The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-08-16
Mr.. WHITNEY is RASH.
II Cleveland Wins He'll Waste
Money on Nova Scotia Coal.
POLITIco-C COMMERCIAL SCHEME.
A BOSTON Dealer Sets Forth Reasons why
the Removal OF the Duty ON Bitumi-
nous Coal wouldn't Bring the Ex-sec-
Rotary Any Such Fortune ~ He Thinks.


ESPECIAL TO TINE NEwAi
BosroN, Aug. 15.-There 10 q practical
side to the free coal question which has
not been brought out yet. 1t Is that lead
ing New York and Boston Democrats
have been bonding Nova Scotia coal mines
with the intention of buying them II
Cleveland and Democratic Congress are
elected They seem to think that with
such combination the tariff would
probably be taken of coal, and imme-
diately the product OF the Nova Scotia
mines would become more valuable. The
Hon. William Collins Whitney, who was
secretary Of the navy under the Cleveland
administration and managed the EXPIRE,
eident's canvass at Chicago, is credited
with leadership In this politico-commer-
cial enterprise.
Whitney's money will be wasted In the
opinion of local dealers.
Fred III. Odiorne, OF r. II. Odiorne q
Co., who has been In the business more
of anthracite and bituminous coal mines
in this country as a rule have no realiza-
tion of the small effect which the intro
duction of Nova Scotia coal here would
have. Here Is an illustration OF the
truth of that statement: was in Phila-
n
sation with man who does large
bituminous coal business by all rail.
asked him the question, What would be
yorr idea of the effect Of free coal In this
countryp
IL would be ruinous, ruinous,' was
his reply.
would come in in large quantities p
"' Certainly, IL would swamp u.s.
"Now. they all think. so. Yet IL you
look at the statistics you will find that
this country produced last year about
Jos. .OOO, 900 tons of biiuminous coal, and
Nova Scotia less than 1000, 900 tons. Now.
they could not increase their output in
five years to 5000, 900 tons II they should
try.
Halifax and st. John papers OF recent
dates have contained special dispatches
saying that "at a special meeting OF the
Joggins Coal Mining Association it was
decided to sell the entire mining property
to New York capitalists for Sl60Oou II
capitalists are Messrs Whitney, Payne
and Others, and that the purchase of the
Joggins mine Is but the beginning OF an
extensive deal contemplating the secur-
ing of the Caledonia. Gowrie, Glace Bay
and other coal mines in Nova Scotia
which are remote from the Joggins.
"There are quite number or reasons
which would prevent n large consumption
of Nova Scotia coal In New England, even
with the duty off One is that they have
no coal i'm Nova Scotia equal in quality to
our domestic coal. Another is the COM
paratively limited period within which
coal can be shipped from Nova Scotia. Ii
has all got to be done in s,ven months of
the year. During five months OF the year
it cannot be shipped. Therefore
consumer, in order to use Nova
S otia coal, has got to have a much
larger storage capacity than IL he used
domestic coal, because the latter can be
delivered here any month in the year.
The railroads. for instance, have not the
facilities for storing very large quantity
of coal; they cannot afford to have, and
there is no necessity that they should
have, for they can have their domestic
coal delivered from time TO time as they
desire. But the Nova scotia coal for
winter use would have to be stored In
large quantities.
again, Nova Scotia coal contains a
large amount OF sulphur and the storing
of large quantities OF IL would entail
great danger from spontaneous combus-
ZION. Our domestic coal is not open to
this objection.
'rhere is a difference OF at least fifty
cents per ton in the actual commercial
value of Cape Breton Goals and our Goals
in favor of the domestic Goals. In confir-
nation of that let me say that in old
times, when we had large manufactures
OF heavy iron, like the Bay State Iron
Works, they used to buy coal on this
basis With Cumberland coal at s.. 25 pc r
ton and the old Pictou at a. 80, they used
half of each. There was 75 cents on ton
difference in the price of those two Goals.
Now, on reduced cost, claim that the
difference In commercial value would
also he reduced and, therefore, put the
difference at so cents.
Now, you may set the price down for
coal sold here in large quantities at, say.
from 50 to SO. so per ton; aud n very much
larger amount is sold at 1926 aud below
than at a higher Ggure The best quality
OF Cumberland coal in large quantities
sells at $3. 80. Then the Clearfield and the
kanawhn coal companies, coming by the
and make contracts extending from
March to March, to be delivered as
ordered, taking all the risks of ocean
freights, on the basis of from 50. 10 to $3 Ii
per ton; and some contracts are made as
lov as 50 per ton.
Ion the other hand. the lowest price
at which they can furnish the poorest
quality OF Cape Breton coal is SIPS per
ton, free on board. Then they cannot
charter vessel for less than 81. 30 per ton.
Then there is the so cents difference In
amounts together makes S3. p per ton. So
you see they could not compete with our
Goals.
Besides, the moment the large carry
ing companies who bring the domestic
coal to the buyer think that Nova Scotia
coal is coming in here in any great quan
titles, they will lower their rates and
keep it out"
as0pt rvouyA,