Frostburg mining journal., 1883-03-03
City TielUs of the Coal Trade.


New YohK There is little to ;,
port in regard to the Eastern sof
coal trade ell the varieties Of bitum
aous are quiet. the operators sppar
sntly are not yet ssttlsd into the new
rider Of tolls snd freight charges
We cannot see any possibility of beat.
ing around the new arrangement. and
therefore consumers may a. we'll con
cluds that this year they will pay
more for bitumiaous than they did
the Last season or two. Already
there is some growing on this subject
by the buyer and certain operators
but where can anything be gained,
particularly by the carrier, in cutting
rates as they we're cat last year. Il
almost seems to prove conclusive ly
that some operators cannot compete
in fair and opsa market. Thers is
some difference in favor of shipment.
made in Baltimore, and We may sx-
peot to see this point assume even
larger prominence as shipping point
for Clsarfsld than has yet been the
case. Piedmont shippers can hardly
expect to como through at the same
rate Of toll. as those Via Cumberland,
and yet it has been suggested that
this was . subjest for invest igatiop
even after the new tolls were 6xed
We can hardly look for much activity
in this line of trade until there is
something like an opening Of nayiga-
tioa. In the meantime there il an
immense amount Of rsconnoitsring
going on, and the skirmishsrs are
putting in some pretty heavy work to
nduos trade to 90 to this or that
reglon.-Coal Trade Journal.
The trade is exceedingly quiet, and
there is some disposition TO make
concessions to secure current busi nssG
Notwithstanding long and tsmpsstou 3
passages, steamers are taking very
little coal, and the volume of this
business is much restricted. We
quote 81 50@$4.6o for Clesriield AID
$455@$4.75 for Oumbsrlap d, accord.
Ing TO quality.
The principal feature Of interest in
the trade is the uncertainty as to the
relative position Of the Baltimore &
Ohio Railroad and the Pennsylvanis
Railroad. 1t was understood that
rates had been arranged on such a
basis as to give the shippers over
both roads 4 position of equality in
the markets. 1t seems now that by
soms mlsapprshsnuion tho Baltimore
q Ohio rates were computed on the
distance from Piedmont instead of
from Cumberland, although local
rates had been embraced in the calcu.
lation. 1t is stated that this gives
shippers of Cumberland coal over the
Baltimore & Ohio Railroad an advant.
age Of at least % cents ovsr their
competitors SHIPPING Cumberland
coal via the Pennsylvsnia systom and
the shippers of Clsarfsld coal. The
latter urge that, unless this is rightqd
or the Pennsylvania Railroad makes
concession from its present high
rates, which it seems determined to
maintain, they will be 30 much handi-
csrpsd that large part of their bss-
mess will be lost before they can
make any effort to compete for it. It
is rumorst that even now Cumberland
shippers are soliciting orders for con
tracts in the East at figures incon-
siatsnt with the established freight
rates, being in some cases so cents
below them. There is every prospect
that the competition for these con-
tracts will be exceptionally sharp
this year. The 6rst one, $4,000 tons
for the Eastern Railroad, has been
closed at very low figure, two Clear
field companies taking the contract
NJ " rJ -.