New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-27
DEAR FUEL.
THE HIGH PRICE OF ANTHRACITE COAL.

TIE RAILROAD COMPANIES.
| FRoH THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIDUSE'l
| PHILADELPHIA Nov. 25.-I have been led by
the complaints Of the iron manufacturers in the anihra
cite region Of Pennsylvania OF what they characterize as
the exorhant prices demanded for coal to make some
inquiries among consumers producers, aud lansorteIS
Of anthracite with view Of asccraining the causes OF
The steady increase In the price which has been going
on for about years, and forming an opinion as 10
ruling the result OF the free opera
lions OF the law Of supply and demand or are nam
! tained, as ALLEGED by a combination Of powerful
moneyod interests possessing large coal folds and con
trolling all the outlets from the anthracite region to the
market These inquiries have led me 10 such den
mite conclusions make DESTROYS Of espoIslng one
side the other the argument between producers
and consumers. They have however put me In posses
sion OF such and opinions when presented 10
the reader Will enable him understand the question:
aud PERHAPS TO form jud ynent for himself The I'M
por,ance OF the subject scarcely be exaggerated
Upon cheap coal depends the existence OF MANUFACTURING
industries employing thousands II ab0Iers ~ wen Is
the comfort Of hundreds OF thousands OF poor mems
homes; and The f4c. that the price OF this essential
article has increased in face OF the general depression
in all manufacturing business and the prevailing DIS
tgcss among the 1borug classes certainly challenges
attention. In order TO expression 70 the views oI
all sides interested the subject, viii put the inorna
zion and opinions gathered in the form OF an imaginary
conversation between Il householder coal mefc.iinf
] q "a
VLich each presents bis side Of The question IN us own
| way:
Housoholler-IIow ia It that Jon all the time al
vaul!nE hc Price OF cJaIl In these hard times, when
labor down almost starvation rates and the prices
O.; nearly all commodities have fallen, Il seems 10 me
/ coal should be lover than it was IN the prosperous
days before the panic, instead OF higher And yet you
charge me nearly dollar a more than you did last
! Fail
! Coal Marchant-I cam put the price any lower. NJ
profits are not q cent more the ton than they were
II 1872 wlan the retail price about 81 % less than
is now. II Lct tie prevailing high rates are det'i-
mental 10 NY business, because they cause decreased
| consumption.
HouseAolder-I5 there any prospect OF lower ratcs'
Coal Mere lau-None at all. o1k FOR further rise.
Tie anthracite business has got i1to tho hands OF iJur
or I've railroad companies ani they viii pu5 prices up
Just L q they an YJa had better l1y Ia years
supply at once.
Ilolnlister-The coal monopoly IA mining the ron
| business r We he'd cheap fuel could f-rls-ie
along in these dan times and make bare living, bat az
it is most OF ., who depend upon anthracite for our
furnaces have 20 20 blow OFT or blow up. Every
ton Of i.on e sl-lt = loss TO IA OF dollar or two
OR coal IS costing about dollar ton more than 10
did In 1872 when we got nearly twice much FOR our
iron as e can get now. Instead Of helping 70 foster tie
iron interest the coal combination Is throtus It. Fye
powerful railroad companies have in eject oait CHI
nee wal around the anthracite region, so that no man
can get ton o coal cut except b. their leave. These
Companies a.t TIE FAi''I,.i.t ana lin - ~
trai o. Ne"-S -FseJ' 'Ae LII. - W '0
L2cAaN'dhAa a-u ls.,.'' -14 '-9 - 80
son l~'l.fj-u "-- O"n'4 N"up4'IJ' Ivy ''-- '"-
rcscu.atiyes 10 n meeting Ncv-fOrk every month,
ard there tia price l. fx-l Tor tue cOmgg nth and
t, amount each company i % hip .s determined. Tie
lrice is put high cncu-A u give tie companies very
lucrative rae -af '-"L-P '.l0i anu '.' '. NJ
NJ. dTi..ht&a : Ae"'y pi-U-' h''' 20 ''0'0
companies arc themselves Al~' 0"AI' @ e''' i'"''
anu extensive miners So lhA' l"e' L''e u MOUNT I.''
es', first 10 set q o.S price lot VIZ c''' '''! n.y. i
second to secure AaaFy cl-"l I"l'' Ior "'-'IH6 -
u.eT";eT ID, FuAS spHlt OF me "'.''oi = '--
- aiding lti'Iat'' "I'.A Is o"Ae4 Wy 81 ASH '''"
oldcTs VINO "OuI % Kan 10 aeo OAI '.uH iu-]''i' p
ayztA
Co.Hery o"ner-l' ~ uu1 'n-' W. "i- s''.''@ VIZ
e''o 'l''' I'' 'i' ''..' I'' "'1 .-.- "a -
but "Aen al zoe 'AP l'''' any -. .''
BUSINESS arc ''N'" INV "'.ou'.' '" ~
o-y Ia''iY I,u"'-r'.I''' i' Wv Pi-' - -,
us ID IT, "''o-.- 40 '.''''''' NV - w. -
wa --'- -, -. 49, 90. ..l. ga ... ,.,+
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-. n -i-,.,., &, tf,o nrt.o "a II Zoos IN
a., 90 - ,oosf other ar,i.,s Tina ont
~, o-o.,.s,s NJ a nina winch 81. pe,tt,r OF,
n tors a,- ~. IA hc4v. a5 when 1t Is pushed to it,
f, o.,a, - - 1el tons Rv outside expenses mean
IN. cost ~ rrg.iag ire b~.acrs pumps aud hosting
..ig,s. tie sla~ics OF Office maa engineer e.; the
Interest on q. invested and many other items. The
ti.,.t .,.o-., re Cal, ,i...r nf t,us uru