Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-02
COKE TRADE ONLY FAIR.
Summary of Business for the Month of April
The Idle Ovens Numerous Mt Present
Attempts TO Reduce Prices Not Likely to
Succeed.

Succeed.
SPECIAL TELBGRAn TO THE DIsPATcH.i
SCoTTDALE, May 1.-The conditions ruling
in the coke trade are similar to those presented
in last report. Trade has lodged in a rut. in
which it possibly may remain during the sum.
mer, with the general tenor fair.
The operators have done well in preserving
the trade thus far, when the melancholy state
of the iron trade is considered. 1t is said that
one of the companies will resume some of the
ovens which were blown out a short time
since. While shipments last week would indl-
cate no improvement, there is a slight move
ment upward, which is likely to be a charac-
teristic of trade this week. The works will
operate. as general rule. about hve days next
week, while few operators will be fortunate
in making six-day run. Seemingly, some of
the consumers are using every available effort
to break coke prices, but up to date they have
signally failed.
An operator stated yesterday: Some of the
consumers of coke are operating their works
about half time in the hope of lowering coke
prices, and that is one of the principal reasons
is that some of the furnaces are closing down
temporarily for needed repairs"
Trade for the month OF April has been fair,
as the shipments will show For the month
there were over $50 600 tons of coke sent, which
is only small decrease compared with last
month. The car supply was excellent, as well
as other transportation facilities. The month
was marked by the shutting down of over l,S00
ders. The works operated four and five days
per week alternately. Last week 6050 cars of
coke we're sent out, an average of about l,O09
cars per day. The shipments were distributed
to the various points of consumption as follow:
To points west of Pittsburg $500 cars;
to Pittsourg and river points, 1850
loo cars. Shipments for the preceding week
gave total of $3.50 cars and were consigned
thus: To points west of Pittsburg. $50 cars: to
Pittsburg and river points, $50 cars; to points
east of Pittsburg l,5O0 cars Shipments to
points west note an increase of 30 cars; to
Pittsburg, decrease of lS0 cars. and to east
ern points falling of of 300 cars.
The Morrell and Wheeler plants of 500 ovens
are In operation, after a weeks idleness from
the strike. The Youngstown plant of 24O
ovens will remain idle some time because of
some new machinery that is being erected.
The Mcclure and Schoonmaker plants will
operate five days next week.
The Smithtson region is still idle because of
strike. Coal and coke from that district enter
the market
1t is understood that the contract is about to
be let for the building of some additional ovens
to the Davidson plant
There are over 500 idle ovens in the coke re-
gion. There are no local strikes at present to
injure the trade.
The following prices are being sustained, but
it is still thought that couple of the COM
panies are shading prices: Furnace coke, 81 Is;
foundry, 81 45; crushed, 81 IS.
Freight rates per ton of 1000 Ms from the
Connellsville region, which includes any part
of il, to points of consumption, are as follows: