Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-16
THE SOUTHERN COAL MARKET.

Savannah Dealers Know Nothing Of the
Chattanooga 1Tovement-The Obstacles
to Introducing Southern Coal on the
Market.
The report from Chattanooga that a
special committee Of the coal producers
in the South had met in that city and
recommended the formation Of a coal and
transportation association, and that all
coal dealers in the South and leading rail-
road managers had been invited to meet
there on Aug. 21. prompted a reporter Of
the MORNING NEWS to call on ID. r.
Thomas. a well known Savannah dealer,
Yesterday for the purpose Of ascer-
tanning whether he had received
an invitation TO attend the
meeting. Mr.. Thomas replied that he had
not. and that all he knew about the mat
ter was the telegraphic reports in the
newspal ers."
what be thought of the project Of intro
ducing Southern coal into this market.
Il should like to encourage the
scheme" was the reply, shut there seems
TO be no practical way to do So The great
obstacles are the want OF demand, and
the high prices which would have TO be
charged"
coal by railway TO Savannah is about
s. 50. which is considerably in excess OF
the freight paid on Northern coal deliv-
erpd here by the long ton at the yard. III
Il were TO order Southern coal il would be
delivered at the Central Railroad yard.
whence I should have 10 haul it to my
yar,f. or i would have TO keep a clerk and
have a ward and screener at the rail-
rOadf You will observe that such South
ern coal as has been brought to this mar
ket fs 4 soft coal, and that am not speak
ing of the Northern hard coal. This
Southern coal does well enough for
steamers or for CRATE fires in residences,
but is not liked by the blacksmiths. Most
peoDIe. however, prefer the Northern
hard coal for CRATES, for the reason that
there is less dirt and the fires hold longer
without requiring frequent attention.
tsThere is as much difference in the pro-
duct Of mines sunk within a few miles
anart as there is in the quality Of oranges
grown in orchards quite near each other,
OF on adjacent farms. A vein Of coal
NAV he Of a superior quality on one side
ri s mountain. and Of an inferior quality
on tire other. whether located IN the South
or at the North.
ssTbe market for Southern coal has to be
created INIT the UrOduct will have TO be
delivered TO dealers with such aGyan-
tage, both as to price and quahty, rs
other coal. "A few days ago httu al vilSL
from a Birmingham, Ala. mine 10 handle
their coal tor five cents commission, the
object being to introduce the coal among
manufacturers. Whilst for such pur-
pose L might have accepted what may be
regarded as a ridiculous compensation
with the view Of encouraging the under
taking and of developing the business
/ would not undertake to guarantee sales
and assume the responsibility for the rea-
son that did not think the outlook would
Justify me in doing so. The Savannah
cas- fiqht Company. the Tow Boat Com
many and one or two other large con-
SINNERS of Northern coal bring the pro-
duct by the vessel load to this point at
minimum both in labor and expense, and
I believe the Southern roads are disposed
10 do all that they can do, consistent with
their own interest, to encourage the
Southern mines.n