New-York tribune., 1873-01-17
THE COAL CRISIS.
GREAT EXCITEMENT IN THE TRADE.

pense Yesterday awaiting result OF the conference
| OF the leading men OF the great coal companies Tho
principal result OF the meeting was tscit understand
ing that the great companies shall cease 70 be active
comnettots and shall establish an average wholesale
prce of about IS coal early this The report
of a committee appointed TO compile information upon
the business Of localities where competition coest,
was considered and general discussion took place -
N the most effective OF securing harmony OF nc
tion throu ghout the entire coal trade. Mr. r. A. QniD
,rd supported the views OF Hr Gowen regarding direct
traffic and IL was understood that henceforth the prin
eipal companies will sell small quantities chesply
they will Of 1000 tuns and Hpward The plans OF
| the companies are, however, evidently not fully
matured.
Mr. Franklin B. Gowen, in an interview Yesterday.
gave some further regarding the plans Of the Read
ing Railroad Company and the probable future Of tho
coal trade He said in substance that IL was proposed
heneeforth to hold monthly meetings at which the en-
tire coal trade OF Pennsyvsna would be represen,ed-
the individual operators well as the great cospanis
uniform price coal Ia 70 be adopted at these @ees
ngs which will do for tho entire trade what tne loc
bodies such the Lehgh Board Of Trade, DO Tor their
respective localities It Is also contemplated to regu
late prices that they shall DE comparatively Uniform
throu ghout the year,
This ia to be done in order that the railroads and
canals may carry conveniently the quantity OF coa pro
duced and to enable manufacturers aud consumers
generally TO buy good terms one month "A anoher
Under the present system consumers constantly ueef
layng I'm supplies expecting that coal may be cheaper
month or two later they do purchase large sup
ply they feel they have lost by the trapsaouon snoo
prices fall afterward and are unwilling TO repeat IT,
This deranges the coal trade without oenentng ths
public aud ought to be changed.
Mr. Gowen said that the operators in the Schay
Kill region have hitherto lost heavily by the excessive
commissions which paid in transferring coal from
the mines 10 consumers beside large quantities were
sold purporting to be from a particular mlne when n
sent only q comparatively small quantity TO marKet
and OF course when the coal substituted OF inferior
quality the character of the mine In question suffered
this could not take place under the new system An
equitable plan has adopted at Port Richmond for
settling the prices OF COAL and although the Readns
Coal Company Is in minority the Committee which
regulates prices sells It's coal at the fixed cursens
rate
Mr. Gowen considers that the prospects OF the coal
trade during present year very favorable 50 lar
as regards production The largely increased production
of last season nearly all disposed Of the market has
been better during the last months than any other
period Of the year. and it IA believed that the stocs Oh
coal on the close OF the shipping season OF 1871
was no larger that held at the close OF the previous
year. The consumption Of 1872 therefore, be safev
set do than of tuns over that Oh oIi
In making an estimate OF tho consumption OF the season
OF 1873 the following facts relied upon 70 warrant
the belief the OF demand above that OF iU1
will be very nearly great as was that Oh last season
the previous year: i-
First The average annual increase during the past ten
years has been about q per cent OF the consumption @
the previous year
second: The great activity Of the iron trade during
the last months has induced she erection OF larger
blastfurnaces tan were ever before pos
up IN single year. Nearly all Of these new iurDaoes
which were In process of erection during the past year.
will go INTO blast early the coming season In tns
regons dependent upon the roads and canals of the
Company for supply fuel there during the iase
season. stacks being built but five OF which arc
vet in blast Throughout all the iron districts OF the
country new furnaces being erected, and H ~
believed that at least 10000 Of tuns OF coal viii bs
required during present year TO supply the demand
of new iron manufacturing establishments alone.
Third The extension OF railroads into the Ia
terror of the country especially to the lake ports whch
has prosecuted with great activity during the last
two or three years opened markets for Anthrs
cite coal by introducing it into regions OF country
hitherto inaccessible and where wood had been chiefly
relied upon for fuel The statistics Of the trade show
that the ordinary purposes Of domestic life requires
one tun OF coal per for each member OF the com
muuty using t as fuel but where the ceners Of manu-
featuring industry lake shipping ports opened BY
new lines Of railway the consumption per inhabitants
generally exceeds that quantity.
Fourth The very high prices OF coal ia England VIII.
il is believed. induce the owners OF steamships plying
between Europe and United states to draw larger
proportion OF the supply Of coal for their vessels FROM
America. than they have heretofore obtained
Firm: The exceptionally low price IN America during
the past year has introduced coal competition with
wood into districts where 1t had been sent
before and it well known that when the appliances
for burning anthracite coal introduced and the
advantages fuel understood, Is never dis
placed By any other.
II the above facts justify belief that nearly 3ooee
of tuns more coal will be required in 3 than were sent
to market in 1872. and il by twelve months Of steady
work during 1872 the increased production OF coal over
that of seven months work during the previous year
was only about $4,000 tuns 1t Ia not unreasonable TO
suppose that will be difficult to produce this year any
quantity Of the demand as TO depress
the market to any considerable degree. The Reading
Company prepared for the large increase OF trade
which is anticipated by constructing 1000 eghtwheelea
coal cars aud 4T2 egbt-wheeled freight and passenger
cars. . . ..
Gowens gemeDt in the ibuslness OF the Reading
Raroadthe termination of the contract between that
COMPANY and Adams Express Company and the addtoo
Of the parcel traffic TO its regular businessr Gowen
explained that upon the mrs. OF en- & m .ne &
Heretofore the business OF carrying express
matter ana psrees az f bv tbs Adams Exurs
Company the name of,the Central Express under
nSon the amount Of the rsc In th.
transaction OF this business the Railroad Company rr
instance not only the Office room but the clerks ami
agents themselves The freight agents OF this Company
Adams Express Company, and in most cases received
the latter Company, compensation petcenttgs
upon express business done at their sew
stations The result Of this not only 70 democrat
the force in consequence OF the divided allegiance s
members owed 70 two pasters-but as the freight Agcn1
A
iooi' cn SinIva s.atJ II0m iio Oat C0npruy snd
apecehtag6 Of the business from the Express
Company IL became to their peCunary advantage To
send much Of the traffic OF their stations possible
by express, from which the Railroad Company derived
but small proportion Of the reoeptsinstead OF by tho
Railroad Company freight lines. in which tho
entire charges would have gone into the treasury OF the
Company. The contract between the Railroad Company
aud the Express Company therefore terminated.
and on the lat OF September, having previously com
/