Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-01-25


COAL DEALERS
the Reading strike continues ana the whole
country Is deprived Of the customary coal supplies
rom that section. The coal dealers OF Washing
Ton nave said all along that should the strike con-
e'noe very much longer there will be coal famine
In the District, and prices may be expected to 90
10 very high figure. As . verincation of their
prediction the price OF white ash has been ad-
Vanced % cents on the ton, and an effort Is being
mace as stated In yesterdays STAB, 70
rase it TO 81 per ton The coal dealers
claim that nearly all their coal Supplies
are received BY rail- and that the schooners
wnich used to come up to our wharves In large
numbers loaded with coal have entirely disap-
peared, and only few barge loads are received by
ta,ner warer curing the season With view of ascer
anu are re Giving, STAR reporter made inquiries
OF OF me freight departments OF the Baltimore and
panes -.
what Is the prospect Of a coal famine7" he
asked at the omces OF the Baltimore and Potomac
mo prospect whatever" replied an ofricial,
, ana II is shame that attempts should be made
make an excuse for a big advance in prices"
has not the strike bten felt here?" asked the 70
"Of course it has, but not to the extent some
OF the dealers would have the public believe" was
he tne repiy "There is no Lehigh coal here, but
tmere Is plenty OF Shamokin and other coal An
immense quantity comes down the Northern Gen.
trai and pennsylvania roads, and 1t has been COM
my my rignt along since september. There were on
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY CAR LOADS
IN and about the New Jersey avenue yards And
about 18th street and the Long bridge. II the
dealers are as short as they pretend TO be they
would certainly make more expedition in unload
Ing There are some dealers who have an idea
that their coal should be kept OF sight by us
N nFaf fhar,
~ is clalmed,' said the reporter, shat the sup
ply OF coal on hand Is very small"
~ mes ne w we % have noticed T." was the reply but
brought here last fall was fully up TO the usual
supply, ana the proportionate increase added each
certain tn It there is no excuse for famine now,
Ior our roads are open to all regions excepting the
a ana we can supply all Snas Is wanted or
DeueVe me. there can b" no famine unless the
dealers hide the coal already here and refuse to
IN case the remainder OF the winter is mild, II
some dealers will have to carry big stock through
the summer: Let people look at the coal cars
ABOUT the Jersey yards II they want to know what
truth there Is in the Statements"
ON THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO ROAD
Tne coal transportation OF the Baltimore and
Ohio road Is largely from the Reading region, and
at the freight ofdces OF the road The STAR man
was told that there has not been single carload
!, and that shipment was due TO the fact that the
car intended for its transportation broke down and
had TO be switched on for repairs.
'There Is some soft coal, however coming In
every day" said the fret sht agent. When asked
how the shipments OF the early part of this season
compared with that Of the same time last year be
said they were great deal better; in fact, there
was steady increase ali the time. .'If there had
been no strike" he said, 1--WE should now be re-
ceivng from thirty to forty carloads OF hard coal
at this time OF year, with an average OF q tons
Co., he said, "Was established January i, 1851,
an average Of sixteen to seventeen carloads per
day. This dump Is located at the corner of 1st
and streets northeast and has capacity of
thlrty-nine cars OF twenty-Six tons each"
An employ OF the Baltimore and Ohio road who
has handled coal for the last twenty years told
The STAR reporter that he heard there was large
consignment coming next W teK. but the general
freight manager said The position Is Just the same
and there are no grounds for such rumor.
The men OF the freight depot having charge OF
furioughed indefinitely, an the dump which here
tofore has been the sc-ne OF great activity, is
closed and presents deserted appearance.
WHAT THE COAL MEN SAY.
THE STAR reporter called on the Reading Coal
Companys agents in this city to inquire about the
situation and was told that from the supply already
on hand and that coming in from the Wyoming and
other WORKING regions he didn't see how there
could be q famine.
When asked II the dealers were tust,fied in
raising the prices ne said: Eyes; think they
are, especially the smaller ones, who are de.
pendent e upon the daily receipts as they have no
have to purchase from the larger dealers, and
have n, n in turn to make another advance to come
He rurther remarked that 1t was impossible to
state how long the prices would remain up, as 1t
all depended upon the miners resuming work. II
tney commenced In the course OF a week he
thought the prices would remain up until spring.
as M the markets now have no great supply, and ali
coal mined would receive a ready sale.
"YOu can tell the readers OF The STAR he said
IN conclusion, shat they need not fear coal
famine, at least not this winter"
WHAT AR. NARROW sATa
MI. W. b. NARROW says that the PENNSYLVANIA
company have been doing well, especially during
the present month, but he doubts II that road can
keep this market supplied II the weather should
be severe, unless other points are neglected. "As
for famine, said he, Il have never thought that
scarce, husband their stock. There is no mis-
take, however, but that the stock Is getting low
and s some Qualities and sizes are not 70 Be- had
not as high to-day as in Philadelphia. 1t stands
TO reason II there Is any diminutiOn one region
shipped over the Pennsylvania roads to points
heretofore drawing supplies over other roads, and
soon this will AFFECT the supply here"
AT Mr. ). n. wHEArLRYs OFFICE
1t Is thought that there must be some mistake as
to large supply being here, for Mr. Jones' a
wholesale agent in the ONCE is receiving applica-
tions from moderate dealers daily.
MR.. sHERIFR's EXPERIENCE
Mr. George L sheriff, the coal dealer said to
STAR reporter that any statement as to large sup
plies Of coal coming to the city through the Penn
sylvania Co. was absurd. II there are any cars of
coal here he said, they were old carloads that
were sent to I'LL old orders and have been lert on
the sidings. There is not, he said pound OF coal
coming In to-day. Up TO q few days ago he said
he was receiving by the Pennsylvania Co. about
half OF what he wanted and ordered. For several
days he had not received a pound, although his
orders were given TO have certain number OF Car
loads every day. The dealers he said, were the
sufferers He was furnishing coal now ut loss to
hlmself, and In some cases where he was under
contract was supplying coal for nearly q dollar
less than the coal cost him delivered the track
here, without counting the cost OF handling It.
"When the companies advance the prices q dollar
there Is cry against the retail dealers" said Mr.
Sheriff. 1.-THE dealers cannot do business at loss |
never knew any OF these people" laughed Mr. |
Sheriff, "who complain about the advance In
prices come to dealer when he has suffered by
2 drop In prices ana say; Here. l VIII pay you
Mr.. Sheriff thought that the weather changed |
for the worse, DO there was snow and sleet, the |
situation would be much worse than ut present II
the troubles IN the coal region extended to the |
Co.'S mines people would have TO
prudent tor every one 70 be as careful Of coal as
possible. At present the PennsylvaniA CO.. q mines
had 70 cover the ed, more than half Of which had
heree0lore been covered oy the Reading Co.
CANNOT GET COAL FnoN TEE COMPANY.
prominent dealer said to Q SrAB reporter 20. |
day that Notwithstanding the statements OF
railroad men that they were sup |
plying plenty Of coal he had been waiting ten |
days for the agent OF the company to nn an order
Thev had wait A long lime for coal Tina