The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-05-09
The Anthracite Coal Jradc-Tbe Production
and Consumption--Present and Future Sup
piy-Rensitng Railroad, Its Capacity, Sc


TO TUE EDITOR oP THE HERALD.
PorrsvnLs, May 4, 1857.
For some days past have been here posting my
self in relation to the coal business for 1867, and
ssye succeeded in obtaining what believe to be the
,ctual coudtioa Of the trade. Ia the research not
snly discover the evidence OF short supply, bu
rsoogNize the facility siih which the consumer il
snmbagged and 50 long as the good people con-
lime 20 listen 10 the stories Of the bogus operator in
lands, The croakings OF the dealer wlo has not
even money 10 pay the freight, and the ingenious
inventions Of the gentlemen Of the stock market,
30 long will they be forced to pay from 81 50 TO 81
per ton for the amount that IS neces airy 10 their
business comfort. In ls53 the repeal OF the day
and the furore in relation 10 Cumberland advanced
the rice from s. so TO ~ so per ton, and notwith.
standing the Parker Vein and New Creek explo-
SONS, you have this year precisely the sane
results from the Delaware and Lackawana.
Last year they promised to the citizens
100000 tons, and we have yet to learn
that they despatched so 900 tons from their mines.
Now tsey are out with the promise Of milloa, and,
withsut inquiring into the facts, your citizens be
neye-at least they say through their bears-that
they will get every ton OF IT,. But Us tue entire
WilkesbarTe region. including the business OF ali the
oaists b, the trade, produced last year hut 900
"
certain, from the intervening moun,s'n they viii
not exceed the last years production more than
20, 600 tons.
Ia 1850, the canals, which nov present an average
cost Of 10000 000 were enlarged 70 their present
capacity; but as the mining operations were only
ON q par With the demand Of the Market aud a. &c
psquires nos emily time and large expenditure Of
money but the labor Of st least 200 soieatifc mon,
10 produce 100000 tons per snnum, yoa will per.
ceiye that the chance q decidedly against an In
creased supply in 1857. since 1850 the increase
on the scbuyikin canal i precisely isS,7I4 tons
Der annun; on the Lehigh 70,s2t, aud on
the Delaware and Hudson, including the pro
duet Of the Pennsylvania Coal Company, the
increase was 79,os1 tons. This result, while II
exhibits the slow OF tedious operation ~ the mines,
hooking for an stocked Market In The business
Of the last three years the average tonnage on The
Echuylkill canal was ,037 $50; on the Lehgh 222
s22 tons: and on the Delaware and Hudson 0l3,
s35 tons In this condition Of the trade IL there
fore certain we can derive no increase from these
several sources and "a the Last years arrangement
served only to check the improve nent At the mines,
and as mine producing 80 600 tons per aunum eau.
not he put fun operation under three years labor,
you may say TO your readers that the chance Tor
short supply in 1867 is now prominent feature in
the trade. o, the Lehgh Valley road, from the
faits as stated the product must oe taken from the
NeanaI; AND on The Delaware and Lsckawans, i they
Fif inquire Of their "next door neighbors, the
fPennsyfvana Coal Company-they win learn the
fact that at the end Of The next seven years they
100000 tons. This amount, no ycyer, IL based upon
double track road, with an entire reaewai OF the
one In operation.
These facts you win find in the history Of the
past and AZ they reveal come curious Lessons In re-
ht,on 10 the production OF coal, can only say that
since the Ish,gh Valley road N In progressive
state and the Heading, from its GRADES aud posi-.
ton, presents an almost unlimited capacity, Tho
stockholders OF the several canals would be very
great fools 10 encounter the expense OF another
enlargement uutu the raroads had attained their
capacity. In the present condition II the Healing
the estimated CAPACITY II 1000 900 Of tons; aud as
similar condition, under similar expenditure, may
ne attained on the Lehigh Valley, It WIN no. bs
worth while TO trouble your readers with the facts
sustaining the position. Coal, II Ia now understood
cannot be hauled mp hill by locomotive power, nor
can " be taken rom the bed in which nature has
planted u BY toe wisbes or hopes OF spectators.
IN the report Of the Reading for 1855 you viii acc
snst vain carrying Az tons Il taken 10 the city
ana the empty cars returned ~ the mines for si35 II
equai 10 ~ % per mile and at cost OF IS cents
per ton. This fact, with another, that single
engine averages three trips per week and gives 20
zoe consumer 1885 tons per week settles the aues-
paon; and II coptrasted with the Delaware and
.scs~ ~sns, where the distance IL TAI miles. and
vssre the loads are limited TO 100 tons. with only
40 kfps per week, II win be discovered that the