Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-27
THEPROPOSED DITCH.
Some People Think a Canal to Lake
Erie Worth More Than the
IMPROVEMENT OF THE OHIO.
Coal Shippers See No Hope in the Sky, but
Senator Quay Promises Help.
GOVERNOR BEAVER AND THAT CANAL

1t has leaked out that there wa:
more in that conference between coal
operators of this city and Senator Quay
than at first reported. According to Captain L
n. Bunton, of Joseph Walton q Co., the feature
of a canal to Lake Erie was a matter of sec
ondary importance, the real object of the confer
ence being TO devise ways and means to get rid
of tolls on the Monongahela river and consult
as to further Improvement of the Ohio. AS
the proposition to make a canal to Lake Erie
is pet measure in Beaver county, some people
guessed that this was the prime object of the
conference, but Mr.. Bunton says it wasn't.
The river coal trade of Pittsburg is in bad
way, not for want of money to operate, nor fol
market, but for want of paying market
one which will stand the cost of tolls on the
Mon1ngahela river, cost of long and difficult
navigation the extra price paid for mining, ex
ira compared with other places, and finally ex,
ira cost of plant, or rather of product, and in
consequence the heavy weights in the trade
are casting about for relief.
What the men who sat up with the junior
Senator of Pennsylvania do not tell might fill a
volume. perhaps, but they admit that they
talked about Monongahela river tolls Mr.. l.
n. Bunton states that Mr.. Quay promised to do
what he could for them. He also stated that
the canal to the lake was talked of, but says
there was no definite logomachy respecting it,
anyhow will not assume definite shape until
after the commission appointed makes report.
THE GOVERNOR SAID TO BE IN IT.
1t is quietly whispered in some localities that
the canal project is favorite wrinkle of Gov
ernor Beaver and that he proposes to have his
name linked with it as its praises 'go echoing
down the corridors of time" Well whatever
His Excellency's motive may be, efforts in that
behalf will be appreciated in this nelghbor-
hood. The commissions work will be
to make preliminary survey and report
feasibility, if any and cost. Mr.. Benton states
that he knows of no discussion relative to the
motive power that will be used should canal
be built, and seemed to think that not only
will there be no trouble on this score. but also
that there will be plenty of time to discuss the
best method OF cooking the hare when it has
been found.
But although there is considerable unanimity
OF opinion as to the bad condition of the river
coal trade of Pistsburg there are slightly di-
vergent views respecting it. Mr.. 7. P. Morgan
finds the greatest drawback to consist in the
irregularity of prices in down-river ports, and
says that were a moderate price established
and maintained fair amount of money might
be made in the trade. He also states that the
local coal trade, that of Pittsburg and Allie
of natural gas grows. Anyone fairly fixed in
Lille will consent to increased cost and use OF
meter In his family consumption, but
much increase in price becomes serious
poets to see the Pittsburg coal trade arise
again from its ashes before many years. AS
the Cambria Iron Company alone used about
1000 600 bushels of coal a year before it began
using gas, an idea of what Pittsburg con-
sumption would be may be had, as many of
her heaviest factories can take coal directly
Mr. George P. Thurston states that the Pitts
burg river coal trade amounts to ll0OO0,0 600
bushels a year. and the handling of il gives
occupation to an army four or five times as
large as that with which General Taylor won
the battle of Buena Vista.
THE TROUBLE IS NOT
want of a market, but of a paying one; hence
the desire to get to the lake regions, where
there will be less competition.
The expression carrying Goals to New
castle" was once supposed to express
the most complete idea of busi-
ness stupidity, but according to
South is now but little better and in short
time will be even more Improbable. There is
sale for all the coal that our fleets can carry,
but the product must compete with one which,
though inferior, can be put on the Southern
market at cost that consumers consider more
than compensating. An idea of the develop
ment in Alabama may be had by comparison of
few figures and dates. According to census
reports the coal output in Alabama was II, 900
tons, and in 1856 1t was estimated all the way
from 100000 to 2,5OO,00O, while the whole
locks that year was but 4.123.945 tons. and
when Alabama produced but II, 600 tons the
shipments through these same locks was 2 303,- :
S56 tons, or over 1000 tons more than half in
1870 of what it was in 1856.
Mr.. Walton states that the greatleverage the
Alabamians have is that under the operation
of their laws they keep their penal institutions
full of convict labor and that labor to mine
coal costs nothing except board and clothing,
and much of 1t is utilized in mining.
THE GREAT KANAwHA BEAR.
But, perhaps, the greatest competitor Pitts
burg has at present, and will have for some
time to come, is the region up the Kanawha
river, in West Virginia, at least one might sup
pose its opposition the most powerful Many
of the owners of coal lands in that section
may be said to have COTTON them for consider
ably less than nothing, and to 10-foot veins of
coal thrown in on top of that or rather under
as the timber above will be worth several times
the cost of the land. Those who know what
Allegheny and Westmoreland coal land has
cost, or for that matter, any of the coal land
worked in Western Pennsylvania can appreciate
the disadvantage with which Western Pennsyl-
vania operators labor in this respect Mr. C.
Kimberland tells of land in West Virginia
owned by the Marmet Company which cost Sc
an acre and which has 1000 feet of lumber on
it to the acre, exclusive of tie timber. And be-
low this timber but small way are coal
veins to IA feet thick scattered over large
portion of country.
In Gne hdnaWna SecLlOnS a nall cent is
saved on mining, and three-eighths of a cent on
shipment, compared with Pittsburg coal,
seven-eighths cents altogether, with shipping
water much greater part Of the year than
here, and a safer channel. These two items of
cost alone make a difference in favor of West
Virginia of $4,000 year as against Pittsburg
operators, and then added to this are the tolls
on the Monongahela river, which cost such
firms as the Browns and Walton & Co, each
$4,000 to SIC. 600 year.
IT is OF GENERAL INTEREST.
Mr.. Kimberland points out the fact that the
iron men are even more interested in a canal to
Lake Erie than are the coal operators, for they
must have cheap ore carriage if they are to
maintain their supremacy, and it will suit the
coal men to sell their product here as well as
anywhere else, if they can get market
The total production of the West Virginia
mines was 4005, 796 tons in 1886, which is within
200 900 tons, or 900 bushels of that which
came through the locks of the Monongahela
that year.
This is one interest that it would seem no one
power can corner in its entirety. England NAV
speculate as to the time when the coal of the
world viii give out, but in this country its vast
ness gives us the feeling of the l2year-old boy
who is more afraid of a whipping than he is of
Tophet's terrors,tf flor they seem to him long
way of. Before our coal is exhausted we will
have time to grow dozen forests as large as
any the pioneers ever saw.
Fireworks. crackers, torpedoes; finest
low prices.
j. II. JOHNSTON, FOG Smithfeld st.