The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-01-11

All orders subject TO any change that may
be made in prices previous to shipment of
coal, and all sales subject to printed condi-
tions. No allowance will be made for short
weight via canal unless the coal is properly
weighed and the amount short plainly noted
upon receipt given to captain, and claim
made for same within ten days from receipt
of the coal. About the average decline ON
November prices of coal, so far as we have
been able to gather,is one dollar per ton and
some persons intelligent in the trade name
further decline of fifty cents per ton to en-
able the market to take the amount of coal
that will probably be thrown upon it, The
weather for the last few days, however, with
the thermometer below zero, will no doubt
have wonderful influence on the market and
on prices, The supply of coal is unusually
low for this season of the year BY reason Of
the shortened production all through the
last four or five months, and in dscounting
the future of coal market it is within the
range of probability that the decline in
prices will be found overestimated. If the
years output of coal shall reach 81 900 900
of tons, as some have estimated, the compe-
tition threatened in the trade, and which
has seemingly so much frightened producers,
will not so overstock the market as to bring
down prices in the near future, as now indi-
Gated. Three millions of tons in 1879 added
| to the output of Is millions in 1878 will give
so much more work TO the several companies
as to keep them all so near fully employed
as to leave no inducemcnt to sell at other
than fairly remunerative prices. There is
reason to anticipate pretty full demand for
coal, and the past year having done much to
make the public familiar with fair prices for
! it, the trade itself should not thus in the be-
! ginning of the new year destroy the advan-
.tage achieved in this regard. A good many
! intelligent coal operators are looking hope
| fully forward for Il fairly good coal year du-
| ring 1879. Besides the light stock on hand
there is the contingency of strikes and other
causes favoring a scarcity Of coal and higher
prices. The market should not be broken in
advance and until there is an occasion for it,
| President Gowen,, ofthe Reading Company,
announces to the miners of the Schuylkill
region that the rate of wages to be paid by
the company in 1879 will be determined 10y
| the price of coal and governed by a mini
mum established by the rate of freight and
! tolls, exactly as 1t was in 1873, and that the
| prospect for steady work is better than ever
before, and, although prices may be low, the
rate Of wages during the year will never be
less than 20 per cent below the basis.
A Pottsville dispatch of the Sd inst, says
The Acting Chief Engineer has received the
following from President Gowen regarding
the Schuyllsill trade for the year: " You can
announce to your men that the rate of wages
to be paid by the company in 1879 will be
determined by the prices of coal and govern
ed by minimum established by the rate oi
freight and tolls, exactly as it was in 1878
You can further say that the prospect fol
steady work is better than it ever was be-
fore, and although the price of coal and the
rate of freight will undoubtedly be lower
than it were last year, we will agree that NJ
matter how low either will go, the rate u
wages during the year will never be les:
than twenty per cent. below the basis. We
expect TO continue our colleries at work The
railroad company has agreed to such Il slid
ing scale of tolls and freight charges as will
undoubtedly enable the individual coal op-
orators also TO keep steadily at work. The
! deservedly high character of Schuylkill coal
will readily secure a market for the entire
| product, and with earnest and hearty coop
eration among all interests-workingm
operators, and transportating companies
the Schuylkill region will at once take it.
proper position at the head of the trade"
Tho Lehigh coal operators met in Phila,
delphia, Friday,and agreed upon the follow,
ing prices, which show a reduction of about
ten por cont. below those prevailing in No.
| yember aud December: phila.