Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-08
WHY COAL Is CHEAP.
The Mild Winter and the Bitter Com
petition of the Operators.
THE ELECTRIC STRIKE MATURING.
Important Steps to be Taken at q Meeting
of the Union Tonight.
TIE CORKWORKERS' SCALE SETTLED

The coal trade is very dull. No person
will probably be surprised at this. The con-
ditlon of the weather is largely to blame.
The consequent light demand at the markets
down the river has had great deal to do
with the low price of Monongahela river
coal, but is not altogether responsible. The
hostile relations of many of the coal opera
tors has very much to do with the severe cut
in figures.
The large operators in this city were
united against the demand made by the
miners last fall for cents a bushel. A
number of the smaller operators conceded
The demand and continued business. They
were rapidly getting the inside of the mar
ket q. Cincinnati, Louisville and Southern
ports. In self protection, the large opera
tors were compelled to open their mines at
the figures demanded by the miners. Now
the firms with long bank accounts are SELL
ing coal at less than its cost, and the outlook
is that some of the small operators will be
squeezed out How long the cutting will
be kept up none of the operators Will venture
TO say, but at the present time the marketseems
to be growing still loOser, with prospects OF
yet further decline.
Mr. L N. Bunton, of the firm of Joseph Wal
ton q Co., said yesterday: The price of coal at
Cl0clnnaIl is QOWQ TO D CenES Oubu6l DcCduSG
of the great competition. Holders of coal are
anxious to sell. The demand is very light, and
they are compelled to sell at whatever they
can get rather than hold their coal until spring,
and perhaps nos be able Co sell 1t at all.
VERY Low PRICE.
have Just received telegram from Cincin-
natl saying that coal is being offered there to-
day at less than cents. think none has yet
been sold at that figure. To mine coal in the
Co. 4l,,I Loo
this city, and the towing from Pittsburg to Gin
cinnat with the return of the empty barges.
makes the cost Of coal just S5 40per 100 bushels,
nearly 81 cents bushel. Firms owning their
own boats, can, of course, do it cheaper, but
those figures do not allow anything for the cost
of pumping while the barges are lying here, nor
for the expense of keeping an agent at Cincin-
natl. At cents there is absolutely no profit
for anybody but we must sell our coal for what
we can get. The weather, of course, is largely
to blame for the condition of the market. We
must have spell of cold weather before we
can expect raise in price, and there is poor
prospect for that.
There is not a very large supply of coal at
Cincinnati, and not much is being done here.
Our firm continues shipments, however, This
afternoon we are starting large tow OF 26
pieces for Cincinnati and Louisville"
Mr.. 7. NJ. jenkins said that he understood
coal was selling at cents at Cincinnati, but
he had not sold any at that figure. He thought
there was very little coal up the riveT-yery
little. at least, being loaded. The operators
are nearly all working their mines, but are en-
ploying light forces and not pushing matters
much.
BARROwS CONFIRMS IT.
About the same statement was made by Mr..
Richard Barrows and other gentlemen inter-
ested in the coal trade. The situation appears
to be that only few of the very large opera
tors, who own their own steamboats, and barges.
are offering coal at the lowest figure, while
Others are holding of, hoping for an increasein
price.
There is considerable quiet talk among the
coal men about the organization Of combine,
to include all operators here, but its consum-
nation seems to be rather far away just at
present. There is a general feeling of diStrust
among the operators which prevents their CON-
ing together.
jenkins Co. and W. H. Browns Sons sent |
out good sized tows of coal yesterday. ONeill |
& Co. and Lysles are preparing to send out tows |
to-day OF tomorrow Although the market is |
dead, the operators feel like getting their coal
Last evening the river marks in the harbor |
showed over 13 feet and rising. General rain |
is reported on the headwaters and there are ex- |
pectations of very high river within "a hours. |
The highest water of the season is looked for. |
Notwithstanding the fact that coal men here |
have reduced the price apparently to cents at |
the following is given by the Gin |
cinnati papers as the condition of the market |
there on Monday: Goal market dull. Pitts
burg afloat is held at 8 and cents per bushel
Of Z6SS cubic inches for second pool; Kanawha
river. and ~ cents; Ohio river, and 616 |
cents.n