The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-02-03

THE extent to which Nova Scotian
coal can be entered in this country in
competition with American coal, under
the free coal clause OF the Wilson bill, q
said William Counell. the president OF
the Anthracite Coal Operators associa-
tion, yesterday. 'is limited only by the
capacity OF the Nova Scotian mines.
Take off the sSyenty-tive.cent.S-ton
duty on bituminons coal. imposed by
the Mckinley tariff, and there is not Il
port along the Atlantic sea board, nor a
fuel-using community within easy
reach of that sea board, which can be
retained as u market by our domestic
coal producers
1T has been said in this discussion
that Nova Scotian coal is poor in quail
ity and limited in quantity. Now
was born in Nova Scotia. played In it
when boy, and revisited 1t only few
months ago. Hence l think | know
something about Nova S,otian coal 1t
is not only of superior quality. but in
many places it is so abundant and
easily accessible that vessels can load
directly from the mines The labor
cost Of Cape Breton coal does not aver
are 3S cents per ton. The other costs.
per ton, at the mines, amount TO about
81 00 Heretofore coal freights from
Nova Scotia TO New England
in small sailing vessels. have averaged
81 80 for ton OF 2,2tO pounds. Add the
labor costs and the other costs of ton
Of this coal to the freight charges; then
count in the 7j cents tariff duty and
we have So SO as the lowest price al
which Canadian coal can get into New
England markets at present. Ameri
can btumiuous reaches Boston from
Virginia ut from SO 81 to $3 so per ton.
Remove the duty, therefore, and even
under present conditions the Canadian
shipper has from l6 to 30 ce1ts the
better of the situation.
FREE GOALS REAL EFFECTS.
But give the Canadian shipper {
foothold; let the Whitney syndicate
which Just before the last presidential
election bought up options on all the
| Canadian coal lands they could ge
hold of, timing their options 80 as tc
see before the deals would have to b.
/ finally ratified, whether Mr.. Cleveland
would be elected or defeated, get theil
big fleet of vessels and their large force
of cheap-labor miners at work anC
there will soon not be another ton O
domestic coal sold for industrial pur
1 poses within one hundred miles oil
our eastern coast line. The freeing oil
! biiuminous as contemplated in tn,
pending bill means the deliberate sacri
tice of every American bituminous an(
anthracite interest which now sell
coal to New England and other sea
board factories; to every miner EN-
ployed in the production Of this coal
/ to the home railroads that carry it ant
to the communities that are benefited
by this growing home industry.
ANTHRACITE IS AFFECTED.
"II is common delusion that ou
anthracite industry is not concerned
/ in this matter Apart from the gen.
eral fact, upon which the entire pro,
tectlonist system is based, that yol
cannot cut off finger or Toe Of tn
body polite without sending a thrill o
pain throughout the entire system,
desire to say that our own community
is directly interested. The figures o
anthracite production for the pas
few years show that the pressn
growth is almost entirely con
fined to the smaller sizes. Pea ant
6uckwheat aud more especially
buckwheat are being used more an
more for mechanical and industria
purposes. The demand for these size
naturally comes from the east frOT
New England, New York, aud the sea
board area Put Nova ScNtian bitum
inous coal into this market at price
undersslling the home anthracite ship
per. and what do you do2 You dsstro
his market, curtail his opportunitis
for trade growth, aud by Just tina
much inhiCt blow upon all those in
dustries aud activities that hinge upol
the steady operation of our mines
THE free coal clause, in my dsliber
ate opinion, is either stupsndou
blunder or an equally stupendous jot
aThe flavor of seli-interest surround
the whole episode of its present cham
pionship The scent OF dicksr and dea
arises from every incident Of it, at
tempted consummation.
Notwithstanding the dullness re
ported in trade circles, the Scranto
Axle works are kept busily employe
in response to the demand for their su
nerior output. Work on tho new &C
ditions is progressing rapidly Whe
comp plsted, the tool department. wi
occupy the north wing, thus increai
ing the construction department ma
terially. New machinery Throughout
skilled workmsn and efficient exscu
tive management have within rt
markably brief time placed this sstat
lishmsnt among the very foremos
The completion os the additions no
building will make the works secon
: to only one Ia this country, in point I
capacity and size.
The Nicholson Examiner, voicing u
sentiment Of many Wyoming count
residents. advocates the constructio
of an electric railroad between Nicho
son and Tunkhannock. 1t says: "B