The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1880-09-18
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Tho Coal Trade.
The anthracite coal trade continues quite
active and prices rule irm. The market is
now seemingly fairly in the control Of the
producing and carrying companies. The
tonnage is now the fruit Of full work ,s very
large, and, so far as appearances go, not in
advance of the current demand for coal.
The Reading Railroad Company is now in a
fair wuy to test the capacity always claimed
for II by President Gowon as a producer Of
coal. In fourteen days In August last past
II earned s5OO,OOO, and during the present
month Of September IL is estimated that it
will earn 100000. There are two more good
mofths' tonnage in the present year, which
will bring The aggFegate of revenues for the
three fall months up to three millions of dol.
lars; Coal is nov in large demand, mainly
FOR the reason that consumers were in doubt
whether prices this year, aS was the case
last year,which was an exceptional instance
in the history Of the coal trade, might not
sell lowest at the end of the year, those
who have thus reasoned and dabulsd within
themselves were simply taking the chance
Of the speculator The indications now are
that they have this year let go by the season
Of cheap coal it now eeeps probable that
the highest prices Of coal in the present
year of 1880 will be in the last four months
Of the year, and the trade will in all proba-
bility extend into 1881 with an activity quite
unusual for the last fiveor sig years. should
this ouiseeming prove correct the next
years coal trade Viii receive such an i'm
petus as will work the most encUEraging
results. There 10 every prospect now that
the depression tha. has hung over the trade
for the past two Of three years has ended
aud that fair success will attend it for years
in the future. All speculation is hazardous,
aud without pretending to lay down rifles
to govern in such tranaattlohs in coal, or,
indeed, in any other marketable conimo-
dity, we MAY with propriety say that when
the thing dealt in is II work Of prime neces-
sity, like coal, and must be had sooner or
later in the year,the part of wisdom at least
of safety, we think would be to lay in the
necessary supply when prices were low and
especially if they were down to about the
cost of production. To neglect laying in a
supply at such time we should consider
recklessly taking hazard with little
chance Of profit. As a rule, lay in coal carly
in the year, and at that particular period
when it is most abundant in stock and when
it is ususally most cheaply handled. The
fact that last year tho Wholesale price Of
coal was less in the fall than earlier in the
year does not establish the practicing upon
it as safe policy. The present active de
mand for coal at the highest prices of the
year is a caution tp buy now the season for
the largest use of fcei hfs but just COM
menced, and if it should become UNUSUALLY
cold earlier than usual further material
advance in prices may follow all through
the winter, when those found shortest IN
supply, according to their demand, will
suffer most for It is faitly 10 be afiticipGtea
that those who have coal to cell will exact
the most for II that they can get, Just as con.
sumers, when they in like circumstances
had the producers Of coal in corner
pressed for lowest prices, even when they
wero known to he actually sellihg at losing
prices on every ton Of coal sold. Such is tn,
law Of trade; il is natural, and, indeed, th'
only equitable law. Time utder this Law
makes all inequalities of trade equal. NJ
one either has just cause of complain
against Its operation, for all recognize it
| practice. Retail prices in the East an,
We5t have been advanced, and Boston deal
ers put up prices last Wednesday from rs t
Is cents ton net in the yard. For thoIes
Of the month the outlook is favorable-s
favorable that there is danger of an increas
of prices, which would be dlssd7antageou
to the trade now that it is in better condi
ton than at any time since 1875. We do nc
consider that the advance since then is du
to a grasping monopoly, as some of the pres
are beginning TO talk Of. 1t is due 10 a re
turn tn reason on the part of the manager
Of the anthracite coal trade, and this retur
was only brought about BY the financial
ruinous results of the insane policy pursue
during the past two or three years. TIL
trade reports of all branches Of industr
are to the effect that the outlook for bus
ness never was better. In view of ther
facts there is splendid outlook for thoI
engaged IN coal producing.-MOnday
Ledger.