National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-08-06
rwo RrMARKABIn corNc1pEscrs.
FUEL,
Pennsylvania Coal Understanding Abou
Short Weights.

Pennsylvania Coal Understanding About
Short Weights.
The Philadelphia Ledger says that the anthrs-
cite coal trade is fairly active under steadily in
creasing tonnage. The Sehuylkill region is
throwing an immense amount OF coal into the
market. The shipments by road and the canal
for the week ending on the oath ultimo was nearly
2ilooo tons, Q large increase on the tonnage Of
corresponding week last year, and the tonnage
Of the region is now, notwithstanding the i've
months coal suspension, within about ,ooo, 900
tons Of what It was ut this date In 1874. The
other anthracite coal regions are alsD producing
largely, and steadily gain on the production ct
the same time last year. The advance In the
prices Of anthracite coal for the month Of
August, which is quite small, goes into operation
to-day. The demand for all the several sizes Of
prepared coal is good, the most Of the operators
and the Reading Coal and Iron Company being
well supplied with orders. We have not returns
from all the carrying companies for last week.
The production for the week ending on the oath
ultimo, as footed by the Miners Journal, was
SOL 4so toms and for the year s5s tons against
s,eo5, s35 tons to corresponding date last year,
decrease of ~, SIT tons. The bituminous tonnage
for the week was SO, 5f2 tons and for the year
1881 6g7 tons, making total Of all kinds for the
against 10 $50 155 tons to the same time last year
Q decrease Of le{, 500 tons. The quantity of coke
and coal transported over the Pennsylvsnia rail
year lSs s24 tons, Of which 1876 JOG coal and
S4o52s coke. This embraces all the coal carried
both East and West.
THE RETAIL TRADE IN THIS CITY
begins slowly The proceedings before the Legis-
much attention, and most domestic consumers of
coal Will probably await its report before giving
their orders. The month Of August win no doubt
witness increased activity In the local retail trade
but as to the direction Il will take Is little I'M
certain. Some Of the evidence that has been ad-
dIeed = most important 70 consune5s especially
the hands Of the committee in their report. For
years past 1t has been common to question the
often, no doubt, honest dealers have suffered dis.
credit from the bad reputation Of those charged
with giving short weight But never before, that
sustained charge Of this description Of fraud on
the Philadelphia consumers of coal been made as
that presented by the president Of the Reading
Coal and Iron Company in the course Of his exam
HIS exhibit covers twenty-ous purchases Of
coal, Of from one to three tons each, mostly the
the several sellers, and the amount of short
weight in each case. The result OF the tests in
buying these twenty-five tons Of coal shows that
there was an average OF sixty-one cents . ton
paid for coal the buyer did not get II Is esti-
mated that there are million Of tons Of anthra-
cite coal sold BY retail in this city in one year
This is quite too large trade to be exposed to
such unlimited dishonesty as this evidence shows
possible. The consumers of coal are Justly under
obligations to Mr.. Gowen for the seeming COM
pieteness Of this expose, and the many honest
dealers In the retail coal trade will doubt avail
themselves Of the opportunity afforded Of ex-
pressing their disapprobation Of all nefarious
practices In the trade, and especially Of the Of
Tense Of villful short weight.
TheLedger speaks In behalf Of every coal con-
sumer. ana will have the cooperation Of every
dealer who aims TO give full weight for IT Is such
who are most injured BY being undersold BY the
shortweight dealer. The man who honestly gives
$40 pounds Of coal for o ton ca mot compete IN
price with those who give three fourths Of that
amount. or, indeed, any considerable amount
short Of q full ton. With all consumers Of COIL
and the honest In the retail trade against those
knavishly Inclined, as has been exposed, there
ought TO be little difcuty in purgAg the trade to
q reasonable purity.