The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-11-08
THE COAL FAMINE.
Is One Threatening The Citys
And How we are Supplied with the
Black DiOmOnds.
What Coal and Railroad Men
Have to Say.

railroads centering in this city to prevent
coal famine, such as is threatening our peo-
pie, is vexed one and causes considerable
anxiety.
The stage of the river at present is still so
low that that avenue for bringing supply
here from above is barred out of the ques-
ton. The quantity of the black diamonds
which are now selling at 50 per twenty-five
bushels or thirty-six cents per bushel, is
daily decreasing. We have in the city only
about 400, 900 bushels, which, if the weather
should become colder, would be consumed
within three days.
Some of our citizens who had the means
have provided themselves during the sum-
mer, when coal was selling at So 25 per
load, and are not as much concerned about
the scarcity and cost of fuel as the less for
tunate people, who buy their coal by the
single load, or even smaller quantity.
The low water of the Ohio River causes
us, consequently, to look to other means
for supply of coal at a rate that people
can pay. This means, and the only one, is
the railroad.
To ascertain what the different lines
could do was the task given several STAR
reporters to-day to perform. Here is what
they learned
The Little Miami Railroad can bring MS
coal from the Muskingum Valley, the
Hooking VALLEY and the coal districts aloug
the line east of Columbus.
This road, with its connections, can, in
case of dire necessity furnish 200 car loads,
and the cal can be proftably sold at from
Is to 20 cents per bushel.
The Marietta IL Cincinnati Railroad
reaches the Hooking Valley, Carbondale,
Zaleski, Wellstnn and the Jackson mines,
distances of from 175tn 200 miles from here.
The road can furnish easily one hundred car
loads per day. The coal can be sold, with a
large profit, at 90 or Is cents per bnshel.
The Ohio and Mississippi goes to the WASH
ington mines in Indiana and the Big Muddy
mines in Illinois--over one hundred car
loads per day could be furnished.
Mr.. ingalls,, Of the indianapolis, Cincin-
natl Il Lafayette Railroad, saws there is no
need FIR coal famine here. His Road has
capacity for one hundred cars daily. He
can bring coal from the Brazil Qndiana)
mines, which are one hundred and sixty
miles from Cincinnati. Block coal there
costs 81 rs per ton, and the freight per ton
amounts to the same.
This would make So so per ton. They
could therefore be sold with a handsome
margin at 1S cents per bushei. The coal.
moreover, is nearly as good as the Yongh-
iogheny coal, and fully the peer of the Ohio
River coal. Although request was made
to Mr.. Ingalls, to advance tue rates of trans
portation it was refused and the read is
now carrying the dusty diamonds at the
same rates as during the past summer.
The G., c., G. Il l., or dayton Short-line,
connects with the Hooking Valley and Day
ton & Southeastern. Both are coal roads
1t can, Furthermore. bring in coal from the
Shawnee Mines and the Licking Valley.
One hundred cars per day can be furnished
The cnal would sell at a big profit at 20 cents
per bushel. .......
The Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton
Railroad touches the block coal regions of
Indiana with its branch routes that begin
at indianapolis The c., H. Il D. can bring
as fifty to one hundred cars per day. The
railroad officials, however, claim that they
have not enough cars for transporting coal,
and that therefore they would have to use
box cars.
The Southern Railroad can also give us
fifty car loads per day. Secretary Tatem
stated that drifts had been opened in the
Cumberland Mines, eighteen miles south of
Somerset, to furnish the above number of car
loads. At present, however, that portion
of the line was in the possession of H. G..
Huston & Co., contractors who are using it
for ballasting purposes, three immense
stone crushers being at work supplying
p,ints beyond with the material r
The road, therefore, could not be put to
other nse.
Mr.. H. Mack said that Houston g. Co.
would probably move their base further
down next week, in which event the Trus-
n hQ
fields.
Six railroads out of ten that touch Gin.
cinnati could easily give us what we need in
the coal line, and this at rate which every
one could afford to pay.
The total of the capacity of tine roads
tapping the coal regions is therefore about
sou to 700 Car loads per day, ar over 18O, Q0l
bushels. As Cincinnati ON the average
uses about 10000 bushels per day, and il
the railroads would bring us coal, say every
day for two weeks, we could have supply
of 2,5200O0 bushels, or. at the rate we art
running coal, surplus at the end of two
weeks, Of 420, 900 bushels. .....-.,
STAR representatives also had chats will
anumber of the leading coal dealers here
The Consolidated Coal and Mining Com
pany, who deal in Ohio and Pittsburg coal
receive their coal by rail. They have abou
hAtetIl tIOUSanu uuSuelb OH manu- auu dTt
selling at So 25 per twenty-five bushels.
Their facilities are fourty car loads PEI
day. The demand is very great and TIL
\ supply is inadequate, the greatest troubl,
being the impossibility Of getting car
enough to bring the coal. The compan!
claims they would have plenty OF coal i
the people would stand by the dealers whit
| get their coal by railroad.
4. Consumers as soon as river coal come
/. down forsake the Railroads, and hence TIN
present famine. Ii tnls would not be dom
the roads would equip for the trade ant
\ have coal here at all times.
\ W. H. Brownt& Co., shippers and miner
OF Youghiogheny coal, say they have abou
n 2,OOO"r $4,000 bushels in the yard, an,
| have been trying to make arrangement
with the Mansfield Coal and Coke Company
on tine Panhandle Road, but the road liza
not the facilities to furnish the desire
quantity.
An Ohio operator was in Mr.. Brown
Office yesterday and offered to deliver Goa
III this city at IS so per ton. This firm
49,.