The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-06

and less.
! Difference ..,........ .ij 30 81
"As still further complication,
says the letter, while what is known
| as the July circular has never neeh
retired by a new one, it has been a
general understanding that sales were
made at the June circular. There rave
| been then. three prices for coai;~-tlf"l
the published circular: Second, the
understood circular; Third. WnateVer
price the coal could be sold Cor
DEMORALIzED THE TRADE.
1T is only natural that such course
should have completely demorahAed the
! trade. The buyer went shipping Ior
! coal announced to each seller ihe price
! he would give, and made his purchase
| at the lowest figure ubtainhhl". Any
| underhand method of this character
! invariably results in DESTROYING con-
! fidcnce. and without that, il is not pos
! sihlc to conduct business satisfactor-
| IL on with profit.
THE past month, Of November, has
| bren one Of open admission of the cr-
! rur made in OVer-nroducing; ut spor-
! adic, irresolute and Intellectual at
,
| of conflicting rumors and reports as to
/ what action, if any, would be taken
| during December,to untangle the smart.
| The total result for the month vas
! nothing done. Each of the interests
| was willing to act after another lad
! taken the lead. hut none would start
| on any course while there was no GER
! tainty of the others following. All of
| the interests expressed great regret at
| what had happened, and the hope that
/ il might he righted pronlptlY-~and they
/ continued to make the situation worse.
| "The month Of December is opening
| with an assurance that the coal which
| will soon be shut out Of the western
! market will not be sent to tideWater,
but diSCOInting the possibility of an
! excess supply from this cause, prices
| all tended to lower level. The sell
| ing price at this time shoull, and could
| have been thirty cents a ton more than
| now. The opportunity to bring this
! about was in the companies hands,
| and required nothing mora than main
! tanning the price and keeping the rate
of production equal to the demand
ILL-ADVISED CONDUCT.
/ THE entire business Of the last, and
| only profitable hHIt of the year, has
! been injured beyond remedy by The i'll
| advised conduct since July, and espeC-
! tally in that month, and all that can
! now he hoped for is that the promise
! for December will prove an earnest and
| honest effort TO curtail the output suf-
| fciently to enable the market to abb
! sorh such coal as is mined and a por-
! tion Of that which is held at storage
| points.
There has been a change, beginning
| with the first Of this month. II is def
! ntely decided that the tonnage shall
! he kept within the requirements of the
! December market and To this end the
collierieo will work about half-time.
! The output under these conditions
! should be between 100000 and $500, 900
| tons, which, with the excess stocks Of
| ursCld coal at lire and tidewater
| points should De sufficient for the de-
rand. With this tonnage to handle, it
! will be practicable TO maintain tlrmer
! prices, and as it is this which Is aimed
at, there seems little doubt but that
| 1t may be accomplished.
This is another of Tie efforts to re-
! establish the industry on a substantial
| basis,-another Of the promises. If il
| Is fulfilled to even half the degree that
is anticipated, there will be reason for
again placing some faith in the COM
panieS IN whose hands the trade is
held, but if there is another failure, the
only safe way to judge the future will
he by reference to the past.
zone or the most important questions
which is before the anthracite produc-
ers and transporters at the present
time is how to provide means by which
to supply regularly the steadily in
creasing quantity Of the small steam
sizes which are produced, and to main
tain permanent market for them.
MOST PRACTICABLE PLAN.
1T would seem, from a careful re-
view Of the situation, that the most
practicable plan would be to supply
cars for these small sizes irrespective
| of the allotment for the prepared sizes.
BY so doing there will be an assurance,
whether working short or full time. of
receiving all of the small coal that is
produced, at the time when it Is most
| needed, and in case this, with the sup
ply from the washeries did not prove
sufficient, parts of the banks could be
worked over and besides, if a salts
| factory and steady market was found
for the coal, it Is proba BILE thar the col
lieries would find il advantageous to
ship much Of the coal they now use
for steam-making, and perform this
latter with material at present thrown
on the culm banks.
This arrangement, separating small
coal shipments from the regular allot-
ment Of cars to each breaker, would
insure their full production during the
months when cOllieries were working
short time, and when on full time