Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-01-03
B|TUM|NOUS
COAL RECORD
Shattered

Chicago, ILL.,, January l.--neC'
ords for the production Of BIZ
luminous coal We're shattered in 1913.
In a review Of the years situation
the Coal Irade Review will say that
the bituminous trade has enjoyed
the most prosperous year that it has
experienced probably in a decade.
"We close the year 1913 with the
satisfaction of having recorded the
largest tonnage in the history of the
trade" the review will say. ut has
frequently happened that records
have been brokenin the production Of
coal, but in the last IL months it is
gratifying to state better results have
been had in a financial way, and alto
gether the trade has enjoyed the
most prosperous. year that it has ex-
perienced for possibly a decade. Even
before the financial storm broke in
1907 steam coal producers felt the re.
suits of strong competition and excess
sive output, and some two or three
years when other lines of trade were
at top-notch were by no means salts.
factory to the bituminous interests.
There has, therefore, been a long Pc
Rod since SO successful a year as
1913 was enjoyed.
1T seems well assured that the bi-
luminous tonnage will maintain its
well established pace Of some 10 per
that the soft coal total for the year
will be about 4S5, 900 900 tons. An.
thracite shows a gain. of course. over
1912, since last year was marked by
a period of suspension, but shows no
gain over 1911, which remains the
banner year of the industry. The hard
coal total will be 90,000,O0O net tons.
In the aggregate the industry as a
whole established a new tonnage lev
Ell at $4,000, 900 tons and output has
now so far gone beyond the half-bil-
lion mark that thoughts may we'll be
turned toward the possibilities of pro-
ducing u billion tons some few years
hence. /.
"The future of the trade depends
largely, OF course upon the trend Of
general business, and yet we must
not say that this factor is a major
circumstance, for the uses of coal
iA"NC ~ SooCu oO' III lOuoly dllu
the steady, all-the-year-arOund re-
quirements are so great that there
probably will be again such
acute curtailment of tonnage from
time to time as we have seen in the
past. So far as the situation can now
be judged, iron and steel will pursue
an upward course during 1914, and
this circumstance means that other
lines will benefit in proportion and in
harmony Herewith. Should this be
the case we shall in a few months
more find that our supply and avail,
able labor are the factors limiting
output, and with demand in excess
of the supply again, even though mar
rowly, the coal producer will contin-
ue to hold the advantageous position
that he has recently enjoyed.
THE wage settlement looms up as
a disturbing factor for 1914, and in
advance no one can tell what the de-
velopments will be. 1t may be the
old story of discussion and comprom-
Use, and that will mean a higher price
for coal, as a matter of course. In
brief. we might say in concluding this
portion OF our review, as in terminal
ing the ,bituminous section last year,
that old-time conditions seem to have
vanished permanently and the trade
is now on a much higher and better
price level. .
The increased cost of production
has been a feature with the anthra.
cite companies, and it is probable
that this circumstance will be re-
Elected in a higher price for some por-
ton OF the tonnage, at least in the
near future"