The New York herald., 1870-09-10
C0M-.-ANTHRACIIE AND BITUMiy0ls.
How the Public Can be Protected Agnins,
Short Weight.

How the PaDlic Can be Protected Agnins.
Short Weight.
To THE EDITOR OF THE uERALp:-
During the greater part OF this year twothirds OF
the Schuylkill mining districts ille and also
those Of Carbon county and Lehgh regions were non
producing. Yet the imports are in advance, COM
pared with this time last year, 1o0o,O0) tons. 1t Is
true that gOodly portion OF this amount due to
the bituminous coal, the strikes OF the anthracite
miners, together with the exorbtant prices fixed
by the operators for the article, suddenly extending
and developing the production OF Virginia mines
to much greater extent than would have arisen for
time to come In the regular course These soft
coal companies saw and took the advantage OF
throwing into this market their produce at price
compete readily with the hard coal at the ring
prices. The bitumnous, or soft coal, Is now being
largely used by steamboats, and Manufacturers
ut pretty steady figure the year round the price In
the winter season being slightly increased by the
advance on freights the transportation being then
outside, the shipping price remaining at a nxed
figure. The price Of biiumlnous coal Is now from
IS so to SO 80 per ton while the price for anthracite
Of the sizes usually used Tor steamers and factories
ranges from So 80 to 50 rs. The prices for both hard
and soft are about eQullized. When we take into
account that btuminous coal is better adapted and
and more economical for stelm purposes the price
viii be ally eSs taan mat OF the anthracite; for
cubic foot 0 te iO.inel viii convert 5J2 poun..s u
water into sieam at az Degrees While cubic foot
OF the latter wi ONLY convert tlO pounds OF
water into steam at 2l2 degrees. Tnus we
see that when hard coal rises III price ABOVE
certain figure, so as to equaze the price OF both,
manufacturers and steamboat IrOpretOrs viii pre-.
fer using bituIninous COAL thus giving them certain
protection against The extCrton OF the monOpo lists.
HOIse consumers VIII at all times be v,ctilAiZel at
the di creton OF the monster monopoly aimed at for
the last rev years uack. A cure Tor this would be
the iatodu tlon OF free foreign coa. II tbs could
he accomplished all parties wou,u be quite inde
pendent ana iree from the continual menace OF
Strike un .ess their demands thOwever OutrageOus)
were acccded to, the game OF strike" and monopoly
wOu.d de q Iural death, f4r competition wOgld
take Iner places, the best article AZ the lowest
me price lor Nova Scotia coal at present is about
81 90 10 s2 5o Tree Oh board present reights ABOUT
However we do not apprehend any further adj
in The price OF coal THIS year, not but that the
"Duls'' have done their utmost to efect 1t. The
Schuylkl mines are now IN lu blast, and sending
To this mara ct about 10000 tons per week. This
wi act IS a check against the monopoly 20 much
desired. which TO thjs end the great mining com.
panies have given their utmost aid 10 attain, they
having adopted tie plan IL ed by the Lehigh Navga-
ton Coal Company about three ar agothat was,
not 10 sell dircc 10 the consumer, but only 10
tam few IN 1llnity Building. IDS year The TRINITY
Blu lding ring are called the contractors OF these
great mining companies. For instance, II
aud made application at tneir once,
you would be told tnat they only sell TO their con-
ractors-that s, certain lew OF the coal Dealers
who meet from time TO time aud agree as to how
much they will extOrt from the consumer. Why
y,
WAC has the money and the de Ire to trade with
them We hope TO see this gigantic attempt at
swlnile broken up, as was tnlt 0l the Lehga CON-
pany, by moral suasOn.
While we are this very important topic OF
coal 1t might be as well to say a word or
Two to how coal should be weighed 10
the consumers. II has ollen been shown That he
Is regularly cheated only receiving 1,7U0 To
1000 lbs. Tor 1000 iDs.. when make up The yard deal
ers' ton. Let us suggest, Tor the bepeht VI all
concerned, tnat pubilc weigh bridges be laid
down at convenient places as near as possible
Oli-
gregate for discharge also Ia the central squares
o. the CITY, each VI estued over by ciy WcI4uer,
regularly appointed sworn a0d responsible % The
CITY Council or Police Board for the faithful dis
charge or his o.ice 1t would be MS duty to weigh
ali coal presented to him. giving tc carter DOCKET
stating the gross tare % cart and net quantity oi
coal thereon (tne tare 10 be branded every re5u
larry hcensed coal 'art glvin9 also the name Ol
boat or yard from whence taken, anu the person TO
whom it ~ 10 be deli we're l. tHe weiehmaser TO keep
duplicate O the sano IN book pro ided Tor tlat
purpose, open to puoilc inspection, small change
say TWO cents per ton TO oc paid Tor tine service,
thS revenue 10 be paid mo .hc city treasury, rom
when the weighnasters salary ana otNer incl
dental expense are To lie de d. the wholc to
be self-supp0rtlng any coiusion between tho
Imprisonment on the complaint OF any party prov
Ing same before the nearest Justice, WHO hall htvo
power 10 uspts SUMMARY in each case 30 brought
under his notice. This We ihiuk, would relieve US OF
THIS nuisance OF short weight and be satisfactory To
both seller and buyer, capalas or boats 10 be paid
duly authenticated ~ the weig ghmaster, anything to
the contrary stated in the D OF ladlng nOtwlfh-
standing. TO those who buy whole carsOes this Sys
TEN would prove great boon, as they are Olten
bills Oh IadnG for te original especially In the case