The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-01-29
MID WEATHER
HAS HAD BAD INFLUENCE ON
COAL AND COKE MARKETS
EVERYWHERE.

EVERYWHERE.
Conditions governing thescoal trade
of the country ut the close Of The
fourth week In January are not such
as to AFFORD JubiIation to those inter-
estet in ether producing, buying ols
selling the product. From all sees
Ions Of tho country reports are tae
'everse Of optimistic or reassdring
avs coal,of Pittsbdrg. The steadily
continued nlldness Of the weather
shich, since November. has more
loosely resenbled fall Or spring than
inter. hashad the effect Of reducing
emand for domestic and heating puF
roses to apOint seldom before known.
lot IN thirty years has tae weather
or December and January been So
aid for sosprotraeted a period ac;
:ording tothose who have studied
meteorological conditions. Under
hese circumstance a slump IN the
:oal markets was Inevitable, and ma.
ers have reached a stage where some
hing akin to Generalization cons
fronts the trade, With production
practically at a maximum, coal being
shipped lolarge consumption. centers
greatly in excess Of requirements, the
condition q the weather such as tc
obyiate The necessity Of fuel price
have, as consequence, become great
/ " depressed and the bitumInous prod
'uci Is reported 70 have been sold az
several points much below the cost of
mining andtransportation. Hence the
situation Is anything but reasoning
Or optimistic. We're 1t not for the
activity prevailing in the industrial
wcrld. which at no time in the bnsIs
uoss history Of the country aas been
greater, matters would be even wors
than they are. and tits consolatory IL
the midst Of the general pessism that
there is saving clause. Anthracite
operators are. TO a large extent free
from the anxieties that beset bltpmi;
nous producers. They are taking cd
vantage Of ideal conditions for pro
duclng and shipping, and making
ouch additions to storage stocks as viii
ensure comparative ease Of mind
should the miners decide tfat they
| are justified In throwing down their
tools and dtsconunuIng work. Much
speculation Is being lndulsed IN g.
to the outcome Of the joint confer:
ence betFen bItuminous operators and
miners nov being held In Indianapolis
From the initial reports Of the pro
cedlngs Of this convection, printed
in this lssie Of Coal, II will be seen
that not without prolonged. and PCS
sibly acrimonious discussion, and the
yielding Of several points at issue by
both sides viii an agreement be
drought abput There lsso wide q di;
vergence between the demands Of the
miners aud the edemandsg Of the
operators, that at first glance 9 has
monious adjustment OF dinetenees
seems well night lmpossiblei but cd
roltncss, tact and diplomacy may az
compltsll wonders, and II Is early q
hazard aipredicticn az final decs;
sions: one thing, at least, seems tot
erably csrlains should the tcolyeptiptl
witness a deadlock and adjourn sine
!; dle,r a supervision Of operations Tn
a month'GStwo on the part. * many
of the leading producers wlll follow:
This steplwould serve many 3usetai
ends in lie present crisis not The
least 81 (which would besthe rest
4 tionof strength to q market tlispfgan.
IlSed and unsettled bygcuEtailment q
Idemand ana rodncticp We
lend 81 Hestfxeek II Willis tolerabiy
.lwell lnoSk inst what 81 % bet
led tor t5S remainder sof itis ~
.I9s0g
me ok inaflset ha slieSgr pnleg
II Il ia. X. a., N 4, IN, < u XII nfl