Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-14
TERMS OF THE DISPATCH.
PITTsBURG. SATURDAY, MAR. IA. 1891
A NEW COAL MARKET.

The striking thoughts on the future of the
coal trade of Pittsburg presented in a special
article In to-day's DISPATCH deserve the
consideration of every man concerned in the
business prosperity of Pittsburg. The
statements OF fact are inGisputable. The
conclusions pointed out as the necessary
inference from the facts are Irresistible
Competition which Pittsburg coal meets
on every side from fields OF production
which lie between Western Pennsylvauia
and It's most important markets has long
been recognized and important factor
The superior quality and cheapness of the
Pittsburg article has enabled it to bear the
competition of the central and southern
fields, even with the added burden of
decided determinations, such as that lm-
posed by the Central Traffic Association in
favor of Hooking Valley coal, or that
created by the Governments furnishing an
improved waterway TO Kanawha coal free of
tolls. But it is the fact that the competition
of these fields has been more and more felt
in the limitation OF the markets for Pitts.
burg coal.
Under these circumstances the obvious
policy is to look for new markets The
direction in which they can be sought is
pointed out very forcibly by the article re-
ferred to. The completion of the Pittsburg
and Lake Erie Canal would not only give
Western Pennsylvania complete control of
the lake and Northwestern coal trade at an
economy Of 80 to 60 cents per ton; but with
the correlated project of the deepening of the
Erie Canal would take Pittsburg coal into
Central New York and thence to the ocean
at New York City at a cost that would give
il the command of limitless market Itis
pertinent that while the deepening of the
Erie Canal might be necessary to secure the
fullest economy, six-feet barges loaded with
coal could pass from the Monongahela river
mines to New York City as soon as the
Pittsburg and Lake Erie Canal was opened.
The figures which show the advantages of
the proposed route simply on the coal traffic
alone are very striking. We are now ship
ping coal to New Orleans, ., 900 miles, with
several productive fields intervening be-
tween US and that limited market. The new
route would give us the unlimited market of
New York by water route of 80 miles in
length. The fact that Pittsburg coal could
be sold in New York a dollar per ton
cheaper than present prices represents a
saving in the fuel bills of New York and
New England that would pay for the canal
Improvements in five years, No more strik-
ing proof of the value Of such a project of
internal improvements can be given than
the fact that while it has been proposed to
snend various amounts, from 81 coo, 900 to
$40, ,000,0 900 in subsidies to ocean commerce.
the expenditure of $40, 600, 900 annually for
five years would give ocean steamers cheap
coal at New York to a degree that would
equal subsidy of $500 per day on the largest
steamers.
Such a showing of what can be gained to
single interest by this project is very ef.
iective. The gain to the coal trade is not so
great as that to the iron trade from the same
project. Both together they are decisive as
to the value of the canal.