Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-23
THE WESTERN COAL FAMINE.

Operator W. p. Rend Says That 1t IL more
Serious Than Generally supposed-Ap-
peals From Country Towns for Sup
pIies-Efect of the Strike in Indiana.
w. P. Rend has been interviewed by
the Chicago Tribune upon the scarcity OF
coal. He said
"While in Pittsburg in the early part OF
the week 1 read in the public papersa dis
patch to the effect that there was coal
famine in Chicago. This report l regarded
at the time as highly sensational or at least
an exaggeration Of the true facts OF the STU
alton.
"On my return home, however, ind That
this public report is not only true but 1aiis
far short of describing the great scarcity OF
soft coal here and elsewhere throughout the
Northwest. Figuratively speaking. manu-
facturers, railroad purchasing agents ana
large coal consumers are begging and I'M
ploring on their bended knees the DEVIL
dered coal operator and coal dealer 70 let
them have a supply of coal that will keep
their industries and interests from sunerlng
serious loss and injury.
Many Of the appeals for coal are coming
In the shape of the most urgent entreatles.
On my desk there is now a stack OF letters
and dispatches from dealers at various
places in several States clamoring for fuel.
To illustrate their general tenor will re-
peat the words of distress from coal dealer
in Indiana. He cries: For humanity's
sake beg of you to send me some coal. Tnc
people of my town are fam1shfng for fuel
The tone of many otder letters and tele-
grams is no less earnest. Railway general
managers in many cases are sending dis
patches urging forward fuel and expressing
fears that unless shipments are increased at
once their trains will be forced to stop. In
fact. there is not bituminous coal enough at
present to satisfy the enormous and Phe-
nomenal demand. The coal dealer is fairly
at his wits end trying to care for the varl-
GUS large industrial nd other interests re-
qu1r1ng coal for their operation.
The Present Production.
-'The production of coal is now greater
than ever before in the history Of the coun-
try, but great as it is the demand Is much in
excess of the output and Of the means Of
transporting 1t to market. The causes OF
this condition Of things are numerous and
complex. The general scarcity Of coal af-
fects most OF the Northwest, but in our local
market this is greatly intensified by the
strike in the coal regions of Indiana. A vast
quantity of this coal is sold in Chicago The
late sudden strike in the extensive coal-pro-
ducing region of Brazil, Ind, shuts out the
shipment of that coal from the market and
forces those who have been using 1t to pur-
chase Illinois and other coal in its stead.
"In Ohio and Western Pennsylvania there
Is now home market for nearly all that can
be produced in those sections. and little of
this Eastern coal can be spared at present
for the West. The failure of gas, or its great
ly diminished supply, in Ohio, Pennsylvania
and Indiana has forced its abandonment by
manufacturers in Pittsburg, and in fact
almost every place in Pennsylvania, and in
such places in Ohio as Dayton, Columbus
and Springfield, and in indianapolis and al
most all the manufacturing towns in 1ndi-
ana. The coal required to take the place of
natural gas amounts to a vast tonnage. The
stocks OF coal in Cincinnati laid in last
spring and summer from shipments down
the Ohio and Kanawha rivers from Pennsyl-
vanii and West Virginia are about depleted,
and that city has not now weeks supply
ahead. The Ohio river has been low for
months, and no coal has been or can be
foated down Its stream to Cincinnati, Louis
Vile and other places getting their supply
in this way. The railroads everywhere are
taxed to their utmost limit il moving the
crops Of the country and other merchandise
required for general USE
A Scarcity OF Miners.
This vast traffic requires vast quanti-
ties of coal for locomotive purposes. Cars
for the transportation of coal are insufficient
and, as a consequence almost every colliery
in the country is unable to give the full com
plement Of cars required to keep it in full
operation or that will enable its operators
to take care of the orders pouring in upon
them. There is in most places also a scarcity
of miners. During the last two or three
years comparatively Iew miners nave come
here from Great Britain or from the Conti-
nent of Europe. In England, Scotland and
Wales during the period have named the
hours of labor have been reduced and rates
of wages have been greatly increased. AS
a consequence the Inducements offered to
miners to immigrate to this country are not
what they used to be, and the supply of
skilled miners from abroad has of late
grown less for the coal fields of this coun-
try.
s'There are other causes not necessary to
particulariZe operating upon the coal situa-
ton and upon the coal-mining industry af-
fecting the supply and demand. 1 can add,
however, that the prosperous condition Of
the country causes an increased consump-
tion of coal as well as Of other commodities
for domestic and other uses. Suffice it to
say, bituminous coal is now wanted, and
wanted badly, and especially so in Chicago.
So far, while the wholesale prices have
stiffened and have undergone advances in
various quarters, there has been no dispo-
stion to increase the retail rates in the
Chicago market