The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-04-19
Our POttsvilIe correspondence.
The anthracite Coal Trade.

The anthracite Coal Trade.
The GOLFERS held their regular weekly meeting
at Pottsville last Saturday Oath insD. There was
very large assembly of earnest-lookng men,
seemingly struggling for the first rights of human
iy-brcad not the bread of unearned beggary,
but the reward of honest, willing, and hardearned
toll The firmness and enthusiasm displayed, and
the addresses delivered, give proof that the miners
are of talent, with souls as lofty as their en-
terprise is unbounded.
We have already advised the readers of the
Herald that the wharves in Philadelphia being so
crowded with coal that there was room to store
any more, and there being no demand, even at
cost, that would induce immediate shipment of
new supplies, the miners were compelled to stop
their works. The suspension haslasted four weeks,
and the committee announced to the meeting that
there was still thirty thousand tons of coal on the
wharves at Philadelphia, and no demand where
upon, a continuation of the suspension being una
voidabe, it was resolved upon unanimously.
Complaints were made at the meeting that GER
lam SPECTATORS. encouraged by the Reading Rail-
road-who care only to keep their cars in motion
and calculating upon the dull stock on hand to
keep the market permanently depressed, have made
heavy contracts to supply dealers here and IN the
rates then ruling This trick of selling " short"
and driving miners TO ruin, they tried last year,
and were successful. This time, usual they
played the game once too often the miners,
| TO save their own lives, have closed the trap
on them. 1t appears to be unde rsood by the
Golfers that these spectators, finding themselves
trapped have tried to msrepresent the real causes
of the soppage, and to get dealers here, and es-
pccially in Boston, to help them out, by aiding
their conspiracy against the golfers.
We can see very clearly through the whole diff
Guilty: and, strange to say, the true cause OF the
obstruction to the coal trade was not once alluded
TO nor limited at by the meeting of the golfers
The miners do not ask any advance of price over
the pinchlng opening rates OF last year. viz: 81 Tor
white ASH and 81 % for red ash coal, at the head
Of the railway and canal. Where, then, is the
source of the Increased price on board vessels at
Philadelphia which is the matter IN dispute How
can this simple quct hon puzzle any one Tor mo-
ment! How is it that miners Will permit them
selves to be saddled with the odium when 1t is SO
easy to show they are innocent
The real offenders (and such they certainly are)
are the Reading Railroad and Schuylltl Canal
CO mpanies. BY all manner of Encouragement,
they have made their works cost respectively IL
ang 10 millions of dollars-makng in all % mil
lions their united capacity being only equal, by
their own showing, to the carriage OF 100000 tons
Of coal per annum.
Now The railroad that is being made to connect
New York with the Schuylklll coal field via Eas-
ten, Somerve, and Elizabethtown, will not cost
over one fourth OF this sum- furnished and equipped
Of this year less than fifty miles will be wanting to
complete the connection.
In the face of thus comparison, can the public be
expected to submit to a tax on coal to pay interest
on the extravaganza of these corporations
They have all the madness which precedes de-
structon, determined that they have only to name
Their imposition, and the public must submit.
by their last report, the Reading Railroad IN,
forms that at the charges of last year realized
six per on the full fifteen millions OF dollars,
and yet il has ventured to form combination with
the canal To raise it's tolls 2Sper cent Here is the
true strike, and this is the only question Tor con-
sumers TO determine. Our task Is done when we
screen the honest miners-who ask nothing but not
TO be rqueezed to death-and to expose the tricks
by which the spectators seek to cast the odlum OF
their iniquitics upon the innocent victims OF their
There is no doubt that the mines must reman
closed ill coal commands something over cost to
the miner; and this II cannot do, as Lehlgh PRICES
rut limit TO Schuylkill coal, until the Reading
Railroad and is CO. partner recede from their posi-
ten and unwarranIed advance.