New-York tribune., 1873-12-26
LOCAL MISCELLANY. Y.
THE COAL MARKET.

THE COAL MARKET.
NC COMBINATION TO REDUCE Ihh '-'
SPRING.
rr,. o,>o,,od arrangement among the various
.,.o..oa,ies who control tho anthracite marHe' ="
h, o,tv for general reduction OF prices carry ~ "o
coming Spring seems to have no founda'ioh ~ ''e"
go wbo hold this almost absolute control over 'he
I,,srket are the railroad and canal companies WHO
.aet the Exclusive transportation business between
ar, ,tv and the great coal fields, and inquiry at ther
oes on Wednesday elected nothing that conhrmeu '"e
report ~ -, c,,
N, Hicks Treasurer OF the Consolidated Coal Com
pany az No II Broadway, thought that sueh IN al
,nent would be rdicuously premature even au"i'"s
that the various companies would join together 'or such
n purpose. There were a thousand possibilities 'h"'
might derange any such plans Several months were 10
before SPRING and there might be strikes III thc
zines OF on the railways in the mean time when "ouu
render coal very scarce. There Is however, NJ 'he
beginning Of the Spring usually great deal OF compe
,on in the securing of yearly contracts ana inc price
may fan in consequence. These contract prices remain
throughout the year without reference TO any dicni
lies IN the way of mining railroad business, aud con-
,tute large part Of the business Of the coal companies
But IN tie ordinary trade prices usually gam Sreng
on the approach of Winter, when families ay IN thei
Winter supplies, and weaken about midwinter when the
demand has supplied. Coal rose last summer IL
.on on certain qualities OF break IN the canal
i
Of the prolonged strikes among the miners, ana 'nt
trade remains liable such unexpected draWDacSs
a.. seasons II would therefore, be impractcaDe 70 ~
price on coal for Spring. and II IL were pracoo
II would be very unwise. - ,,.,.ruoro ond
Mr Holden who is the agent OF the Delaware e, nn ana
IaSEawanna Coal Company Of No. 20 Exchalge-pItce,
.a,d the tendency she coal business al present ma
toyard lower prices because the demand had
vim the filling OF orders for the Winter supply II neht
he possible ,that the tendency would remain Una. way
until spring but coal companies could not play tne
prophet well enough to warrant them in nAhsa piIoc m
on coal for Spring he has heard OIL no suon ai
Tangement - 49, ,.n.,.,Dhio and
Reading Company, in Plne-st, said he knew OF no sun
arrangement II had happened this year tnat Goa h h
steadily risen 10 cents ton every nohth since Wy
opening OF Spring. The amount oI safes Ior id
% stove coal as the quality for that purpose IL eaeo
,s NOT sufcent 10 compel higher price In the Wnef
when navigation closed and the river steamers 40 no
,ske their supply. The great manufactures are the
most important purchasers, and ey usually eohI acs
for their yearly supplies In the Spring wnen tpe poas
sre resumng and thus there Is large demand az tne
time when families dispensing with nre or war fmlnH
purposes altogether that really there very even
balance ia the price all the year reund the reta aee
n of course hyeer at the opening OF winter put the
selling price OF coal TO retailers and contract
by the companies has no reference, III genera" W ''
SEASON OF tle year.