New-York tribune., 1870-12-16
THE COAL QUESTION
TIE PENNSYLVANIA COMPANIES.

TIE PENNSYLVANIA COMPANIES.
growth or THE COAL MosopoLIEs-rHEr DO
n NOT WANT COAL TO SELL DEAR-OOAL MINES
In DEMASD-THE AUCTION SALEs'
WnKEs-BARRE, Dec. ia Nearly hait the
anthracite coal which Is now annually sent 70 ma'se'
comes from tho mines Of LuEerne County ana .ne
OF tho business here is 40 rapid that the
proportion Ia constantly rising higher VI tne to'a
PRODUCTION OF the county eyerIncreasng per oehso
oaoh year falls 10 the three great compaes' VIZ 'o
Delaware anf Hudson. the PennsylVans' anu '"o Doa
rare Iackawanna and Western IheSe' ny "oahs VI
their enormous capital arc enabled 10 e1tenu lh.ir
operations far more rapidly than their weaker compo
tors 1t takes at least si5o,ooo TO open ooicv ".
even moderate capacity and In the present condition OF
the business individuals who arc willing TO take ,ho
risk OF Investing that amount arc BY no means hunHr
Qua On the other hand, ride through ths Vshy WIN
show that new works have been opened tns year sur
noient to add from 10000 TO 100000 tuns or from III
to II Der cent Of the annual production OF oil the
.n,hrac,te regions. Those are chiefly on the lands
owned exclusively by the great companies, who aireay
control three fourths OF the openings IL seems newt
able that before long they must got the whoe'
To hasten that day IL would that the most efec-
tive means would TO sell coal cheaper than any OF the
npctitors could afford TO- Accordingly the pohcy Ol
the companies aside from their conflict with the Miners
Union Is TO maintain steady production and keep coai
t tho lowest prce which will satisfy their stookhoders
Am convinced that tho great companies have not now
or at any other time provoked strike Tor the purpose
OF advancing the price Of coal Any advance wnoh 'ny
may realize their present stocks merely ihcuohI'
and tonds vastly 70 strengthen tho smaller opera
tors and companies whose mines are WORKING thah W
benefit Themselves, who are lying Idle.
When coal IL down and the smaller operators are work
ing at loss the value OF coal lands and property
naturally depreciaed and the companies have better
opportunities OF acquiring what they covet' Ihe com
pan!es at the present time nothing about haVhe
coal dear but would DO very glad to see coal mines
cheap was informed by OF the CHIEF officers or the
d. L. aud w. Company that they had 20 offers from thoso
wishing 10 sell coal property for every piece OF such
property they have bought. And yet tho companies
have bought great deal They are not 40 much bulls
IN coal as they "bears' In real estate.
Perhaps the reader may not be aware that neither Tho
Delaware land Hudsonithe Pennsylvania, nor the Della
ware Lackawsnna and Western Companies will transport
single pound OF coal which Is not their The only
private coal which gets TO market from this region
carried over the Lehigh Valley and Lehgh Navigation
roads, which come in through the western part of the
field. The former until recently has been like the
Reading solely transportation company. but has lately
been forced 90 come into itho market as pur
chaser Of coal lands and improvements Otherwise
few years would find II totally deprived OF bus
meas from this Section as tho other companies would
have bought up the entire region, and transferred the
carriage TO their own lines Tho Lehigh Valley. which
very wealthy corporation. Is very eager to acquire
coal property and It's mistake in not having stepped
| into that business so0ner'
few individual operators are now engaged In mining
coal. and selling It, at fixed price. to the Delaware and
Hudson, and Delaware Lackawanna, ana Western Com
panes about half dozen mines, am informed, are
thus connected with each corporation The contracts,
which formerly drawn As to raise and lower the
price with the NewYork market are now made 10 vary
with the prices which the companies pay for labor
Those who work under them may be regarded as con.
about the price, perhaps less than tho compahet
themselves could mine II for This saves the c1npane7
chasng the mines. OF course they can obtain snch
mines Whenever they have occasion ior thei ny
this information works some mines under TINS arrange
ent has hitherto received 81 10 tun at the pits
mouth and will get. under the reduced scale OF wages
o. 66.
not be making money the prices obtained at the last
auction sale OF Scranton coal The average price per Jun
at that sale was es every size except stove selling be
low that figure The cost Of transportation over TIE
favorable grades OF the Delaware Lacka anu west
sr e CSg eOt hs average distance from Se mines
Ezabethport 1850 miles the cost OF carrying tun OF coal
would be 81 7s We have seen that the company If VIII
Ing pay other people % 10 for coal at the breaker
witch added TO tie freight would make 50 97a The dir
| large enough 10 give much profit TO the CAPT
tai invested II Is easy enough to see or rnas sd
operations entirely. 1t Is maintained by those CONVEX
money months in spite OF the immense advantages
they enjoy transportation companies. The private
|
cent lower wages admit that they have been losing
money but not than the expenses which
would be entailed by suspension. coal mine. though
standing STILL must bo kept free from water the mules
must fed and the machinery necessarily dotcrioraes.
Add this the effect the Of being thrown out OF
work. and it can bc understood why operator would
prefer to continue working at moderate loss than 10
| incur the came loss by suspension
Finally the Scranton auction sales are PROOF mat the
companies have not been attempting TO put artificial
price on coal; though the coal sold at the last sale is not
to be delivered proyisO in the terms OF sale relieving
company from furnishing 1t In the event OF strikes in
the ne Their main object Is TO get monopoly OF the
coal business just other corporations have Of the Ice
busnessi and the gas business. Go where you Will In the
coal regions and the topic Of conversation Ia the growing
power Of the great companies. Everything grayates
Into their hands and they spreading this region
like hcach when the tide h rising.