coal trade bulletin - Clpdigital.org

GOAL TRADE BULLETIN
Vol. XXX PITTSBURGH, FEBRUARY 2, 1914 No. 5
List of Features:
Proceedings of Miners Convention.
Report of President White.
Report of Vice President Hayes.
Report of Secretary-Treasurer Green.
Coal Mine Explosions for 1912—1913.
Iowa's Coal Production for 1913.
Indiana's Coal Production for 1913.
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN:
Investigating Mine Fires Fires on Experfmental Scale,
Senator Martine for Goverment Owned Coal Mines.
John C. Brydon Outlines Improvements.
Ohio Senate Passes Anti-Screen Bill.
PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY.
Copyrighted, 1914, by THE COAL TRADE COMPANY.
A. R, HAMILTON, Proprietor and Publisher,
H. J. STRAUB, Managing Editor.
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BRIGHTER PROSPECTS ARE SEEN IN THE COAL TRADE
just now, at the end of the first month of the year
which was dull. And this is said advisedly with
the approaching wage conference but a few days
away. The very fact that reports of six and
seven thousand idle ears on one railroad have
been put back into service with other roads doing
proportionately large resumption of activities is
enough to make the statement a conservative one.
Coupled to this is the announcements made al­
most daily of resumptions of iron and steel plants
and the increasingly large acceptance of the new
currency and banking laws by banks. Therefore,
it easily can be seen why the prospects are for
better things. Unseasonable weather has been a
decided feature of the fortnight, the temperature,
in fact, going up to summer heat at one period.
This, of course, cut down consumption of fuel;
but mainly in the domestic line. Some stocks
have accumulated at distributing centers and some
coal has gone into storage. Mine owners have
taken cognizance of the existing conditions of the
trade and production has been at approximately
consumptive requirements.
The labor situation at this time seems to be
less of a factor in the trade situation than might
be expected. With the miners' convention in pro­
gress as this is written and with a wage scale
conference just a few days away there does not
appear, on the surface at least, to be much appre­
hension on the part of producer or consumer as
to the ultimate outcome. The miners have not
yet formulated their demands and until they do,
of course, there will be some uncertainty along
this line. In the meantime, the supply of labor is
adequate to meet all requirements and there is
every prospect this will continue to be the case.
In the Pittsburgh distiict the same conditions
as to tonnage and working time obtains as in
many of the other districts. Operating officials
are working mines just t-i requirements of con­
sumers, say 60 per cent, of capacity, and are not
placing much coal, if any, in storage or forward­
ing it hoping for consignment later. In some
sections of the district not more than half time