Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-12
COKE OVENS IDLE.
Operators Forced to Shut Down on the Vol
ume of Production for Various Reasons
Over z, 900 Ovens Idle-Scant Car Sup
My Still Continues

ume OF Production for various Reasons
Over 2,5OO Ovens Idle-Scant Car Sup.
ply Still Continues.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCH.l
SCoTTDALE Dec. 1.-THE coke market, fol
the week under review, presents some new
features. There are as yet no Indications, as
viewed by operators for relief from the several
disturbing elements. The .cant car supply j:
still cited as the principal cause of the
arrangement in trade, although there
are other surrounding influences which
have FASTENED the suspensions and in
tended suspensions of hundreds of coke
ovens throughout the region. There have been
several Importan: factors behind the scenes fol-
two or three weeks, which are Just now assert
ing themselves. The depression in the money
market and the consequent dullness of the iron
market has had n disheartening effect on trade.
The coke market is largely dependent
on the iron industry for its existence,
and invariably rises and falls with IT. AS
evidence of the lethargic condition OF the iron
trade and its concomitant effect on the coke
trade, the Illinois Steel Company, the largest
consumers of Connellsville coke in America,
have blown out five of their eleven blast fur.
naces. the daily consumption of which was l4S
cars per day, or nearly 800 cars per week. EX-
tensive inquiry has developed tile fact that the
financial farore affects nearly every operator
in an indirect manner. The lessening in de-
mand. coupled with inadequate transportation,
has been the primitive causes of the Indefinite
suspension of over 1000 oven already.
Though the car famine still RACES. to the
detriment of both producer and consumer, rail-
way officials arc confidently expecting an i'm
provement, ana assign as their reasons for the
same, that there has been decline in the
volume of general business. Operators hope
fervently that their expectations may be real
lied, In consequence of the car famine nearly
every yard in the region is filled with stock
cUke and the various companies will now seize
0nnOTfnnitr removal
of the yards are badly overstocked.
The Frick Company in addition to blowing
out % per cent Of its ovens will next week
operate but two days at the Trotrer, Kyle,
Leisenring No. ], Leiseuring No. 2 Leisen-
ring No. SLeith, Davidson and Oliphant plants,
in order 10 get the stock coke into market.
The end of this week will witness the idleness
of over 3 $50 ovens manly occasioned by the
Generalization of shipping facilities.
The notices as given in the last report by the
Fr1ck, Hecla. Southwest and Schoonmaker
companies. have taken effect. and about 2300
or about 25 per cent, are already cold. Tbir-
teen hundred and thirty-seven. ovens of this
number is by Frick. l43 by the Hecla, 457 by
Schoonmaker, and about 900 by the Southwest
Company. The Mcclure Coke Company served
notice to-day that by reason of the depression
IN market and scarcity of Eastern cars they
will close down % per cent of their ovens
at the expiration Of six days. as fol-
Is at Union. and 63 at Donnely The remain
ing 25 per cent will likely be distributed be-
tween the Mayheld, Lemont, Bessemer and
Buckeye plants. OF the sn aller operators the
Calumet Company has given notice of the in
tended blowing out of 25 per cent. as has also
the Pennsvllle Coke Co., Stauffer & Wilev J.
w. Overholt and A. c. Overholr Company The
Frick Company will, in the meantime resume
operations at the Morgan and Frick plants and
blow in Il ovens at Henry Clay and So at Foun-
dry. -
The list of inactive ovens Is now estimated at
$500 and the actives at 5000 Five days opera
tions per week seems to. he the universal rule
though the Rainey and Cambria companies are
make six DAYS right along. The works OF the
Mcclure Company were idle one day this week.
while the Scoonmaker Company Will lay off
one day at each of five plants next week,
in the hope of clearing the yards of surplus
coke. The Baltimore and Ohio yardmen's
strike impeded traffic on that road for couple
OF davs. The furnace consumers in the Ma
honing and Shenango Valleys are still making
the atmosphere fairly flash with threats as to
their course if the producing companies do not
make a material reduction in prices.
They have gone SO far as to form a league,
with membership of rs which will demand
the concessions about January /. The oper-
ators are not being pcrturbed by their threats
They have frequently endeavored to
satisfy the angry furnace men of the
district by referring them to the
increased cost of production In this region.
These are the expressions of an operator to-
day on this subject: THE Valley furnacemen
are still kicking. am told. Well. let them
kick. They should know by past experience
contract All this talk about the
coke combine is nonsense. There isn't
any such organization in existence. We have
always tried to be fair with these people, and
it is evident that they don't relish such treat.
ment. You can state that reduction in prices
is not under contemplation for the balance of
the year at least. After next February we will
look into those matters"
Shipments last week took another tumble"
and were exceeded by the previous week by
275 cars. Shipments averaged S7g cars per day.
a. 1apr- tho nalr
Following is the record of consignments: To
points west of Pit sburg, 3,41o cars; tn Pitts
burg and river points, 900 car to points east of
Pittsburg, 800 cars: total. 5.275 cars. This was
the record of the preceding week: To points
west of PittsDurg. .45O cars; TO Pittsburg and
river points, 800 cars; to points east of Pitts
burg 500 cars; total. 5 500 cars. Coke prices are
thus: Furnace coke, 81 Is; foundry, q As:
crushed. 81 65-ail {. o. h. cars at ovens
Freight rates from the region TO points of
consumption are as follows: