The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1877-06-16
The CORI Trnde.


Tho officers of the Reading Railroad Compauv
say that from the 18th Of Juuc 10 tho ljth OF
July the two companies, the road aud canal
vii make S5ln 900 II operations are continued
If they stop the result will be for the month
auOnt $50 go pTOnts from railroad truilio and
steam golfers, which will be overcome by one
months loss from cpnals, including rent, and
one months loss from Coal ana Iron Company,
covering, IN all. some siS00G0, showing a bal
auce OF loss of $4,000. Tins whether accurate
or not IS the reasoning Of the heading. In
other words the managers of that company feel
that they are asked TO iOregO the receipt of
SjOO,OOO actual profit. nnd assume loss of 5g5.
600, with all the incidental loss of disarrA1ge.
ment OF business, difficulty with labor, &c. not
only without any agreement to give them in
cTeaseu piOnts after July 10, but with the up-
prehenatOn that their company VIII lose heavily
III later months from the stOppage. This later
loss is apprehended first from scarcity of vessels
at ltichmOnd. IT the company stops ior u
month, its stock of coal will not be sufficient to
employ all vessels, and the owners, becoming
dsguSted, may withdraw 'Om the trade or
wtndraw the'r vessels together fiOm the Port
RlChmOnd trace, for it must not be forgotten
Ihat tms port is at n disadvantage with New
York in the matter of vessel supply. The har.
vest time Tor coal shipments is from May to n o.
Yember, and refusal to employ vessels at the
season when they are plenty Will be a serious
ulsadvantage to the Reading. If It stops
mouth, its stock at Richmond is, say i75,OOU
tons against probably 40lCOO IN New ork har
Dor. New York would therefore be able to en-
plOY all vessels dui;ng the suspension, and
Philadelphia would have to send them away
empty II is of the first importance to the
TO come 10 Port Richmond and, second If the
Reading stops mining, 1t must not only lose a
great deal OF merchandise and pOsseng ger traffic,
winch results from active coal operations, but
II runs great TisS OF difficulty with labor. The
company impedly promised Its men steady
work i0r The year II 1t entOTceS them to re-
main idle for month"; il will be difficult to re-
move from their minds the Impression that the
idleness was to result III better wages for the
remaining portion of the year. and IL will have
TO contend with the ieelng of dissatisfaction re-
sulhng ON continued low wages adued to the
nf n .sN.A
TO the main question Of advantage to be gained
from higher prices 20 result from the stOppage
"a months stoppage Of mining viii reduCepro-
duCLOn say 2,2O0O0J tOns-but after resumption
there will De an ability to produce at least 5000.
700 tons more than the market will take. aud
3OnO.Ot0 Of our production Is Just as bad as o.
0000 600. and either is sufficient to keep prices
down to the very minimum. This brings the
whole question back TO Mr. Governs original
proposition, that without some guaranteed
agreement as to prices, the Reading would get
no advance. To this end have Mr.. GOwen and
MS Board steaf ly reasoned in the past; and we
near OF no recent change OF opinion. The Read
ing managers are awake enough 10 see that
when there Is an reproduction, curtailment
Is OF course essential, but an enforced cur tail
ment Of production may result ON the ina
billty Of some Of the other companies to market
Their coal. If their wharves are full and their
cars are standing loaded, they cannot move
much coal, but If the Reading Railroad Com
pany agree TO stop one month, IT VIII give them
all an opportunity to get rid of their stock and
to empty their cars, by which they VIII there
by be enabled TO produce and ship more coal In
the remaining five months then they could
have shipped in the entire six, If no stOppaEe
had been made. These points are speculative,lt
Is true. but they are not without their influence
with the Reading IN determining the question
of suspension OF a months production. Besides.
the company have sod a large amount of coal ut
a fixed price, and are bound TO deliver It, If coal
goes mp in consequence of the stoppage its COM
petltOrs will gain by 1t, while the ReadiDg will
not only lose the actual deficiency of the month
OF idleness, but IS prevented from tilling its
contracts, when the cost of production is low,
and obliged TO T them at an increased cost OF
production without an increase OF receipts.
This Is the reasoning of the friends of the
Reading on the pending issues of the coal trade
and the conclusions may reasonably be accept
ed a. those TO govern, so fur as that company is
concerned, for the rest of the current year |
They see no advantage to be gained by stop |
page. but feel that such step may involve the |
company in loss OF from $4,000 to 81, 100000
While the managers OF the Reading do not de-
sire tu be cOnsiaered as opposed TO "a cOmprO-
mise end agreement with the other companies |
they 40 not believe. when such cOmpromise
aud agreement is made, 1t must contain Mr. |
Governs original provisions: First. That stop
page for purposes OF cur taimenJ must be III the
winter months, II made at all. Second. That
competitive tonnage must be sold through one
agency. Third. That effort must be made to sell
the surplus III new markets rather than 10 re.
strict production; and, Fourth. That Phlla.
delphla and Reading Railroad must have It's
proper share of tonnage and control Of manage.
ment. The managers believe tnat there Is
nothing to prevent such a plan being put INTO
force at once. But nOthlng can be positively
and definitely known until Mr.. Gowen comes
Ol Managers, aud the parties to the proposed
pact.-Ledger, Monday.
COAL STILL DECLINING.
The coal sale by the Pennsylvania Company
in New YORK, wednesday was largely attend |
ed, but the buying interest was not very mark |
ed. The amount offered was q - 10 tons of
PittstOn coal delivered at Newburgh before
Aug. l. The entire lot, with the exception OF
pea coal, was put on the market at once. The
prices bid began low, ran up little, and then |
dropped of on some OF the grades. The officers
OF the company were disappointed because bet |
ter prices We're not realized Tne prices obtain
ed were much lower than at last months sales |
Que reason OF lower prices is that the most of
the retail dealers have large supply OF coal IN
their yards ana are not anxious To increase
their STOCK at high figures. The following
shows the sales OF Wednesday, compared with |
the sales a month ago.
Last Months |
Wednesdays Sale, AUerage |
Crate per tOn....S2 A, a 81 Bj 81 rs
stOYe...,.......... 10 a SIN 2 so
Chestnut.......... 42h0 2 52h 9 20