Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-02-02
KING GOALS REIGN.
Fluctuations In Value at Pittsburgh During
Twenty-Five Years.


Twenty-Five Years.
The history of King Coal is one of
many fluctuations. 1t has not been
always the same easy going story as
that of the other King Cole, who called
for his pipe and bowl and fiddlers three.
During the war times the price paid for
the carboniferous treasure reached its
highest point. Captain James Walton,
one of Pittsburgh's oldest coal dealers,
who has been in the business since
1858, said that he had sold coal for five
cents a bushel and also for seventy
cents a bushel. In the early days of
the coal excitement the prices which
coal commanded in those regions were
almost fabulous. 1t is said that in some
few instances as much as one dollar
per bushel was paid. This was before
any mines or even ''eoal banks" were
opened in this territory. The striking
of new oil well was the forerunner by
but few days of town. To run
their engines it was necessary to
have coal. Wood was used as far
as possible, but with green wood
and in wet weather it was very
difficult to accomplish much. These
towns were very often some distance
from any navigable stream. and just
as often from any road that deserved
the name of such. The matter of
| transportation was then the great ques
ton, and its cost for a short time made
the cost of every commodity. and es-
pecially of coal, something that is
almost beyond belief These conditions
4 he,
provement of the means of transpOrta-
ton and competition the prices were
! soon brought down to more reasonable
figures. Captain Walton, in 1860 and
1861, shipped some coal into the oil
country. He was about the only dealer
in this vicinity who did. He was then
in the transporting business and had
three small tow-boats on the Allegheny
river and was wont to send them up
loaded with coal and bring down freight
on the return trip. This was before
the Allegheny Valley railroad was put
through. But the highest price he ever
received for coal in this section was
forty cents, which on one trip he got
at Tidioute. Thirty-fve cents per
bushel was the ordinary price received
during these times at such points as
Oil City. The expenses of transporta-
ton were so great that even this price
did not leave as large margin as
might have been expected.
The course of the river was winding,
and only for few months in the year
was there water enough for any kind
of navigation, and even then only in
the smallest boats. In most cases the
coal had to be transferred from the
barges, and hauled in cars for ten or
fifteen miles before it reached its
destination. This condition of affairs
only lasted for about two seasons, after
which it ceased to pay to send any coal
there altogether. They began to open
small mines at Catfish and all points
where there was any demand for coal.
The highest price at which he has ever
sold coal was during the later years of
the war at New Orleans for seventy
cents per bushel. He took Govern
ment contract for 1000, 000,0 900 bushels
at this price. The cause of the great
price was the difficulty in obtaining
miners and the danger of transporta-
ton. 1t was almost impossible to get
men to work the barges. and when you
did get them, it was still q greater task
to keep them from deserving.
After the war prices rapidly dropped,
and have for many years fuctuated be-
tween five and ten cents. During the
last summer coal was sold for five
cents. Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette.
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