Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-03
THE QUESTION OF FUEL.


from the report Of the Commission severa
paragraphs bearing upon this subject. Ii
all Of his letters and kilograms, Mr.. Pro
bert contended that English coke coul,
not be used proitably in smelling opera
ION in Eureka, the cost OF transportation
being SO high That it must necessaril,
come higher than charcoal. He also be
trayed a c~ommendable solicitude for til,
coal men of this section who would b,
ruined financially if their market was Gu
off by the adoption Of coke by the Rich
mond Company. Points OF interest in
volved in the discussion Of this important
subject are given below:
The first use Of coke ever made by tn,
Company was in June, 1874, as shown by
Mr.. McGee's letter to the Board, dated
June s, 1874: II have purchased 100 tom
OF coke at $50 per ton delivered here,
which will commence arriving in a few
days, at which time three furnaces can be
put in blast"
Mr.. McGee left the Company's employ
the same month, and was succeeded by Mr..
Probert, who continued as Manager until
Mr.. Richard relieved him on the 18th
March, 1875, up to which date the guam
tity Of coke used by the Company was
only GO tons. During 1875 the quantity
consumed amounted to 457 tons, and dur
ing 1876 to 1890 tons.
These facts and figures show how very
little coke was appreciated as a fuel, and to
what small extent the suggestions for its
use were adopted by the Richmond man
agemcnt.
On the Esd Of October, 1876, Mr.. Pro-
bert addressed the Board as follows:
II must, however, inform you that there
is SO much charcoal now burnt in this
neighborhood, that, for reasons Of policy.
l have decided to try and relieve those en-
gagged in the business all l can this season,
and that l do not propose to import any
coke before the spring. We are receiving
about Z, 900 bushels daily of excellent char
coal, and we could easily get double that
quantity If we wanted it. The few large
charcoal burners left, have long been sub
sidized a1d assisted by he Rich
mond Company, and / am afraid that
if we were now to import coke in any con-
siderable quantities, the charcoal trade
here wouli altogether collapse"
The question was once more revived in
the early part of 1877, and ON the 30th
March Mr.. Probert wrote to the Chairman
that English coke could not be used unless
the price, delivered at Eureka, was re-
duced to $50 per ton, and informed him
that under the present circumstances, aris-
ing from the lawsuits, it was quite out Of
the question to give any contract for either
English or American coke; and in connec-
ton with the same subject, he, on the 23d
June, 1877, again wrote: 1--WE have not, /
am sorry to say, any outside developments
to give us hope Of being able to start up
the furnaces at In early day; and if we had,
there are now some 200, 900 bushels OF
charcoal in the bins, which l have allowed
people to pnt in Ito keep them from ruin)
at their own risks, the same to be paid for
only when We start. This charcoal must,
Of course, be used first before we can re-
ceive any more, or order coke to any con-
siderable amount"
English coke of the very best quality,
yielding less than six per cent. OF ash, and
free from i~ncombustible substances, could,
in October, 1876, have been contracted for
to be delivered in San Francisco for q rate
not exceeding SIS per ton, and at Eureka
not exceeding $40 Notwithstanding this,
the Managing Director threw cold water
on the offer, and, although protesting the
greatest desire to second the Boards
wishes, he has, in reality, only thrown OBJ
staclcs in the way and never evinced n
sincere desire to secure good English coke,
nor has he ever taken the pains to ascer-
tain what were the best English cokes for
the Company's purpose, or at what prices
the manufacturer would supply them I;
and even when the Board took the question
up, and were urging him to do something
in the matter, his replies were, as has been
shown, always discouraging. Thus, when
good cox was offered him at $40 per ton he
would only give $36 for it when the price
asked was SIG, he wanted ii reduced to $50,
and the result Of this destructive policy has
been that coke has not been adopted as a
fuel at the Richmond Works.
Your Committee lave also to report that
owing to- the stoppage of the Richmond
and Eureka Reduction Works during the
past summer, by reason Of the late law
suit, q large stock Of charcoal accumulated
in the hands OF the charcoal burners, and
the price fell from 80 to 25 cents, at which
rate the other mining Companies laid in
all they wanted, whilst the Richmond dur
ing that period stored nearly 300, 900 bush
els at 30 cents, tlis difference in price Gre
ating a loss Of e., 900 TO the Company.
Your Committee inquired OF the Manag-
ing Director why he gave 20 per cent.
more than the narket rate, and the rea-
sons he gave were that in 1874, when he
had trouble with the charcoal merchants,
he had pledged himself to pay never less in
future han 80 cents per bushel. whatever
the market rate of the day might be and
also that he considered the charcoal re-
ceived by the Richmond was worth fully
five cents per blshel more than that re-
ceived by the other Companies.
Mr.. Probert told your Committee on tho
Esd October that if he could buy charcoal
at rs cents (which was the price the other
Companies were then paying for the very
same quality of char coal), he would not
think OF breaking his word, and that he
had that very day pledged himself to take
400, 600 bushels at so cents per bushel.
Your Committee, whilst approaching the
morality which would induce a Manager to
keep his word, cannot but regret that Mr..
Probert thus pledged his word in q matter
involving thousands Of pounds and the
shareholders will concur with them in
thinking that they have had to pay heav-
lily for this pledge, when told that the
average consumption OF charcoal during
the past two years has been LASS, 800 BUSH
els and a saving of only two c~ents-about
q ~penny-pcr bushel on this quantity
would amount to the sum of f5, DAB 12s.
per annum.
The Managing Directors statement that
he had to step in to save charcoal burners
Of the district from ruin, and prevent the
utter collapse Of the supply, is not borne
out by the inquiries made by your Com
mittee.
Fire. Fire. Fire.
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