Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-10
THE COAL MARKET.
LITTLE CHANGE EXPECTED IN
FUEL SITUATION FOR
THIRTY DAYS.
Black Diamond Says Maximum Price
Has Been Reached in Some Glasses
of coal-Anthracite is Quiet With
! Dull Market in West.

Chicago, Sept. 4.-The Black Dia-
mond, reviewing the western grain
market says:
With the turn of the month condi-
lions in the western coal trade show
ed very little change and it is not
anticipated that there will be many
important changes during the next
thirty days. Prices of anthracite and
some of the leading descriptions of
bituminous coal have reached the max
1mum point for the year and there
is not the incentive to buy coal for
storage purposes there was the early
part of the season. Demand will be
confined to that part of the trade,
during the present month, which has
not already stocked it's coal for the
early fall demand and to consumers
who have been backward about laying
In supplies. With the turn of the
month some advances in bituminous
coal in western territory became eff
fective. These were confined almost
entirely to western Goals, namely Bra
gil block, which was advanced is
cents ton; Carterville Goals, which
were advanced ten cents at the mines;
Linton, Indiana, Goals, which were ad-
vanced 10 cents at the mines.
Anthracite Trade is Quiet.
September opens with a quiet an
thracite trade. Travelling men are on
the road and working hard for bust
ness, while jobbers receiving coal from
private" sources are also making
somewhat strenuous efforts to secure
enough orders to take care of the Goa
which they have coming forward. Ir
the movement of coal by way of the
lakes there is some complaint owing
to scarcity of vessels at loading
ports and it is claimed that this has
curtailed the receipts at Chicago an6
elsewhere. All-rail coal continues tt
be received in fairly liberal supply
and shipments of this character seen
to be well maintained. Much Of the
coal arriving consigned to the compan
les representatives is going into stor
age on account of the quiet demand
and this is causing general satisfaction
TO shippers agents, preventing as il
will, possibility of a shortage neyt
winter when rail receipts may be ligh
and the demand heavier than it is a
present.
Expect Quiet Demand.
Conservative sales agents in west
ern territory are inclined to the opin
jon that the dullness in the hard GOA
trade will continue during the present
month and well into October They
claim that dealers who ordinarily buS
early have their storage room wei
taken up with stocks of anthracite
and that they will not add to these
stocks until the consuming trade be
gins to require additional coal -
with the commencement of colo
weather
In many respects the anthracite
season has been reversed Generally
2he dullness which is a noticeable
feature at the present time obtains il
April and May at the commencement
of the new year and September ant
October are marked by most active
demand. The present year April ant
May were the most active months
and it is expected that Septembe
and October will be the quotes
months.
Retail demand for anthracite i.
still somewhat stagnant, although in
quiry is some better than it was thir
ty days ago and retailers are receiv
ing orders for some small lots which
usually are placed later in the sea
Son.