The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-31
COLD FACTS On COAL.
What Removal of the Duty
Means TO Seattle.
WOULD ENRlcn THE CANADIANS.
ys~.,ss shov That Free Trade 10 False
Kesnsmy-y. p. Emrioyes N Css-
fer~rse-~Tks Ateh5ses-

The 1ssCussscn IN tns tgaWbey of SotS-
rneree on the effects OF admitting coal drsy
free on the oosl mining industry Of Kins
county has caused c. ]. SMITH, general
manager Of sae Oregon improvement Gem
pany. 10 do some figuring on the sabjsct-
FROM his familiarity with the sabgect ans
his infsmsts know.edge Of the conditions
in British Eosnmbsa and Washington. re-
spsetsysly. no man Is more qualified "a
speak, and the following statement Of ais
conclusions viii bs read With interest:
statement showing the value Of the
coal industry ia kEng county and the
effect upon Kong ceanty and THE city OF
seasEis Of reduced outpat or sscppags Of
tne mines:
There .ss produced ia King county IA
1875 by actual figures from tares mines and
closely estimated figures on fo1rth. A.
co. gross tons.
There 1as exr1nas3 for labor ard sup
pies used % mines and for transportation
and handling Of the aeess coal within the
eognty. 81, 70 20.
"A close estimate OF the amour. con-
suused ia King county By private consnfn-
era IL 5000 tons: by railroads, 1000
tons; by the miaes themselves, 1900.
total consumed in King county. Ia).oo
There was shipped 10 San Francisco, TO
Ycrtsaud and other domestic points and
need by coasfzlse steamers. S4l 600 tons.
"A close estimate Of tie net profits
realized mot including agency expenses
and deterioration Of property 10 less than
- cents per ton. II the IS cents duty now
paid By foreign coal should be taken of
and the consumer receive tire benefit of Ii
entirely. the price OF domestic Goals. TO
meet the foreign competition. must be re-
duced rs cents per ton. Ii this we're done
there must Be- . corresponding reduction
IN profts. in transportation and labor and
supplies used in mining the coal, and the
supplies are almost entirely purchased In
seai,Ie. This reduction would amount to
so. 600. A stated above, the profits on
ssies Of coal at present are less than ~
cents per ton, not intending agency
expenses aud deterioration Of property.
This Ii easily IS cents a ton, leaving the
net profit not exceeding = cents
q ton. Should the mining com
panies be willing to operate their
mines with no profit whatever, il would
stiIi require deductions in labor. supplies
and transportation Of 50 cents per ton,
which would represent 20 per cent. upon
she value of all labor and supplies. and
which. under present conditions. could not
be obtained, and upon anything less the
mines could not operate. III the mines
were able to operate the city of Seaftle's
loss would be as follows: Reduction OF IS
above calculated. &3es 600; the saving 10
consumers would be IS cents per ton on
l3D, n01 tons. S97. so, . loss TO the city Of
Seattle CT s270. 600.
II the mines must close the result in
King county would be a. follows: Pres
ent consumption by private consumers
and railroads. 10000 tons: there will
be saving to these people, il
the claim Is correct that the consumer
Will save the reduction in duty. s37, so.
They will lose the present amounts ex-
pended by the mines for labor, supplies
transportation and handling, 81 .23s, 500,
and, in addition. the people must send
abroad to foreign countries the money for
the foreign coal purchased in place of the
domestic product. say 10000 tens at an
average price, after deducting for tho
duty. of ~. Is. tho present average price of
Goals at Seattle being about 81 PER ton.
This would amount TO $si2. 500. The sum
OF these two amounts would be 81 ISL, go
Dedncting from this the saving of - cents
per ton TO private consumers and railroads,
81, zoo. would leave . net loss TO the
county OF si.a54.5 500
We can net be SURE. after the domestic
mines are closed. that the reduced prices.
even IL made. would continue. Tho price
Of foreign coal in the markets Of Van
couver and Victoria, II. c.. where the con-
ditsons with reference To the British CO.
iaiHeia mines are exactly similar 10 the
conditions OF Seattle with reference 70
King county mines. is s. per ton. For
the same class Of coal in Seattle il il IS
per ton. and the prices of coal in Seattle
are the cheapest Of any city upon the Pa
cite coast"
Mr.. Smith further gave the wages of
miners in British Columbla a. 90 cents a
ton ss against Is cents at two mines in
King coasty. and the cost OF Japanese
labor in British Columbia as 81 to sI25 a
day against si.60. the lowest price paid In