Huntington independent. [volume] (Huntington, W. Va.) 1871-1874, 1873-10-16
CoaI

nOFlallOu + SuuiCNt llt "'''~" $3.50
member Of the whole country is inter
cs,ed. This commodity exist beyond
pcradventurc in exhaustless quantities.
in the cCa fields of this end Of the
State. and capitalists have alreads !
sought out the localities and in many
Instances made purchases and opened
mines for the prosecution Of the coal
business They have also, through the
facilities offered by river communica-
ton and the c. Il O. r. r. brought .
the products Of the West Virginia F.
mines in competition with the Ohio and /
PENNSYLVANIA coal, and established a
reputation for the name The great
consumption Of this article at Cincin-
matt and the west for fuel and manufac-
turing purposes, and the high price
hitherto paid consequent upon a Scant
sa Div. has led tie active minds Of that
section TO look with anxiety upon the
PRO sreSs made in the Development Of
"a, rod lands Of this State. The
opening Of AN important line Ot rail-
way penetrating the heart Of this
wealth. Of coal anil minerals was accept
ct as sign that the want long needed
To- the commerce Of the west uyUld be-
mrIld The formation Of coal com
pguitS along It's course and the partial
advance they have made in mining and
shipping has demonstrated the practi-
cabiEty AID profit Of its energetic
prosecution. By advantageous through
rates over the road, and by the outlet
formed hy the Eauavha river these
compsni, are shipping cool in limited
quantities 70 Cincinnati, and with al
yantagcs over the Pittsburg shippers in
the way of distance they fud a ready
market aud rcmunerltiye profits. With
favorable surrounding conditions the
business can be enhanced a hundred
fold
There {, another aspect Of the coal
traffic which in a local sense, more di-
rcct'y bears upou the attention Of the
people Of this community So far,
while there has been constant and
r.ale supply, there hes existed a
manifest over charge per CON, which IS
not due however. TO 81 monopoly In .ac
city trade. but o. the excessive local
tariff on rs conveyance To the city. Il
seems fair tope,ums jhat Goa. pur
chased gt tc mines for c.-at cent, per
uush ami conveyed seventy miles over
railroad should mo-, double IN value
and ST this IS exactly the situation in
Huntington The city dealer with the
original price at the mine adds Eve
cents prr Iu>heI for carriage, which runs
li, actual cost TO thirteen cents, this
ar biu three cents profit, out Of
which De paws his rent Of the Goa.
ward one hundred and thi-ty-six dol
Iar. hs cmp.oee, and the wear and
tear or horse flesh and wagons Incl
dent .o the business. It does not re-
cure moro than am average mind TO
discover that the retail coal business &,
not sw.-, read 20 fortune; ON the
contrary. f. win take many more tons
yearly than are sold. to make It even a
respectfully paving business. So it Il,
plainly apparent that the cause Of
high coal Is not traccablc to evborl.t-
an p..f.s 20 ,he city dealer; it must
u,m the transit from the m,u,, 20 the
city vtrd.
&O.RR. Company charge
tuge ea'srer bu,hel TO deliver coal
iu train Ioa,,, at thcriycr incline, where
f. dumped into bargcs and sent to
Cincinnati market; making the net cost
eleven cents within half a mile Of the
city proper, but under conditions Of a
contract between the parties this coal
cawor Doe used Cor the supply Of
tn, local trade, 5ut must be sent away
40 give the Company the exclusive
privilege Of furnishing the coal 10 the
city dealer at five cents per bu>hel
freight two cents over that furnished
% +ae wholesale dealer. The difference
between these two rates make mp a
large per cent Of the profit on coal and
90 the consumer, I'm the course Of time
viii make q significant sum. If the
city cam %, furnished with coal at
The same rate 20, that accorded TO the
shipper then ,he difficulty with local
trad. win disappear and tie c'amor
raisel against the injustice Of the pro-
crediug be- hushed
But when the railroad authorities
are consulted upon The matter the PEG
p.care told that the con pauy does not
mako anything hy carrying coal at the
present. rates; that it ia 'osing money
ON every train employed for that pur-
pose, that itv1g,i willingly give Uptho