The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-08-06

Tho coal Trade.
Philadelphia Ledger, 1st inst. :-on asking
a person prominently connected with the
anthracite coal trade, within day or two,
how the trade wis getting along, he an
swered "never BETTER" and that ''it was all
that could be desired" The production
was full up and the demand fully equal to
the best at this season Of the year. Prices
of coal, too, are entirely satisfactory to pro-
ducers, and not oppressively high to con-
sumers It is now believed by those most
competent TO forecast the future that the
production Of anthracite this year will be
fully twenty five millions of tons, and that
prices will be adjusted to the absorption OF
this amount of coal at about present pricesj
which have ruled steady for the past two or
three months. II II be necessary to stiffen
prices and keep the market there Will be
such suspensions as will be necessary TO ef-
feet the desired end. The coal operators
are in excellent condition, and, while de-
tertnined 10 act in concert, show nc disposi-
tioh to hold their control oppressieely in
the thatter OF prices and in transportation
charges. It is manifest all around that the
trade is working advantageously, and those
who have been instrumental in bringing
it ID this end knowing through what suf-
ferihg II has passed to reach it, will moi in
considerably let the present advantage pass
for notght. If the anthracite trade is held
in its present prosperous condition, instead
Of being let run down at a cost Of millions
Of dollars, as too frequently before has been
the case, this loss Will be saved, to the di-
rect gain Of the coal trade, and the ultimate
advantage of the coal consumers 1t has
been Announced that tolls to local points
are this day to be advanced FIVE cents per
ton by the Reading Railroad Company,that
is, from $1.S5 to 100 per ton. This move
ment, some in the trade think, is little
premature, and beafs little hard on the
small retail dealers in coal, and that it
would have been better to have deferred the
advance month or two latter and then
have made it larger, say 20 to rs cents per
ton. The retail dealers fixing their prices
at even sums, Sc, 1925 or $3.50 per ton,
cannot readily adjust them to transporta-
tion advances of five cents per ton, conse-
quently smull advance of toll as Eve cents
cannot very we'll be covered into an advance
in the price of coal at the yards.
The Coal Trade Journal of last week says
"Trade in the several varieties of anthracite
may reasonably be quoted as having been
fairly active since the date of our last there
is beyond question good inquiry for coal
from the several points of consumption the
shipments are equal TO the receipts. For
the harder qualities there is as active de
mand as there has been at any time, and it
is only on certain of the free burning Goals
that there is any lack of orders, such as to
make the market quotations, therefore, at
all uneven. To the end of last week the
output was two million tons ahead of the
production at an even period last year; this
has been disposed Of, and we are really on a
better footing than for many years. The
companies will keep to their present meth
cd of managing the trade SO as to be profit
able. The advance at the East By the East
ern Shippers Association, at Erie, Pa, was
on broken and egg, Is cents stove and No
4, 25 cents; nut, cents on gross tons
The Pottsville Miners journal of Saturday
says: "There is no change to note in the
condition of the trade since our last report.
The sales departments are active and full oi
orders Stocks in first hands light and prices
firm. There is no talk of suspension to reg.
ulate trade, for the conditions are such thai
it has become self regulating and the indi.
cations are that it will continue SO for the
remainder of the year. ~
The Executive Committees of the Lehigh
and Schuylkill Coal Exchanges met on Fri
day afternoon TO take action upon the prices
for August. 1t was resolved to recommend
that no change be made in the line and city
prices, and that harbor prices be advanced
cents per ton, TO cover proposed increase
in transportation TO that extent. The tol
from Mauch Chunk and Schuylkill Haven
which is now ST 65, is to be increased tc
81 70. The Iehigh Valley Coal and Nayi
cation Company's line prices at Maucf
Chunk will be: lump, SO 10 stove ant
small stove, So 10; brokeh and egg, So
chestnut No. l, 50 SIS, and Chestnut No. 2
81 rs.
The total tonnage Of anthrsete coal from
all the regions or the Week ending July %
as reported by the several carrying compa
nies, amounted 70 654 1882 tons, against 4O5,
Ola tohSn the corresponding week last year
an increase of 249 ,34S tons. The tota
amount of anthracite mined for the year il
IA ,309 1893 tons, against l ,5S7 1854 tons fo
the same period last year, an Increase Of 2,
Sl2,044 tons.