The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-09-03
The Coal Trade.
QU1NT.

The Coal Irade.
The anthracite coal trade, says Mondays
Ledger, continues in much the same con
dition as at this time last week. The coal
business keeps we'll up that is, the supply
IS good and the demand such as To hold
prices steady. The question that still oc-
eupies considerable attention in the antbra-
cite coal market is whether there shall be A
suspension Of coal production during the
coming month Of September, or whether
there shall be an advance Of prices, or both.
Inc general impression in the trade on sa.
turday was that there will be no general
change in prices during the mobth Of Sep.
tember. There may possibly be a retail nd.
vance, but it has not yet been decided to do
So The Philadelphia and Reading Coal
and Iron Company will possibly reduce, in
'ts forthcoming circular, the price of pes
coal from SSlO to SO. City end harbor prices
are mot liheiy TO be changed hst now. The
more considerate OF those who are governors
IN the coal trade, while admitting that there
Is d iairiy good business doing in coal for
this season of the year, tlo not think it large
enough 10 take the entire production that is
now under way. Prices have not Yielded 10
any marked degree. There is very Hobd
line and Western demand, and a better
business could bo done to the East were
there greater number Of vessels available.
The local demand is very quiet. Coal is ac.
cumulating rapidly on the hands of some of
the companies, while one or two seem TO
have about oil they can do. The Bfinersj
Jon'nut says "There is no chshpe in the
slate Of the trade since our last report. The
demand is sufficiently great to take up all |
the coal that is being mined, with the col
iieries all running on full time. The scar
city OF coal carrying vessels to deliver the
coal East and South continues to be the
only drawback to the steady flow of the
trade, and as long as this contrues there
will be talk Of suspension. There has been
some discussion upon this subject during
the week. but no definite action has been
taken, nor will there be until blockade of
coal at tidewater pciuts renders Is abso.
iutely Necessary" 1t is said everybody
agrees that business is good, unusually good
Tor August, which is generally the dullest
month Of the yeaf. Large as the Readings
July tonnage was, the August tonnage, it is
estimated, will be $4,000 or 10000 more. n
greater increase than could be expected be.
cause OF July's three days of suspension.
For August has not been without restrib.
llon, though it was not of the kind agreed
on In secret conclave in O back Office on
Broadway OF Walnut street. The dryness of
The season has affected production at those
,ollleries dependent on small local streams
or their water supply to an extent fully
equal to one days suspension Of work in
every week. Thus the total production for
'he month has been unintentionally regu.
ated III about the sauie proportion, taken
lll in all, as July was; so much so that the
Reading people have pigeon Boiled Their re-
quest for three days suspension at the end
'f the month, and nobody has said any
hing about it for two weeks. providence
helps the coal trade" is an old Walnut street
maxim, and the rush of anthracite tonnage
hat the Reading has had indicates that the
which prevented any further
suspension has been more of a Godsend to
he schuylkill operators than they had an.
icipatedl The Eastern demand is particu-
arly activej and shipments are heavy and
constant. Vessels are more numerous than
hey were two weeks ago, and, though the
PRESENT high schedule of freight has shown
ONE irregularity, still better figures are
o"ked for after the September activity be-
.ins.
The total tonnage Of anthracite coal from
ii the regions for the week ending August
10, as reported by the several carrying com.
'anios, amounted to 6O4,S76 tons, against /
"a, Ss7 tons in the corresponding week last J
ear, an increase of l79,0S9 tons. The total
mount of anthracite mined for the year is I;
6,SSl ,O6g tons, against 1928, 1852 tons for
he same period last year, an increase of g. /
27,6l7 tons. i