The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1913-06-04


spring as one goes out among
the coal people and il is evident
that the favorable conditions
that it is now our pleasure tc
record have not been altogeth.
er due to an out working OF
national n w seven though
they play large part in the
coal trade. IL would appear in
deed that the trade has reached
years of discretion and that
some fundamentals are at last
receiving t n o attention due
them, The bituminous people
apparently owe no small debt
of gratitude to the anthracite
producers for showing that a
price list that means something
is a possibility in the coal trade
and another fact that is having
n bearing on modern devel-
opments is that the use of coal
is not enhanced by low price,
that is to say, price reduced
within the range of CONNER.
cial possibilities. The taking
of of ten cents from the price
may destroy all the sellers
profit and yet it will not in.
crease the use of fuel nor. in
many cases, be an incentive
for early purchasers of steam
coal requirements. These and
other points of like import are
prompting shippers o scan the
market with n critical eye and
bid their time. In the hard
coal trade the scarcity or un.
eveness of supply of certain
sizes, gives point to comment
as to trade conditions. Since
this circumstance has been no
ticed dealers have been all the
more anxious to secure tonnage
aud as IA result the month was
not half gone before one large
interest announced that il was
sold up for May, and others
have since followed suit. The
probability that one company,
shipping to the eastward will
have almost as scanty supply
as it did last year is something
TO attract the notice of New
England dealers, for in add.
ton to previous developments
It means practically that two
important shippers are out Of
market in which they once fig
ured 80 largely While New
England buyers have been loud
in voicing complaints as to
price of anthracite to say
nought of quality complaints,
1t is interesting to note that the
coal Withdrawn goes to market
that pay n better price. Flu.
ture experience may illustrate
the folly of complaints hereto
fore made.
With demand on it's present
basis production is naturally
going ahead actively. Through
the region reports tell of full
time work except when there is
oPii'o hibAiC gu lht OI WdlkOuI
ana as such delays take the
place, largely, of old time shut
downs while waiting for orders
the actual loss of time is not
great and there is a good chance
to establish some tonnage re-
cords this year, even though
nineteen and twelve did q O
much in this line. As in soft
coal, the lake outlet is being
utilized TO the fullest extent
and from all accounts the de.
mand in that quarter is such as
to eliminate all possibility of
eastern markets being over
loaded and as usual the north
eastern shipments will act as a
trade safety-valve, taking care
of all surplus. Meanwhile the
demand from all dealers here
abouts as to any duh period.
The idea prevails widely that
wheather conditions next win.
ter will not be so mild az they
were last season and this de-
velopment will add that ad-
ditional per centage of business
which means 80 much to an in
dustry restricted as the hard
coal trade is. With this in
mind prudent buyers are pro-
tectinp their intaTeSta and Tint