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24 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
paring to take care of the all-rail trade. Because
of the rise in the rivers during the fortnight, the
river shipping companies have gotten their empty
craft into the Pittsburgh harbor and are now
busily engaged in loading them at the mines and
sending them to the landings to await another
shipping stage. But little is heard in this dis
trict of the car shortage, nor is there much to be
said in the way of labor shortage. The cold snap
that struck the district during the past few days
is exiiected to help matters materially. With the
trade jogging along without much that is notice­
able, the price quotations have shown signs of
stiffening, and while no increase has been an­
nounced, tonnage is held closely at $1.25 to $1.35
for run of mine coal; $1.35 to $1.45 for three-
quarter coal; $1.45 to $1.55 for inch and one-
quarter coal, with slack at 75 to S5 cents.
The coke trade has taken on activity of a kind,
in that the large furnace interest, has fired dur­
ing the fortnight something over six hundred
additional ovens. Production has therefore taken
a spurt, and is approaching the time when the
weekly output will exceed that of 1910, a thing
that has not happened during the whole eleven
months of the year. Not much change is notice­
able in the merchant ovens, and the increase is
almost altogether due to the furnace interests.
The independent producers, however, are keeping
their tonnage close to the demand, and they can
be expected to meet any increased inquiries with a
prompt increase in production. Thus, at the
eleventh hour the coke trade seems to have a spark
of life in it. and coke men seem to see better
things for the remainder of the year. The orders
for iron and steel that are reported have a good
look to the coke manufacturers and it is probable
that, as soon as these orders begin going out to
the buyers, the coke trade will move steadily up­
ward. With the small improvement at hand,
prices are held more firmly than ever at $1.75 to
$1.85 for furnace coke and $2.00 to $2.25 for foun­
dry coke.
The anthracite branch of the trade is the one
that is enjoying real prosperity, and the tonnage
figures for the ten months of the year show a big
increase in total coal shipped, with the prospect
that when final figures are at hand the year will
have been the banner year of the industry. Al­
ready the records are broken and now that the
cold weather really is here there is little likeli­
hood that the remainder of the year will cut down
the tonnage to any appreciable extent. Prices
are at winter figures, although in some instances
an increase has been asked because of distance
and local conditions. Mines are operating stead­
ily now that the demand is so good.
* * *
DEMANDS TO HE MADE HY THE ANTHRACITE MI.NEHS
were formulated at the tri-district convention. We
print them for information of our readers with­
out comment, save to say that if insisted on, the
period of negotiation of a wage contract is likely
to be a long one.
# * *
COAL .MEN WILL HAIL WITH GLADNESS the report
that the railroads will reduce freight rates to and
from the lakes on coal and ore, and, if the pro­
mulgation of the new rates bears out the early re­
port will be in a mood to enjoy more thoroughly
their Thanksgiving dinner.
Producers of anthracite certainly seem to be
getting back their markets or else are practicing
"intensive farming" of the ones already at hand,
judging from the way they are breaking records
on tonnage.
* * *
The coal man is looking around for his Thanksgiving
turkey and a suitable sauce of better con­
ditions to garnish it with.
* * *
Anthracite miners have made their position
clear. Now comes the rub, what do the operators
say?
* * *
Reduced rates to the lakes is the rainbow of
promise. It seems too good to be true.
* * *
Six hundred ovens going alight at once puts
new life into the coke regions.
* * *
Real winter at last. Let'er come. The more
the better.
* * *
May you really have something to be thankful
for.
* * *
Even government figures don't always tally up.