The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1906-10-03

Oohc tnaue ana sold or cOnSum-
ed IN the United States during
1905 was S225 against $l.95 in
1904. This was considerable
above the average for recent
years. Only three times in the
last twenty-five years h av G
higher prices obtained. saws
Mr.. Edward w. Parker, of { h Q
United States Geological Sur
vey, IN a forthcoming report.
and IN TWO of these years. 1902
and 1908, values were b n o r.
mally augmented by the fuel
famine which followed the an
thracite strike Of 1902.
In considering the total value
and the average selling price
for the coke pro duee d in
the United States it should be
remembered that in many cases
the values are arbitrarily fixed.
\ considerable number of the
coke ovens in this country are
operated by large corporations
which also run coal mines and
blast furnaces, making coke as
merely incidental part OF their
business. In such cases the
coke product Is sometimes
charged against the furnace
department at cost, and some
times at a figure based upon the
cost of coal mining and coke
making, plus percentage of
/ profit on n G $ e operations.
The value is not fixed by h
market price. In other cases
the value Is estimated upon the
average price for coke Of a sim
liar quality produced and sold
IN the immediate vicinity.
The amount of coal used in
the manufacture of coke ia 1908
was 40, ,53O,677 short tons, val
ued at $50, GA ,674. The value
of the cOke produced from this
coal was 81, ,476.l9G, making a
difference of S2l ,S6l ,522 as rep
resentlng the profits on n e
cOking operations, less the cost
Of manufacture and the expense
Of administration and selling
In 1904 the value of coal n e d
was S37, ,l33.S .S32. and the value
of the coke produced was $40.
.026, 1873, "A difference 20 cover
all expenses and profits of S.
. S92. .351.
The year 1908 opened with
the iron trade active and coke
in such demand that prices in
January were sharply advanced
over the closing month of 1904.
In December, 1904, COnnells.
Vile furnace coke was quoted
at S2.45, the highest p OF n
reached IN the year; and by the
middle of January the price
had advanced to $500 a ton for
quick delivery and contracts
were made at $3.50 n ton f o
3 delivery in the later half of tn,
year. Highgrade boundary
coke was quoted during Jan
uarv at from $3.50 10 $3.50
With nearly every plant run
ming 60 full capacity q u r j n
January and February the sup
ply caught up somewhat witt
the demand and prices wer
/; shaded, COnnellsville furnac
falling off to % SO and foundar,
TO $500. These conditions con
tinued with prices firm unit
:; April, when q c III a n d fell OF
! somewhat and stocks of cOk'
= began TO accumulate. BY Ma,
prices began to sag, strictl.
/ Connellsville coke being quote
: at $50 to Sl.9O for furnace
i and $3.50 for boundary. Thi
was evidently the forerunne
u of thessummer dullness whic
. came rather early, and durin
: June and the first half of Jul
business was without life and
number of plants were put ou
of blast. \ turn for the bette
took place in the latter part {
'e July, and from then 10 the clos
- of the year there was an activ
q demand accompanied by advar
IS cling pri e S. COnnellsvil
lie furnace coke which was sellin
is as low as from $l.70 to Sl.75
20 the early part of July, advance
IS to $500 and $40 by the end I
~ fba r>,~,oth xrb.Ia fopndaru col