The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-05-19
The Coal Trade.

Inc COhA fEhues
The coal trade during the past week has given
indication of important changes. With the
opening of the coal year of 1877 there was per-
sistent and seemingly united effort on the part
Of the great producing and carrying companies
to revive the combination" of the past two OF
three years,Or something Similar to it, by which
the trade should be rHised to and prot cted In
prices that would save II from loss. Several
proposition were mode ana consider ed, and at
one time a line of policy was agreed upon but
for the reas on that its provisions could lot or
would not be guaranteed II has been abandon.
ed or, rather. has gradually not only died out Of
notice but u now seems that its opposite is to
take It's p ace. Instead OF conducting the coal
trade with some UNITY of purpose and at prices
that would warrant some reasonable return Tor
the labor aud OIlilPy, the movements during the
past week indicate that each of the several com.
panies heretofore IN the combination will set up
business for IL. elf "eliing as much coal as IL can
and at the best prices that may be obtained.
The policy now indicated Is each for himself,
ana loss, II not ruin. in the end for all The
competition at present promised in the supply
OF coal renders lower prices, which even now
afford little or no profit quite probable. Meet
ings during the week have Deen held at New
YORK OF the LEADING parties, 10 determine as to
what shall be done on the lsU prOXlmO us to
prices fot June Al the meetings alluded to the
Reading Railroad Company had no representa-
tive present, and II was complained against il
that It had. in advance OF the adoption of q line
of policy, contracted for the delivery of very
large amounts OF coal at very low II not losing
prices. There seems therefore, IN the absence
OF the Reading, little probability of either unity
or harmony OF action. Indeed, 1t has all along
been beheved by many intelligent in the trade
| that the Reading Railroad Company meant thus
yesr 10 stand alOOf from all entangii alliances,
and for once TO ''gb il alOue." relying upon ITS
| superior facilities for carrying coal to command
for itself by sharp competition, full share of
business and of profit, If, Of the latter, there
| stall be any. The Pennsylvania Coal Company
has also had q meeting, and OY resolution cloth
| cd Ia officers with full powers to act as they
deem for the best interest OF the company, and
enough il known to indicate that in the near
future there will exist fierce strife in the coal
| trade,which msy result IN tempoI sry low prices
| To consumers OF coal, whatever NAV be the re-
| suit to some of the weaker companies. The
| Pennsylvania Company, which Is rlch In cash
| assets has heretofore been inclined not 10 press
| it's production on the market. But lately charg.
/ ing that the Reading and other companies were
| steadily supplying a market which before had
| been almost exclusively its own, 1t has become
| impatient, and may IN time show its own power
| rs a competitor at low prices on the same daY
| the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company
| through IT'S president, issued a circular an
| nOunelng tnat the prices for coal would be mace
| from daY to daY, ana its coal was offered that
| day at prices materially lower than the previous
| schedule rates OF course the other companies
| understand tins us "A declaration Of war on the
| part of that company. Ihe problem OF the Goa
companies Is very simple one. several OF
| them can scarcely hope to escape bankruptcS
| with coal at the present prce,and most OF then
| are 20 loaded with debts, leases and obligation,
| OF various kinds that they can hardly sustain
| themselves, even with coal at last years prices
| when they were protected by the combination
| How much less must be hoped iOf now IN wal
| in which each is seeking TO project himself ant
acting utterly regardless OF how much a. M
| but II the war policy is persisted in the begin
| mug of the emf Is near at hand. The prOduo
| tiun Of coal continues largely ahead OF that O
| last year 70 the same tlme.-Ledger. Monday,
TIE following table shows the quantity OF Goa
| shipped over the Lehtsh Valley hallrOad for ihi
week ending May 18th, 1877. and for the year Vi
compared W IN the same time last year
rHsaUaa NaaH