The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-06-26
The ConI Trade.

Almost every newspaper that comes to our
table from the anthracite coal regions and al
most every one that we meet at all connected
with the anthracite coal trade, seem to he
burthcncd with the same song, of a coal mar
ket never before so dull. We dropped into
most of the coal carrying cUnpanies on Sat
urday, and from each and all had the same
character of report. A gentleman from the
mining region, well booked up in coal inror-
nation, also reports an exceedingly dull busi-
ness. From one individual coal operator here
we got cheerful word; he said the coal trade
was dull, truly, but, so far as he was concern
ed, the outlook was more cheerful, that the
orders that he had received during the past
week for coal were more numerous and larger
in amount than he had received in any one
week for some months past thus indicating
that the crisis has probably passed. All
sources of information to be gathered from
here in this city, however, favor the propos-
ition pending among the leading coal COM
panies, namely that suspension of coal pro-
duction shall continue steadily on for ten days
or fortnight from the LIST Of July. The sew
eral Philadelphia interests all are united In
favor of the suggestion; indeed, the only op-
posing party in the trade, so far as we have
heard, is Mr.. Sloan, of the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western Railroad Company; he
favors the present arrangement of halfweck-
ly production. The thing is determined on
the part of the producers of coal to make a
market for coal, and to that end it is suggest
ed to make the July suspension cover all the
time, from the 1st to the 10th proximo This
Ni fpp1p ba Rret In, TttlN fe
usually broken week ut the mines, in con-
sequence of the festivities attendant upon the
celebration of the anniversary of the Fourth
of July. The advantage urged of long, un-
broken suspension is that it will give assur-
ance to those parties who are postponing the
purchase of the necessary supplies of coal, in
the hope of breaking the market to lower
figures, that that matter cannot be accom-
plished in any event-that prices will not be
| lowered If a similar suspension has to be re-
sorted to every succeeding month to the end
of the year. The total production of anthra-
cite coal to the 18th instant is 9lS7 OOO, against
1885, 900 tons to corresponding date last year
showing decrease this year of 1871, 900 tons.
With the probable continued entire suspen-
sion from the 1st to the middle of July, the
total tonnage to that date will be reduced
some two millions of tons below the produc-
tion to corresponding time last year, with one
month less of time then to the end of the coal
year to make up the difference. Those who
would not deceive themselves to their own
cost, should lay in their necessary supply OF
coal while they may at reasonable prices, for,
as sure as any future event in trade can be,
the producers of coal are in downright earnest
to have remunerative prices for every ton
they sell hence to the end of 1880. Reports
reach us from New York and the East that
the stock of coal on hand is quite large, much
of it having been carried over from last year
This amount, however, is being gradually
lessened, and, when current consump ion and
the usual supply laid in at this season fol
future use are both drawing on the current
production at the same time, there must be q
pinch in the market, and higher prices almost
enevitable. Ledger, Monday.