The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-01-26

ing his mine as long as empues are
sidetracked for his use and scanning
the heavens for sign of storm TO aid
him in it's sale. This discord between
demand and supply expends itself
upon the inert coal, still in the owner
ship of the producer. It goes begging
in vain for buyers and the market as
sumes it's present sluggish form.
The overproduction has been ex-
tending during the past week. Some
of the choicer products, heretofore
unaffected, have become involved un-
till the whole trade seems heavy. OF
course outside conditions have con-
tributed to the depression. The car
supply is no longer an obstruction to
production. And because of that, the
current output on the whole Is larger
than anyone suspects until the dis
tressful effect upon values is perceav-
ed And the weather. twin boss OF
the coal trade with car famine. has
also been ruling lately in favor of
the buyer. The producer has appar-
emily lost all his extraneoua aids In
the domestic trade.
Due to Weather.
Another ill-omened circumstance
of recent origin has been the wavering
of Eastern bituminous Goals. The
Eastern bituminous producing dis
tricts look mainly during the winter
sending West only such products as
their contracts call for. unless the
market in the West proves TO be ex-
ceptionally strong. Normally during
the active season the West Virginia
producer expects 70 realize d higher
price at mines for seaboard shipment
than for shipments to the West and
accordingly tidewater gets the bulk of
the tonnage. But when the car Cup
ply expands and the wants in the East
can be satisfied with ease, as seems 10
have been the situation recently,
food Of coal il started westward. Eek
pressed in other terms Chicago be-
comes the dumping ground. There
are signs that visitation Of this sort
liz not far away. certainly not far
away. If the weather continues mild.
II ts almost an annual occurrence. this
sweep Of Eastern Goals to the West
till the market is overburdened, end
then II may be minlmized for another
twelve months, but while il lasts IL
adds to the uncertainties and perplex-
tiles of the market.
Consumption Continues.
hut through all these induces of an
unfayorable market the consumption
Of coal goes right on at a satisfac
! tory volume, more satisfactory per-
hapS than even the shipper knows,
| The steam Goals are holding their own
I through tniCk ana fFAn4 through fn1ta
/ and cold days alike. And screenings
| are agile enough TO afford "a little
| entertainment of their own for the
| benefit Of the producer. The holder
! Of a car or train load Of fine coal
need not go begging for buyers. They
come to him. There liz a steady in
| quiry, both from actual users and
] from shippers of coal who have large
contract obligations The prices of
1 screenings have rather advanced dur
/ ing the past week. For Springfield rs
may he regarded as minimum and
some transactions are heard Of close
! to 81 Indiana and Southern Illinois
! fine Goals ara similarly huoyant. There
/ Is nothing the matter with consump~
| ton IT is the excessive production
| that gives to the market it's disagree
| able qualities.
During the past several winters the
/ demand for anthracite chestnut In
i the West has been much more active
| than that for the larger domestic
sizes IL is therefore hardly proof
I that the anthracite market is still re-
vealing a shortage in output when
mention is made that chestnut Is
short. There is plenty OF anthracite
+ egg in the market this week and save
I in the event of severe weather the an
! thracite trade will probably not re-
I lapse into It's feverish condition of last