Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-05-13
COAL AND IcE
The Quantity now in our Market.

"NN SOS eAO NV wal duQ ICE, III luis
end of the world at least, cannot be
classed otherwise than among the
Injuries. A considerable quantity
Of both are used here, and informa-
ton concerning them is interesting to
a large number of our citizens. At
the present time we have a stock of
coal aAoat in boats and barges, owned
by Jul wholesale dealers, exceeding a
million and a half of bushels. The
bulk of this is of the Pittsburg
species, the best ever used
in any country, but there
is also a good supply of that produced
at the Shotwell, the St. Bernard and
other mines of the lower Ohio and
the Tennessee rivers. The latter
classes sell at from 10 to Is cents per
barrel less than Pittsburg coal at all
seasons. The consumption Of coal
here and all along the southern rivers,
has been gradually increasing with
each year. Many families here use it
instead of wood even for cooking pur-
poses, and as manufactures increase
the demand for coal also becomes
greater, while that for wood gradually
diminishes. Along the sugar coast of
Louisiana. coal is at many plantations
used instead ofwood. The latter gets to
be more and more difficult to procure
from year to year, while coal is al
ways conveniently accessible during
seasons of high water in the rivers.
The coal trade Of the south has,
therefore, grown to colossal dimen-
sions within a few years past, and
where hundreds Of bushels were sold
by dealers in former times, thousands
are now supplied. Another cause
Of the largely increased demand is
the fact that the carrying trade.
from the port of New Orleans to
the gulf and the ocean is now large
ly performed by steamships instead
Of sail as in olden times.
In mentioning the large stock of
coal now here, it may be we'll to speak
of the method Of its conveyance. In
early days coalboats we're HOated down
with the river current all tho way
from Pittsburg to this point and on to
New Orleans. Twenty men wete then
necessary to rtn a boat loaded with
$4,000 bushels, and the losses by snag.
ging and sinking we're frequent and
heavy. 1t was about twenty years ago
that steam towboats began to be used
to bring coal down the Ohio and
Mississippi rivers. AT first this was
regarded as an uncertain method, but
1t grew in popular faver until now no
other means of transportation is in
vogue. Three days ago one of these
towboats, the Harry Brown, came to
this market from Louisville in less
than four days, towing &c boats and
barges containing about 625, 600
bushels, or within a fraction
of $4,000 tons or enough to
load $500 railway freight cars,
and at least $50 locomotives
would be necessary to draw it. This
is about the second or third largest
coal tow ever taken down the river
successfully. Others, however, have
approached within a few thousand
bushels Of it. The Brown left the
bulk Of her immense feet for use
here, and went to the mouth of White
river with the remainder. The tow
boat Dick Fulton is expected here
to-day with an addition for our mar
ket of 100000 bushels of Pittsburg
coal.
The stock on hand at all markets
or depots south of Cairo is nov
large. A liberal supply is reported
= at Helena, Terrene, Arkansas City
Vicksburg, Natchez, Baton Rouge
J and New Orleans. At the latter poin
g on the first inst. the stock was 13;
boats aud six barges, or nearly 5000,
900 bushels, enough to supply the de
mand there for FIVE months to come
u The consumption at New 0rlGan
during April was twenty-six boat
D and FIVE barges, or about half a mil
lion OF bushels. The arrivals durin
y April included sixty-two boat
: and seven barges, and durin
this month the receipts hay
. been largely added to. The river ha
for some time back been in fine stag
: from Pittsburg to the gulf, and in
mense quantities of black diamond
:. we're moved while the waters were III
" The movement is still active belo
: Louisville. Prices at present in tn
market are SOC per Dbl. delivered I
city consumers, and 4je per 1870 poun
= box to steamers for Pittsburg co.
i and 80 to 45c per box for other quail
- ties. These figures have prevailed d. +,
several months past, and while the
is no prospect off decline, neither
~ il likely there will he nm advant