Evening star., 1924-05-15
CONDITIONS in COAL
MARKET UNIMPROvED
Bituminous Demand Weak and
Fitful, Production at Rock Bot
tom, Coal Age Reports.

NEW YORK, May 15.-Coal Age re-
ports the coal market today as fol-
lows:
The long looked for and much
hoped for improvement in the BIZ
luminous coal market has not yet ma
terialized. The general situation Is
as unsatisfactory as at any time dur
ing the last few months; demand is
weak and fitful, production holds at
rock bottom, a large number Of mines
are still idle and the running time at
those working is sadly curtailed. AS
a consequence prices have a hard time
holding their own at even the dis
couraging levels Of recent weeks.
None the less there are Indications Of
an Improvement In sentiment, based
to some extent upon the gradual dis
appearance Of distress coal. The
signing of contracts is far from brisk,
but movement to the lakes is picking
up, shipments by the Hooking Valley
railroad to Toledo being three times
as large as at this time a year ago.
In order to spread out the move
ment of coal and thus ward off pos
sible car shortage and trafhc conges-
tion next autumn, Herbert Hoover,
Secretary Of Commerce, has addressed
a letter to secretaries OF national and
facturerS to purchase and store coal
during May, June and July, when BIZ
luminous coal prices are low and the
railroads in better condition to handle
the traffic.
That one-time radical, Frank Far
rington, miners union president in
Illinois, recognizing the economic
crisis that confronts the union in that
state, proposes giant power plant to
increase coal consumption, pointing
out at the same time the necessity
of cooperation by the miners with
the operators to cut down production
costs in order to lessen the inroads of
competition by non-union fields.
Coal Age index of spot prices of
bituminous coal May IL was unchanged
from the preceding week, standing at
169, the corresponding price being
S205.
Dumpings at Hampton Roads for all
accounts during the week ended May 8
totaled 293 849 net tons, as compared
with dumpings of 326,962 net tons dur,
ing the preceding week Cargo coal
week ended May 10. according to the
ore and coal exchange, amounted to
450.570 net tons. and of fuel coal.
32.726. tons. This compares oNW1tS WITH
tons of fuel coal dumped during the
previous week
Production of bituminous coal re-
vived to the extent of 100000 during
the week enQeu MAY D, WHch, dCCoi uiL6
to the geological survey, the output
was 6,832 900 net tons. This compares
with 6,726,e00 tons produced during
the preceding week. Anthracite output
also took an upward turn, 1,616.oOO net
tons having been produced, compared
with 100000 tons during the week
ended April 26.
Curtailed production Of anthracite
due to local labor disturbances has
stiffened the hard-coal market indie
pendent domestic sizes are now quoted
at close to company circular, and IN
some instances shippers have had to
refuse orders for immediate delivery.
The strong demand for pea coal has
led many to believe that the country
was short of domestic sizes, but the
movement is explained largely by the
fact that a number of consumers take
some of this size in order to get more
of the larger sizes. Stove continues to
be in strongest demand, egg being next
and chestnut third.