Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-11-23
COAL TRADE ALARMED.
Disastrous Results From Within ey's
Nova Scotia Deal Predicted.
THOUSANDS OF MINERS MENACED
And the Bituminsus Regions Threatened by
Canadian Competition.
FEARS OF A REDUCTION OF THE TARIFF
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO TUE DISPATCH.

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO TUE DfsPArcH.i
the bituminous coal companies, most of
whom have offices in the Washington build
ing, at No. / Broadway, were considerably
stirred up to-day over dispatch from Mon
treal to the effect that q syndicate of Amer
ican capitalists, of which VIM. G. Whitney
was at the head, had secured control Of the
entire output of the Nova Scotia mines.
Mr.. w. Del. Wallbridge, manager Of the
American Coal Company, was seen to-day
BY a reporter.
Mr. Wallbridge said: 1T have no doubt
of the truth of the report II is on line
with the 'disinterested patriotism Of Mr..
Whitney and others who have been SO
active in securing the election Of Mr.
Cleveland. 1t is plain to my mind that one
of the first efforts to revise the tariff will
be to take the duty, which is now 70 cents
ton, off coal. If this be done, 1t will
threaten the bituminous coal interests of
the United States east of the Allegheny
Mountains and will affect the employment
of 100, 900 workingmen and millions of dol
lars of invested capital.
What 1t Means to o. 8. Companies.
'The principal market for bituminous coal
at present IL in New England, and with
free coal 1t is possible for coal from the
Nova Scotia mines to be delivered at any
New England port at least 30 cents ton
cheaper than it can be delivered free on
board at Norfolk, Baltimore and Phila-
delphia. The bituminous coal mines in the
United States are located 300 or 400 miles
from the seaboard, which necessitat.s an
expensive and unavoidable haul by rail-
road. The coal mined by my company is
at cost of 81 30 railroad tolls per ton.
1.-THE Nova Scotia mines are located
directly on the seaboard and coal can be
loaded directly from the mines into vessels
for Boston and other New England ports.
The result of this competition would not
only throw out of employment thousands of
miners, but it would also affect disastrously
the business of the railroads whose divi.
dends are at present dependent on the coal
carrying traffic.
A Serious Blow to the shipping.
"Out of Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Norfolk the greatest tonnage of vessels in
any one branch of commerce is employed in
the coal carrying trade. The shipping of
Nova Scotia coal in English bottoms would
prove serious blow to the shipping inter-
ests of these ports. The other side of the
question, that the benefits which New
England would derive from cheaper coal
would be offset by the fact that large
market for their goods in the region affected
by the paralysis of this important industry
would be partially cut off and they could
not hope to extend their trade to Nova
Scotia, which will continue as before to get
her needs supplied from the manufacturing
centers of the mother country"
At the office of the West Virginia Coal
Company, of which Stephen B. Elkins is
President, the matter was considered .
serious one, and the probable action of Con-
gress regarding the tariff on coal is regarded
with much concern. William O. Whitney
has been out Of town for several days. and,
it is supposed, on business connected with
the purchase of the Nova Scotia mines.