coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

24 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
for which last reports are available show a con­
siderable jump over Ibat of the preceding week
despite the reported slackening up of the iron
and steel trade. Spot coke isn't in such con­
stant demand and the tonnage produced is ample
to care for all inquii ies. There seems to be
little disposition on the pait of buyers to con­
tract for 1014 tonnage just now. The constant
price warfare of the past year is still on, the
buyers endeavoring to beat down the price when­
ever possible. With furnace fires going out for
various reasons, prices are kept at card rates:
$2.50 to $2.75 for furnace coke and $3.50 to $3.75
for foundry coke
The anthracite trade has little to distinguish
it at this writing save the lessened domestic
demand, but this will change at the first appear­
ance of steady cold weather. Button strikes
continue to annoy the producing companies and
retard production. Prices are at winter rates.
* * *
REFUSING TO ACCEPT A COMPROMISE UI* THE STRIKE,
unless the union is recognized, puts the miners
of Colorado who arc out on strike on the defen­
sive in every way. The report of the auditors
showing that the average wage was just what the
companies stated it was is another set back for
the strikers. Meanwhile Gov. Ammons, who was
putting forth every effort to bring about a com­
promise, has changed his attitude and has ordered
a strict enforcement of the law. Under the cir­
cumstances, il appears to us. his position is per­
fectly justified and the union bids fair to lose this
strike.
MINER MEMBERS OF THE ANTHRACITE CONCILIATION
HOARD, to a man. voted against the petty button
stiikes in the anthracite fields and thus put the
stamp of official disapproval on the actions of the
men in calling ihese strikes without any cause
and in violation of the agreement. It is high
time something of this kind was done and the
members of the board deserve commendation for
their stand.
>i # *
THE CALL ion THE CONVENTION OF THE MINE
WORKERS has been issued from international head­
quarters and appears elsewhere in this issue ot
THE COAI, TRADE BULLETIN. This convention will
be the first one to come under the biennial clause
of the constitution and one of its important ques­
tions will be the new wage agreement to be ne­
gotiated with the operators. While nothing in
the call indicates just how far the convention is
to go in the matter of demands, the trade as a
whole understands that the delegates will demand
a substantial increase in wages and, at the same
time, a comprehensive size-up of the situation in­
dicates they will not get it.
• * *
THE UNITED STATES BROKE ALL RECORDS for min­
eral productions in 1912, according to the govern­
ment statistics just published. Of the immense
production coal had a goodly share, and a study
of the figures will show the importance of this
branch of the mining industry in this country.
Coal shares with iron the distinction of being
the most important branch of the industry. The.
figures, whieli we present on another page are in­
teresting, to say the least.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ - ~ _ _ _ _ _ - ^ _ „__-___„ „ _ _ . _ ^
• LONG WALL BRUSHINGS •
~^—~~~~~_~-^------_w,^--~„„-~-_i>.i„
The anthracite conciliation board is doing its
best to put the "button" strikes into the "gob"
and the miner members of the board are cer­
tainly firing some effective shots in the process.
* * *
Coal men don't like the car distribution of the
C. & 0. They much prefer the "good old times"
and haven't hesitated to express their desires.
* * *
The Colorado strike doesn't show many signs
of an end. But both siiles are spilling plenty of
printer's ink to explain just what they want.
* * *
Xow that the call for the miners' convention is
out, the eyes of the coal trade are beginning to
turn toward Indianapolis.
• n »
That pesky weatherman has no business hand­
ing out such unseasonable weather. He isn't any
friend of the coal man.
* * *
Gov. Tener's appointments to the mine com­
mission board certainly look good to tbe trade.
The Susquehanna Trust & Safe Deposit Co. of
Williamsport, Pa., has called for redemption on
this date 14 bonds of the Cochran Coal Co.