Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-09
STILL BANKING OVENS.
The Coke Outlook Not Very satisfactory
Demand for Production Failing Of-The
Car Famine at Last Overcome-A

The Coke Outlook Not very SATISFACTORY
Demand for Production Falling Of-The
Car Famine at Last Overcome-A
Material Increase in Shipments.
rpEcrAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsrArcH.i
SCoTTDALE, JAN SIN the face of the in
creased shipments the past week the outlook is
less satisfactory. Quietness pervades the mar
ket and the indications are that conditions will
be further provoked by the blowing out of a
number of the valley furnaces. 1t appears
that the furnacemen are content with the con-
cession of 25-cent reduction by coke opera
tors, but are dissatisfied with the treatment of
their grievances at the hands of the rail-
road companies, and will likely shut down
10 or IL furnaces in conformity with
their threats. The coke region. though, will
be the principal sufferer, and already the
notices are pouring in for the banking OF more
ovens. The car famine which has been .
serious barrier to the smooth running of trade,
has at last been overcome, due to the drop in
demand. and all railroad officials report an
ample supply for all requirements. Since the
operators have been utilizing the lay off
by the shipping of stock coke to the market.
the yards of the region are becoming pretty
well cleared. The demand for production is
steadily falling off. and there are no signs visi-
BILE for an early improvement. Consumers are
ordering savingly. and operators are gausing
the output in accordance.
While over 40 per cent of all the ovens in the
region are cold, there are not sufficient
orders for the productive capacity, and
the works are making but four and five days
per week. The outlook is indeed gloomy in
this section.
as per announcement, the Frck Coke Com
pany shut down ], $50 ovens in the region this
week. Their distribution among the various
port. The Adelaide plant Of 25O ovens
has been closed entirely. The Schoonmaker
Company has also posted the notices that will
dampen % per cent more of its interests in the
Il lN.,A sd ,Iasg
as follows: NInery-eighr at JImtown and
Sterling. Ill at Redstone, 81 at Younss-
town, 81 at Mutual. and 20 at Cen
tral; Superintendent Hawkins, 9th OF the Ca. Cal.
the company will shut down % per cent
of its plants, which will be about IS ovens.
The Southwest Coke Company has also served
the notice for the closing of 25 per cent more
of its whole number of ovens. The ovens they
will bank are located thus: 1G2 at Southwest
No. l; 100 at Southwest No. 4, and will
close clos the b shat; shaft entirely; Sn- stauf.
of other independent operators have also
closed Is per cent of their ovens, and it will
be long until 80 per cent of the whole region
will be out of blast. The Mcclure Company is
the only one of the larger companies that has
not yet given notice OF, further intended shut
downs. The works ran five days last week. and
will make about the same time this week. The
Frick, Mcclure, Schoonmaker, Southwest,
Cambria and the other large companies all laid
of New Years.
The year Just closed has been an eventful
one in the history OF the trade. Excellent
prices prevailed and trade was briskly active in
all, save two months, when a perceptible
decline was noted in the demand. The car
famine was the main disturbing element of the
year, and reduced shipments materially. The
price of furnace coke was 81 10 during the en-
tire u months, save the last week, when it was
Gu; down to 81 80. The output in tons
for the year reached over $500, 900.
The wage problem will hardly interfere with
trade. A satisfactory solution is looked for.
The idle list of ovens in the region now aggre-
gates over 5000 This number will be aug
menred to 6,000 before the close of
the week. The Charlotte plant here is still
idle. Cars were in plentiful supply last
week and shipments took spurt upward, in
creasing several hundred cars. Shipments last
week averaged 1024 cars per day, as against
SIS cars for the previous week. The increase
was go cars. Following is the record of con-
siGnments: To points west of Pittsburg
$3.50 cars: TO Pittsburg and river tipples,
1910 car: to points east of PIttsburg $50 cars
total, G. 40 cars. This was the record of the
preceding week: To points wess of Pittsburg
2. 10 cars: to Pittsburg and river tippes, l. 400
ears; to points cas-; of Pittsburg, 500 cars; total
4.9l0. Prices are as follows: Furnace coke
81 80: foundry 81 so; crushed, 81 65-all f. O. b.
cars at ovens per ton Of 1000 pounds. Freight
rates are as follows: