Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1881-01-16
THE COAL =



Discussed fn All lis Bearings.
EDITOR sENTISEL-sir Il is not my
habit to make myself conspicuous through
the columns Of a newspaper. nor do / be-
lieve in interfering with other mems bust
ness, for everyone must act under circum-
stances controlling him only. / have care
fully read the article Of Goal Burner"
and although coinciding with him in many
respects, past experience induces me to re-
ply to him.
From the earliest days Of this camp the
coal question has been a source Of trouble
and tribulation, the history of which
would be unnecessarily tedious, but the
course to be pursued hereafter. both by
coal-producers and coal-consumers, is
worthy of consideration, regardless OF the
n a~tionality Of either class.
What are the facts to be considered =?
Coal, as well as any other product, meets
with sale solely according to demand.
For years there has been an overstocked
market here with coal, and consequently
producers cannot realize Immediately /;
that is, without the intervention Of third
parties brokers. middlemen, or by what
ever name You may call them. Let the coal
burners figure systematically what the de-
mand will be how much coal is used by the
present working companies what pros
pect there may be Of new reduction works
being started or old ones revived during
the present year how much can the coal
be produced for, to cover fair wages and
working expenses? These questions must
be taken into full consideration. and my
experience would lead me to advise all coal
burner to manufacture only so many bush
els OF coal per month as will meet with
ready sale oil delivery, buy all goods of
merchants at the lowest cash rate, and so
be Independent and prevent an accumula-
ton of coal at the works Of the companies
and the consequent dictation Of prices by
them. Avoid the contract system, and
thus prevent the dictation of m~onopolists,
who hold the producers at their mercy.
Bring coal to the furnaces as prospectors
bring their ore. We are all entitled to
right and justice, and prudently we can so
contrive that every mar shall sell bis own
product according to his own free will and
its value to him.
In former years every producer Of coal
could sell it direct to the companies; as it
is now, the coal men are in the hands of a
AS" AhOAORoAA1to WhO IOAtloi tAC LIZ z
While l agree with "Coal Burners re-
marks generally in regard to Mr.. Sadler, 1
disown any intention of ascribing to him
any personal injustice. Mr.. Sadler is an
old neighbor and friend Of mine for years,
but l believe that il he could carry back
to mother earth our terrestrial globe and
all its contents, =" as a matter of business"
he would do it without reluctance, and I
would therefore urge upon every producer
Of coal to be hereafter his own guardian.
1t is true that under our business system
we may all need accommodation at times,
but for almost foul years this one particu-
lar branch of productive industry-coal
burning--has been without proper remun-
Grafton to the producer, and the whole
community has been the indirect sufferer
thereby.
The threat of the companies that their
works will be shut down unless they get
coal at their own price is idle. When
mother earth fails to yield ore they will
close, but not until then. The companies
are not here for our especial benefit, nor
are they public benefactors beyond a per-
centage Of the benefits which they them
selves receive from the working men.
This is a question which vitality interests
every one concerned in mining, merchan-
disc and all other pursuits in this section,
and its full discussion in all its bearings,
supported by incontrovertible facts, will
benefit us all. What we want are the facts;
the facts Of production, consumption,
profit and percentage. D. M.