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GOAL TRADE BULLETIN^
Vol. XIII. PITTSBUKGH, PA., NOVEMBER 15, 1905. No. 12.
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN:
PUBLISHED TWICE A MONTH.
Copyrighted by THE COAL TRADE COMPANY, 1'JU.J.
A. R. HAMILTON, Proprietor and Publisher,
H. J. STRAUB, Managing Editor.
SUBSCRIPTION, - - - - $2.00 A YEAR.
Correspondence and communications upon all matters
relating to coal or coal production are invited.
All communications and remittances to
THE COAL TRADE COJIPA.NY.
926-930 PARK BUILDING, PITTSBURGH, PA.
Long Distance Telephone 250 Grant.
[Entered at the Post Office at Pittsburgh, Pa., as
Second Class Mail Matter.]
SECRETARIES OF THK ANTHRACITE DISTRICT organi­
zations of miners on Novemoer 6 issued the call
for the convention, December 14, at Shamokin, Pa.,
wnich is to draft wage demands for a proposed
agreement with operators after expiration of the
anthracite commission award, April 1. Among
proposed demands the S-hour day will lie a bone
of contention. The contract miner now contends
that the shortening of ihe hours of operation
would mean that fewer cars would be supplied to
the contract miners, and it is natural to suppose
that they will object to any change that would
result in a deterioration of their conditions. The
contract miners, as a rule, are not very much in
favor of the 8-hour prospect. Tney work no more
now, and some even less, and they propose to be
well represented at the Shamokin convention.
They will endeavor to include in the demands
on the operators a clause which will guarantee
them some compensation for the proposed reduc­
tion of the hours of the working day. Another
view of the affair is that the contract miner will
derive the benefit from a reduction in the time of
l lie working day liy the logical increase in the
numlier of woiking days Ihat will be created by
the proposed change. A reduction of one hour in
each working day, this faction contends, would
result in about four more days per month being-
added to tbe year's average, and that weekly sus­
pensions on account of a surplus supply of coal
would thus be obviated. ' ilifferences on this score
within the organization will make tne convention
an interesting one.
Tin: BUSINESS RECORD I'm; THE FORTNIGHT past
includes as its characteristic features the continued
rush of mercantile and industrial operations, and
a temporary but very positive stringency in the
speculative loan market. The November weather
has inspired the purchasing of many lines of win­
ter goods in excess of facilities for delivery, and
nearly all branches of trade are crowded to their
utmost capacity. Reports of strong conditions
are practically unanimous; price index numbers
show the highest average of values in recent years;
railway earnings maintain a moderate increase
over those of a year ago. ami almost the only
drawbacks are car congestion, some talk of slow
collections and the stringency in Wall street.
Whilst the coal market continues to strengthen.
the iron and steel interest maintains the center
of the activity and buoyancy, witn demand active
and orders hard to place. The bullish sentiment
on pig iron is evident, and some claims are made
of a further 25c advance on Bessemer and basic
pig; but actual transactions have not established
the price above that previously quoted. Con­
siderable orders were placed for finished steel and
steel rails. Structural shapes and plates are in
strong demand. Sheets are a little easier, and
the urgency of the demand for prompt delivery of
coke has somewhat relaxed. Muck bar is scarce