Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-02-09
THE u ON COAL.
It's Removal Would Have Little Ehec1 On
the American Trade.

Se,V York Dispatch ia GrOniee- Telegraph.
f l., Morris, sales agent for the West
Virginia Central & Pittsbnrg Railway
Company, which OWE the Elk Garden
coal fields, from which it ships large guam
titles of coal to this market, was asked
Yesterday what effect the taking of OF the
duty on foreign coal would have on the an
tbracite and bituminous coal market here.
He replied:
at is my opinion it could have no effect
whatever. The Nova Scotia coal Is oil sucn
inferior quality that a limited quantity
wopld be used if it could be obtained
without duty and without price; besides
some of the insurance companies III not
all of them have refused to take risks on
factories where this coal is now used IN
small quantities Tin some parts OF New
Euplsnd), and what is used is 'culm,' upon
which the duty is only 80 cents ton; tne
reason of this refusal is, the coal Is ilaoie
to ignite by spontaneous combustion.
'fHow much of this coal could be used
in this country if there were no duty on
it?"
81 do not think that an appreciable
amount could be placed in the markets
here, as it Is not a suitable fuel for the
manufacturers of this country"
what have you to say to the propasltloL
which is being urged, OF taking the duty OF
foreign coal for the purpose Of punlsnine
the anthracite coal companies and to helI
| the poor people of our land?'
'tSuch a proposition Is the height OF ao,
surdity, as no foreign coal would be useC
her for domestic purposes. 1t IS not SUIT
able for family use. If the people OF THU
country desire to substitute bitumlnou'
coal for anthracite, we have millions upor
millions of tons of the best bituminous II
the universe, awaiting a market al 10"
prices; il can now be bought, by the cargo
at S., SO to $3.7 IS per gross ton in this city
'You have mentioned Nova Scotia Goa
exclusively. What can you say in regart
to coal, free of duty from Great BrltaIn!
~ would say that Great Britain coulc
not possibly compete with our bltumlnou'
steam coal, even if entered free OF duty
for the reasOn..that the cost of the coal
with freight and insurance added, would
make it impracticl to market it in this
country.
Would anybody be benefited by the
abolition of the duty on the h~igh-priceo
camel coal Of Eugland?"
~ think not; because thu cannel Goa
you speak of is chiefly used by the wealthy
a s a luxury; their houses are heated bJ
anthracite coal. The duty on camel Goa
is rs cents a ton, and / believe it would
not sell at a less price if there were NJ
duty on it than the current rates which
now prevail. 1t is not a question of Gus
toms duty, because if there was no sucf
thing none but the rich could enjoy TIT
luxury of burning English camel coal,
1t would make no difference with pool
people. or semi-poor people, whether the
price of English camel coal was SlS a tor
duty on, or SIT % a ton without duty,
The fact OF the matter is, the coal IS moi
needed in this land of plenty. We have
good camel coal of our w that is selling
here now at a >out one-half the price O
English camel"
"Do you think that the bitumiuOus Goa
of this country could be universally anc
successfully used by orr manufacturers al
a steam fuel in place of Anthracite
II do; and the perfect success OF the Goa
where now used is = proof Of that fact
some of our bituminous coal Is the best
steam. raising fuel in the world, and it's
cheap-much cheaper than anthracite, al
things considered"