The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-28
BUSINESS BREylTIES.

FOREIGN COAL.-The advance in soft
coal, which has recently been ordered by
the soft coal combination, has led to a
more active canvass among large consum-
eign coal. The matter has been brought
to the attention Of members Of the soft
coal combination and has resulted in u
close study of the relative prices at which
be said that the price will not be put to
point where foreign coal can compete to
any extent.
--:Il:-
THE COAL TRADE.-Anthracite coal
was held at So. 3.35 net per ton for stove last
week in New. York .harbor. says Dun.
production being we'll restricted. Some
coal was still moving on orders placed
ar the April circular before May l. but II
was stated that on June all such orders
unified would be Cancelled by the .compa-
MES. The new demand for coal, both 1T
tidewatcr and Ut line points, was very
light. All the leading interests In tho
trade have no hesitation In saying that
they believe Il will be unwise to attempt a
further advance In the price of coal on
June l. In fact, even at present prices.
the companies believe that they can final
ly, realize larger profit on their tonnage
than by putting 1t into tidewater storage
plants. Sales agents are already figuring
on restricting June production 10 3. UUO
tons.
IRON AND STEEL.-Returns Of fur
naces In blast by the different authoriti IS
differ widely The Iron Age makes the
weekly output, for May !. 1888 tons,
against 1S7.45l April ]. but the American
Manufactures. Of Pittsburg makes the
output much larger, apparently crediting
the same furnace with u much greater
capacity. The Iron Age shows produc-
ton Of 2ec,363 tons anthracite and coke
iron In four months of 1896. besides about
S7,S39 tons OF charcoal iron, but the known
stocks increased 1885 tons. while the
great steel companies held much more
in stock Jan. ]. SO that consumption Is ap-
parently less than 3.00V.000 tons. Iron Is
rapidly accommodating at the furnaces.
and Bessemer Is shade weaker at $l2. ~
at Pittsburg, while gales at low prices by
southern furnaces continue at the east.
steel bllets are very slow in demand and
unchanged in price.
tt
FOREIGN TRADE.-The following Ia
BILE gives the value of exports from New
York for the week ended May ., and also
weeks ended May Is. and two weeks vi
May. with corresponding movements IN
1895, and 1896 thus far. with similar figures
EXPORTS
Week .................s s.0ss,ss4 s 7.SsS.5s4
May .................... 2l.405,so2 l9.4tG,52.
Year .................. 150,0j4.i1 Isl, ,59i, ,GSl
IMPORTS.
! 1896. 1885,.
| Week .................$ S,O7i,7S0 S 9lO6, Ion
May ................... l7,8l9796 Is, 162. .2d.
Year ................. 1876, ,0Os, 1855 902 439, IS!
| Exports show q large increase in value
| over the earlier weeks of May, but q gain
of only half million dollars over the cor-
responding week last ycar Is recorded. I'm.
ports are about u million dollars smaller
| Than for the same week III 1855. and san
| larger loss is noticed when comparison
| with the first week of May Is made. The
| decline from last years movement is en-,
| tlrely due to smaller receipts Of coffee
S6al, ,73S in value last week, against Sc 21S, Iii
| for the corresponding week in 1895. Other
| changes are comparatively insignificant
--:Ii:--
| WHAT IT HAS COST.-Aecording &c
the bureau Of statistics, snetatement OF ex,
nine months ended March 81, 1895, shows