The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-12-13

ness, which Trade, Placing Coat on
the Free List, Would Seriously Effect
Whit Nova Scotia Companies Can Do
ID Ii. Matson, president of the Poca-
hontas Coal Company, while in Blue
held, Va, about waek ago, WAS inter.
viewed by Journal man upon the
effect of the proposed tariff revision in
placing coal on the free list. His art Gle
was not copied in THE TIMES, but was
quite generally clipped by various
paper in this State and West Virginia
and had tho tendency to produce
different Interpretation of the situation
than Mr.. Matson wished to convey
Mr.. Matson therefore seeks to remedy
this false impression and has sent The
TIMES the following Communication
upon the subject:
To THE EDITOR OF THE ROANOKE
TIMES: | have recently returned from
an extended business trip through tho
South and West, and am greatly sur.
prised to find that other papers through
out the State and adjoining States have
given publicity to an interview with me
whilst on my business trip, making me
appear to express the opinion that the
placing OF coal upon the free list will
not work an injury to the coal mining
interests of Virginia and West Virginia.
The interview took place in Bluefield,
on the platform of the railway station,
and was necessarily very hurled. l was
waiting for tho train, and had no knowl-
edge OF the purpose OF the inquiry or of
fhtAl ~. n inI II.
| put. Being on my way to Roanoke from
an extended trip through the South and
| West, made for the purpose of finding
new markets for our Pocahontas coal in
| which L had neen very successful, |
naturally having this in mind EXPIRE ssed
| myself in hopeful terms as to tho in
| creased business into that territory in
which there would be no competition
from Nova Scotia or other foreign mines
There was no mem ton made of tho
effect the removal of the duty upon coal
would have upon the Underwater business,
aud my remarks did not in any way in
tend TO apply to that. am moro
familiar with loo al and Western markets
than with tidewater business which is
handled by IT tidewster agents, but as
a matter of fact 1 am convinced that
the placing OF coal upon the free list
Will have most injurious effect upon
the mining interests OF Virginia and
West Virginia upon their present coal
business through tidewater points to
the Atlantic seahoard, which is at
present by far the larger portion OF our
business from the mines Of Virginia and
West Virginia, especially since | have
had the opportunity to investigate the
matter Of ocean freight rates
The distance from Louisburo, in Nova
10 hro
from Hampton Roads; hence vessel
freights would naturally be the same
from each port, but Nova Socia opera.
tors will have an additional advantage
in point Of freight owing to the fact
that they will be able to employ foreign
vessels in freighulng their coal to New
England ports, which we are debarred
from doing by reason of our navigation
laws, consequently there can be no
question as TO the ability of the Nova
Scotia coal shippers to freight to our At.
lantic ports as low, if not lower. from
LoulsoLrg than we can from Norfolk.
In statement "a copy of which
have before me) issued 10y the officers
and bankers OF the Dominion Coal Com
pany, upon the purchase of the Nova
Scotia coal mines during February OF
this year, it is stated that coal can be
delivered on board vessels at Louis
burg, Nova Scotia, at Sl.OO per ton.
From inquiries i have made, l assume
that the vessel rate from Louisburg to
Boston, New York and other ports in
New England will not exceed from
seventy five cents to Sl.O 90 per ton, and
the statement referred to declares dis
tinctly that should the United States
duty OF seventy five cents per ton be
removed it seems evident that this
q a n nil AID l.
the New England seaboard for which
its position at tidewater would enable
1T to compete on advantageous terms"
and that 1.-The mines will be worked
throughout the whole year, as this port
Is open and easily accessible all winter"
From this it will appear that should
coal DO put upon the free list, Nova
Scotia Goals can be delivered the whole
year round on our Atlantic seaboard
for from Sl.75 to So. 90 per ton.
AS showing the impossibility of Vir-
GINA and West Virginia Goals compel
ing with the Nova Scotia Goals under
such circumstances let me add that the
present cost OF West Virginia Goals on
cars at the mines is from IS to So cents
per ton. AS none of these mines are less
than 375 miles from tidewater, whereas
the Nova Scotia mines are only twenty.
seven miles. it will readily be seen that
the removal of the duty on bituminous
coal will be disastrous to our Virginia
and West Virginia Goals at tidewater
points and on the Atlantic seaboard; not
only this. but we also apprehend serious
competition in our markets from En-
glish coal brought into our Atlantic
ports either as ballast or at nominal
ocean freights.
AS wide publicity has been given to