticipate any very material fur
tN'r advance, unless there is some difficulty
at the mines, or some unwarranted combi-
nation to force the market to unnatural
figures, These contingencies of course arc
assumed by all who postpone the purchase
of coal. The stock of coal at Port Rich
mond is very low, and instead Of receipts
of three thousand cars per day, there is an
average daily arrival of but about two
thirds of that number. Boats on the canal
are also far short of the demand, in cons :
quencc, as we arc informed, of the boatmcn
having had the privilege ofextending their
trips in order to secure back freights-tlus
extending the round trip four, five and six
days, by which the cars from the mines are
detained at the shipping points awaiting
the return of the boats to receive the coal.
This block-up checks work at the mines,
and the most marked feature of the trade
to-day is scarcity of coal but it is scarcity
arising from causes that present prices are
likely soon to rcmove.-P.aalE'phin Leclger,
81 inst
Georges Creek, $4.45 at Georgetown or
Alexandria, $4.15 at Baltimore, 800 a.
Hobo en-.
Broad top, $3.50 at Philadelphia, $3.50
at New YORK.
The enormous piles of "slaci" or waste
coal lying contiguous to the Westmoreland
Coal Company's mines are to be utilized at
last and turned into coke. The Mcssrs.
Carnegie, of Pittsburg, and others, are con-
structing co'>e ovens along the Pennsylva-
mia railroad for this purpose, and it is said
they will be successful, having process
for desulphurizing the fine coal. The sui
phur has heretofore prevented coke being
made from the Wcstmorrland coal.
There are upwards of 900 co'e ovens
along the Pittsburg and Gonnellsvillc road,
and the Uniontown and Bradford and
Mount Pleasant Branch roads, and nearly
400 additional ones arc being constructed
Some idea of the tonnage may be formed
when it is known that the production
largely exceeds 100000 bushels, or about
5000 tons of coic per day, and falls far
short of the demand-PiOtccttonts
We learn from private sources that the
colicrics near Richmond, Va, have no diff
fcnlties to encounter in the matter of
strikes. The blacks are docilc and faithful
work steadily and are paid regularly. The
, Clover Hill mines find market at Rich
mond Petersburg, and the wharvcs at the
end of their own railroad for all that they
raise. The old Mid Lothian mines near
the James river have not been at work for
several years, but are to I've started again
Their bed is said to vary from to GO feet
in thickness and furnishes superior gas
coal Very cheap lands lying between tho
Mid Lothian and Glover Hill collerics, are
now in the market for -PiMtaclplta
Mining Register j30ta.
The Enterprise published at Nashville
Tenn, says BituminOus and camel coal
of a very superior quality is found in Cum
berland mountain and Waldcn's ridge
from Cumberland Gap to Chattanooga, Il
distance of about two hundred miles. II
/ is incXhaustible in quantity and lies in
| olDco nroy;,,it,- to IRON avn nf tho wow,