The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-08-16
The Coat Trade,

The anthracite coal trade has not al all
improved the past week-indeed, it is appar-
emily even more demoralized than it was
this time last week. and mofe than it has
appeared to be at any time before the cur
rent year. The business is quite dull We
do not feel authorized to quote prices lower
than the July circulars, but we may safely
say that the large consumers Of coal are
holding out of the market in the hope, If not
the expectation, that they will be lower. 1t
is openly charged that individual operators
as well as some Of the large carrying compa-
nies which desire higher prices tOr coal and
yetdcslre to conceal their hand in the direct
accomplishment of that end by openly lav-
Oring suspension of production, neverthe-
less do aid the purpose by indirectly unset
tling AMI demoralizing the market by want
of unity Of action, thus forcing the conclu-
sion desired. The Reading Railroad Com
pany in order to hold the market unbroken,
has for the past month or two generously
proliered its aid to relieve the Hudson Canal
cumulated from week TO week, but from
some cause, whether the general weakness
ofthc coal market or the unsuleable character
Of the Canal Company's coal, the Reading
has declined as is understoody lohgerto take
its surplus stock in consequence of which,
as is supposed, the announced sale by auc-
ton. Whether a peremptory auction sale
of so small an amount as fifty thousand tons
is likely to materially affect prices, if at all,
remains to be seen. 1t will be remembered
tnat prices at the last atction sale OF coal at
New York week before last resulted in an
average advance of l64 cents per ton 1t is
true the circular prices for August were not
by all the companies correspondingly adj
vanced with the auction sale prices and the
market has since ruled dull and unsettled.
Such OF the companies as did advance their
circular prices we understand rigidly adhere
to them, but are not receiving largely OF new
orders. The most of the business doing ii
is believed is comprised in the deliveries on
the orders of May and June, and at the then
lower prices We do not learn that there is
any considerable pilng of coal by any OF
the companies several of them report No
piling at all, and not more than the average
stock for this season of the year is ON hand
The ifore Intelligent IN the anthracite coal
trade firmly adhere to the opinion avowed q
month ago, that the market for the current
year will take at least % 100000 tons, and il
may be a mlliol more. OF this estimate
the last report shows total tonnage o
l4,429 ,637 tons, against s,54G, ,634 tons to the
same time last year. This Will leave for tn,
remainder Of the coal year, sbme three anc
half months, more than seven and a hal
millions Of tons to make up the lowest est
t mate of 100000 of tons for the year. S,
) large a coal movement as seven and hal
TO eight and half millions of TONS in thre
3 and half months will keep all the source
of anthracite supply pretty fully employed
| There need not be necessarily any sacrifice
S Of coal, and will not be if but a little com
+ mon sense is exercised by the owners an,
producers Of it. The marketing Of coal a
prices that no more than pay the cost O
handling, allowing nothing for the coal,
absurd, and should not be desired even by
consumers. If there is no considerabl
amount of coal now on the market; such
price for the supply necessary to meet th
current demand to the end of the year ma.
be commanded simply by the askngj an,
holding it until given will make the dill
. ference to the producers of as many mil
lions of dollars as there are tons of coal +
c be supplied This is Consideration il
amount worth commanding attentions