Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-23
A BETTER DEMAND.
A Gratifying Increase in Coke Shipments
Furnacemen Are Beginning to Fill Up
Their Stocks-Shipping Facilities
in Satisfactory Condition.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE pIsPArcu. I

| ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.I
SCoTTDALE, Jan. 22.-The coke market is
tottering along at the rate of four and five days
per week with about one-third of the entire re.
gion out of blast The demand was a trifie
| better last week and shipments took squirt
upward, increasing several hundred cars in
| consequence. The increased demand was
caused by furnacemen. who have sufficient
| orders on hand for production, filling up their
stock houses to prevent shortage of fuel in
| the event of coke workers inaugurating
| strike. 1t is remarked that the yards of
| the plants at Braddock contain mountains of
coke, sufficient to operate them uninterruptedly
| for several months. At different points cover
! ing the West, the furnace men are making like
preparations for any emergency. 1t is thought
that the difficulties arising from the miners
| demands will be bridged over. although it is
conceded that the prospects for such con-
sumation are none too bright. The valley
furnaces still idle. with no indica-
tions for early resumption. Some Eastern fur
nacemen threaten an early shutdown on ac-
count OF prices, but it is thought their desires
have been gratified, for the present at least
Shipping facilities were in a satisfactory con-
dItion last week AMI nothing in this line hin
dered the smooth running of the region. The
demand was sairly active from the
West. due to increased orders from
the Illinois Steel Company. The Pittsburg
demand was brisk, while tn, Eastern demand
III.
with the presen: surrounding conditions of the
coke trade, said to your correspondent to-day:
There are no special features in trade. 1 am
OF the opinion that II it MAINTAINS the present
gait until spring it will do well. OF the furnaces
idle. there are not the remotest ideas when
they can he resumed. The iron market
no,drIo,s mot gliding sHa along under auspcions
ruling. the producers arc reluctant
to starting up their plants. and are marketing
their stocked production. There may be some.
thing good in store for trade, but it is certainly
not in view just now"
There was more activity in the region last
Works ran more regularly. The Frick Com.
At all their works The schOons
five days: the Mcclure Company. i've days;
Rainey, six. and the Cambria Company oper-
ated tve and six days at their plants while
James Cochran q Sons were content with five
days The smaller companies all operated five
and SIX days. The number of inactive ovens
is estimated at 800. The Heca Company has
closed over 100 ovens at its Nos. / and plants
per notice served. There have been no other
suspensions or notices for the same. There are
about 10, 400 ovens in blast, The Eagle. Ade-
laide Mayer, Wynn and Kyle Works are still
out of blast. The Tiptop plant is In the same
condition. Z. A. Humphries & Co, have their
new Chester plant of % ovens completed. The
Mcclure Company still has only Is per cent of
Its ovens out of blast and are operating five
days per week.
shIpments last week averaged about S76 cars
per day, against :34 cars of the week before
The total increase was 652 cars Following ia
the record of consignments: To points west of
PItisburg. 2.2S5 cars: 10 Pittsburg and river
tipples. ], 80 cars; to points of Pittsburg
l,l15 cars; total. 5.255 cars. Following is the
record of the preceding week: To points west
OF Pittsburg. 2096 cars; to Pittsburg and river
tipples. l.250 cars: To points east of Pittsburg
!. 2o7 cars; total, 46G3 cars. Prices are un.
changed, as follows: Furnace coke 81 80;
foundry. 81 so; crushed, So 65-al f. o. b. cars at
ovens per ton OF 1000 pounds. Freight rates
are as follows: