Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-02-10
NO DEMAND FOR CoA..
Little Hope for the Thousands of Miners
Ia the Coal Regions.

la the Coal Regions.
PoTrsvILLE, Pa, Feb. 1O.-The ray of
hope for the 5000 idle coal miners in
the Schuylkill basin that was held CIT
two days ago by the appearance of
cold wave has vanished. The snow.
flakes fell again to-day, and the pre-.
d1ctlon OF blizzard renewed the hopes,
but cold weather is not yet in sight,
and the coal miner is without work.
And yet, in spite of all this idleness,
these destitute laborers are not fully
aware OF the fact that hundreds OF
thousands of tons of coal they have
mined In the past few months have not
yet been sold. Neither has this coal
been hauled to tidewater. 1t has been
transported to q mum Der of large store.
houses within easy reach of the great
markets, so that in the event of a biz
zard, tho cutting Off of transportation
and the sudden demand for coal, the
companies could readily and speedily
meet the demand.
But there is a double purpose in this
storing away of large lots of anthracite.
II ever the producing companies rul
snort OF ready cash and want money
quickly, they can offer this stored coal
as collateral security. 1t is therefore
better to have the coal mined and near
tidewater than IN the bowels of the
earth. To store this coal has given the
AAAAASAo SE0oV OcdA WOTo WOrk IMAM
they would have otherwise had, and
when these large storage houses are
filled and there is still no demand for
coal, the question naturally arises,
When is this unemployed army of men
to have work? There are stories of des-
titutton reported every day. The Poor
Directors lists are increasing. the cash
hand Of the men have nearly run out,
there Is no credit at the stores. and, it
is safe to say, there is no more gloomy
bit of territory in the United States
just now than in the three anthracite
basins of Pennsylvania. When the
men are told about the immense capac-
tiles OF these coal storage houses, they
reply:
Oh, yes, we understand that. In case
there is ever big strike, and no coal
can be sent from the mines, the COM
panies can fall back on their stored
coal. But the way things look now il
will be long while before the mon go
on strike, no matter how much cause
they have.
Thus far this year the coal sent to
market is 435, 900 tons less than for o
corresponding period last year; and the
shutting down of more mills this week
will increase the curtailment in ship
ments. At all points in the Readin,
Company's territory the most economi-
cal and effective reorganization is goin,.
on.
AS for spring prices, usually fixed in
March. the companies are giving no
thought to the subject. No matter
what prices are agreed upon for the
schedule, they are not observed There
is no demand for coal at any price
within reason, hence the spring sched-
ule is giving no one any concern.
Prices are cut and slashed on all sides.
The sharpest competition ever known is
now common among the leading coal
producers, and new contracts have
been secured at prices which would
make the small consumers open their
eyes after comparing Wholesale rates
with the retail figures in local yards in
the leading cities. In worry few in
stances are the accurate prices on re-
Gently secured coal contracts givon to
the public.
The demand for large sizes of coal for
manufacturing purposes continues sat
isfactory, and as long as the iron indus
try maintains it's present activity a few
of the Reading collieries now running
on those sizes will be kept busy, but
this is only very small proportion Of
coal usually turned out at these mines.