The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-12-29
Even Soft Coal Scarce.

The following appeared in yesterday s
New York Tribune:
Even Soft Coal Scarce.
soft coal in the city is no lower, and
much scarcer. Just how high the pres
ent price of $3.50 a ton may be seen by
comparing it with the contract price
Of $325, made April last for soft coal
for the postofice. Soft coal, which or
dinarily sold for SO q ton OIL board, is
now selling for 81. There is so little In
the market that a further rise Of 81
next week is being considered as a pos
sibility.
"The Chickering Social club, No. 81
Attorney street, of>which Max Davis is
president, appropriated money yester-
day to buy thirty tons of anthracite for
distribution among the poor before
January l. After trying in vain yester-
day to find dealers who could promise
to deliver the coal within a week the
organization decided to appeal by let
ter to President Baer, of the Philadel-
phia and Reading railroad. a reply
from Mr.. Baer is expected early this
week.
1.-THE John c. Hackett Association,
decided yesterday to distribute from
twenty-five to thirty tons of anthra-
cite as Il New Years present among the
poor of the West Side. The association
communicated With Burns Bros, yes
terday and the firm will try to deliver
the coal at a fair market price some day
this week.
$50 far all the anthracite procured
about three hundred tons day, has
been necessary for the dummy en-
gnes. An attempt will be made to-day
to heat the stations, which have been
without heat for several weeks"
General Conditions.
Concerning the general conditions OF
the anthracite coal trade, the Engineer
ing and Mining journal OF Saturday
said:
ut is now pretty evident that coal
is to be in short supply for the greater
part of this winter. The mines are
getting out more than normal tonnages,
but demand is SO widespread, since
most householders had little or no coal
on hand by November that what
promises to be "A fairly severe winter
will keep consumption close up to pro-
duction. Consumers at points beyond
Cape Cod, in view Of the high ocean
freights that are likely to prevail for
some time, as many coal carrying craft
have been lost in the past few weeks,
are likely to fare worse. Consumers
at New York harbor points and at Phil
adelphia, in spite of the nonsense print
ed by newspapers that should know
| better are receiving proportionately
their full share OF the output, il not
more.
The total output for November is CIV
en- as 4,9S4,3Si tons, compared with A.
697 ,329 tons in 1901. There total for IL
months Is given as 26,101 ,i59 tons, COM
pared with 49,945,l4S tons In 1901.
I'm the Northwest anthracite is in de-
mand, and the supplies on the docks at
the head of the lakes are diminishing
rapidly. In Chicago territory buyers are
Offering inducements 10 secure prompt
delivery, ana at retail speculative coal
is selling as high as $l5@S16. At whole
sale, considerable coal is changing
hands at $40, though most companies
are supplying regular customers at the
normal price, Along the lower lakes
coal is wanted.
Prices in Boston.
THE retail demand along the Allan
tic seaboard eased up just a tri1e for
few days, but with colder weather
sales agents are having trouble. At
Boston retail prices are 50 for company
and Sl2 for speculative, with the supply
of both kinds scanty, in spite of heavy
arrivals late last week. At Providence
public schools have closed ON account