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GOAL TRADE BULLETIN
Vol. XXX PITTSBURGH, JANUARY 2, 1914 No. 3
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN:
PUELISHED SEMI-MONTHLY.
Copyrighted, 1913, by THE COAL TKADE COMPANY.
A. E. HAMILTON, Proprietor and Publisher,
H. J. STUAUBJ Managing Editor.
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR
FIFTEEN CENTS A COPY
Correspondence and communications upon all matters
relating to eoal or coal production are invited.
All communications and remittances to
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN-,
9-'fi-'_30 PARK BUILDING, PITTSBURGH.
Long Distance Telephone _50 Grant.
rEntered at (he l'ost Oflice at Pittsburgh as
Second Class Mail Matter.]
THE COAL TRADE ENTERS ANOTHER YEAR WITH PRO­
DUCTION SHOWING A DECREASE and with prices show­
ing a tendency to softness in spots. Such is the
surface appearence, but underneath this apparent
retrogression is a feeling of better things to come
and a tonnage for the first quarter of the year
that will put figures of 1913 to shame, while in
the price question one operating official voiced a
sentiment that seems general when he said the
consumer who is holding back now is sure to be
"stung" for higher priced coal because of his dila­
tory tactics.
No one denies that, just now, a stagnation exists
in the trade. 'Twould be foolish to do so. The
holidays, unseasonable weather, end of year stock
taking, and the closing of the lake season all have
had their part in this. But now that real winter
seems to be here, orders by transportation com­
panies are being placed and a general resumption
of business is reported, the opinion is general the
trade pendulum has swung past the low point and
on the move toward the high point, even if it only
is the start. Reports of a few cargoes of coal
still in transit up the lakes keep a shred of in­
terest alive in the lake situation, but it has reached
the stage, practically, of cleaning up docks and
taking stock of the good and the bad points of the
season.
Car and labor supply are questions that don't
appear to worry anyone very much just now, the
principal point being just how many holidays the
miners will celebrate. The Colorado strike situa­
tion now is a negligible quantity in the labor con­
dition of the country, the petty stoppages being of
greater concern as a whole.
In the Pittsburgh district, more than any other,
perhaps, the holiday season is having its effect
on mining. For in this district there is a greater
smattering of nationalities than in any other in
the country, and each one has its peculiar holidays,
resulting in lessened working forces. With mills
and furnaces closing up their year's business dur­
ing the past fortnight, this condition didn't count
for so much, but now, when they are beginning to
open up once more, if it continues it will be seri­
ous. Production during the fortnight was iess
than 60 per cent, of capacity, and while it wasn't
to the liking of operators they made little com­
plaint, due to the fact that they were thus able
to maintain prices at cai J figures without any
trouble. Right here is the bright spot in the
trade just now. With decreased demand, unsea­
sonable weather and other drawbacks that gener­
ally spell slashing of quotations to unload ton­
nage on wheels, Pittsburgh operators have had
no difficulty in getting their price for coal pro­
duced. This is one of the things that led the
official quoted above to make the remark about
higher prices as soon as the demand picks up—a
condition that is bound to come as soon as the
mine workers take up the wage proposition in
their annual convention. Prices are quoted at:
$1.30 to $1.10 for run-of-mine coal; $1.40 to $1.50
for three-quarter coal; $1.50 to $1.60 for inch and
one-quarter coal and slack at 85 to 95 cents.
The Connellsville coke trade enters the new
year with a record-breaking tonnage to its credit
for 1913, and a record of the best year for a long
time insofar as prices go. Tonnage over the holi­
days was cut down almost to a minimum figure,
and this helped in the way of maintaining prices.