Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-11-02
COAL SHORTAGE IN EAST
Is Major Cause of Distress In
the Market.
some Anthracite Users bidding Against
Each other For Available supply.
While Others WHIT for nc-
turned Exports.

II is clearly established now that the
major cause of distress in the coal mar
ket is the shortage of coal in the East.
Fart of that shortage Is caused by the eN-
mort demand. From tho East we get this
week two different and, In sense, e. IL
flicting reports. our own observer, VINO
Is conservative. careful, and we'll infoim
ed SAYS that anthracite users arc bidding
against each other for the available sup
ply and that tho bitumnous market Is
growing stronger with tho situation 50
intense that buyers have gone INTO the
mining regions to try to place their Orders
direct and thus to get shipments Inc
other renort which comes through private
channels SAYS that the eastern trade is
nervous because of the submarine activi-
ties and believes that all the coal gong
into exnort will he thrown back on tho
domestic market, thus relieving condi-
lions
The eastern situation is of tremendous
importance because 1t Is the key to tn"
coal market the country over II Is worth
while. therefore. to take both Of these re-
ports Carfully into account. The offl'lal
figures of exports which have been chetE-
ed up by our own representative show III
outgo Of coal FOR the first nine months M
this wear Of 5.44l.473 tons. This is on the
were thrown back on the market because
coal exports were absolutely stopped hy
danger of submarine activities, it could
hardly break tho market
That is to san there is shortage M 10
the first Of October of 1,9iLooo tons of an
thracite This covers 4 period of six
months and shows an average shortd &c
per month Of 32i tons The hituminoD :
coal which has been Conc into export
therefore would do nothing more If Ike Vt
at home than "a make M the shortage OF
anthracite and supply the eastern market
with 276 ono tons of additional coal That
spread over such big territory s is coy
cred by the eastern market would not off
set the increased use of coal in that di<-
rrict. The East may, as indicated, he nm
easy over the submarine activities hu'
that will hardly break the coal market
ri This time Even the break in the mar
ket indicated i'm the private dispatches was
nor after all a recession. That is. tho
fancy prices quoted p short time ago wel e
not charged on a very large volume oi
business. The market could. Al indicated
,ecede from 81. % to g. 81 and still leave ar
extraordinary strong and III fact runaway
market on low volatile coal.
For this rise i'm price tho growing short
age of cars is almost wholly responsible
the growing demand for steam coal We
have had reports this week from nearly
every coal producing district In only
isolated sectors have we found that the
car supply is as good as siXty-fiVe ncl
cent on the average the railroads ar,
affording a little better than fifty psi
cent Of the rated capacity of the mines
In good many districts we have he9rd
Of car supplies as low as twenty eight
thirty and thirtY-tWo per cent. SuCl
cases have been reported from centers o.
large coal production.
Within the week. railroad men have de
clared there is no chance of an improve
nent in the situation until spring. This
is due to the condition Of the railway
equipment and to the fact the railroad,
cant get new cars.
The northwest has been moving coal r
unprecedented volume from the head =
the lakes. Shipments mp ia the first o
October from the opening of navigation
show an increase this year of more thar
one million tons. The uncertain eleman
is whether this coal has gone into con
sumption or into storage After ship
nent the coal operator loses track of i
and this information is not available. =
II has gone into consumption the nor5h
west is in bad way for coal since tn
supply, including that held over las
spring. is below that of a wear ago, whit
demand is undoubtedly larger. In tn,
chicago district the market is held 70
markedly firm by larger sales In unust
al markets.-Thc Black Diamond.