The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-03-09
KANAwHA COAL

oompeting with the Monopgaheia River
Prodae.-Iaereased Consumption.
Pi.tsbtuqh Manufacture.
According to the annual report OF Col.
sidney D. Maxwell, superintendent Of the
Cincinnati Chamber Of Commerce, the re-
ceipts Of Kanawha, coal at Cincinnati in
1878 were liza percent OF the total re-
ceipts, and in 1884 the percentage Of this
coal had grown to 2S1: whereas, accord
ing to the same report, Pittsburgh's per-
centage Of Gs.7i the former year, declined
TO 57.2 in the latter. The very long period
Of low water in the Ohio, and the strike Of
the miners Of the Monongahela valley,
which lasted all summer, did y great deal
toward decreasing the receipts OF Pitts
burgh coal at Cincinnati, and probobly
eansed an increased consumption Of Kama
VIVA coal in that market, but TO
what extent it would doubtless
be impossible to ascertain. But per-
centares are often misleading. For exam
ple. Il a state with one blast furnace
should build another the increase would
be 100 percent, but II 9 state having
hundred furnaces should erect ~ more
the increase would be only 10 percent; YET
It Is manifest that In many cases, Il not ID
most, the pig iron production Of the iat.er
state Is absolutely making greater strides
than that Of the former state. So with
the question Of the shipments OF Fits
burgh and Kanawha coal. Hence, we
here present the tonnage increase from
each valley. From Col. Maxweii's report,
Il appears that the shipments from the
Kanawha valley to Cincinnati during the
last ave wears increased 24a Gag tons, while
Inc receipts Of Pittsburgh coal show an in
crease OF only 1908 tons. These figures
plainly show that the consump-
lion Of Kanawha coal in Cincin-
natl Is growing much faster than
the consumption Of Pittsburgh coal IN
that market and If the operators Of the
Monongahela Valley cannot find some
way Of placing their coal in Cincinnati at
lower rates It would seem that the time is
not far distant when the trst named coai
will be more largely consumed there than
the latter, II indeed the latter be not en-
tirely driven out Of that market, except
perhaps for certain uses, Us gas.making.
The damming OF the Ohio would doubtless
help the Monongahela Valley operators
more than the operators OF the Kanawha
Valley, and the purchase by the Govern
ment of the Monongahela slackwater sys-
TEN would also increase their competitive
power yery much, but perhaps IL would
also be necessary for their miners TO work
for the price paid on the Kanawha: With
these additional advantages In might be
possible for Monongahela river coal to hold
itsownin the Cincinnati and other markets
that can be reached by kanawha and
other competing coal. For several years
the Monongahela operators have been
talking Of tho competition Of Kanawha
coal, but the time Is now fully here when
It will be necessary to act, and to act
with promptness and energy. Examin:
ing Colonel Maxwell's figures still further,
we find that the receipts Of kanawha
coal at Cincinnati last year were 5S6, 5S5
tons, IN increase OF 5,54S tons, and the
largest in the history Of the trade. Just
how much the low water Of the Ohio and
the strike Of the Monongahela Valley
miners had TO do with these figures, as
already said, 1t would doubtless be impos-
sible to ascertain. We learn from the
same source that the receipts OF Ohio river
coal at Cincinnati last year declined 4s,575
tons, or 80 percent.