The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-20
The Coal War Is Onl

Under ordinary circumstances IL
would be true that this would be the
very worst month in all the year to In
augurate a battle-royal between the
railroad companies which use the coal
trade simply as feeder to their divi-
dends, and the coal producing compa-
MES which have only their tonnage as
means of reimbursement for heavy
investments of time, labor and capital
But when the aggressions, insincerity
and deliberate injustice of the former
make a fight in self defense the only
visible alternative, the fitness of the
occasion necessarily becomes a second
airy point
1t is, indeed, as the Engineering and
Mining Journal aptly remarks, time
that the manifest injustice" of these
coal carrying railway companies be
fully understood by the public. The
companies buy the coal from the in
dividual operators on the basis of 60
per cent. of the average tidewater price.
III OtllCl NOluob tiC ~ ptl SCits iC-
manning is the railroad freight rate, no
matter where the colliery is situated
and therefore irrespective of the length
of the haul. This fact is important,
since it probably is at the bottom Of
the apparent difference as to tldewater
prices which the companies display.
When at the last meeting the price was
advanced 25 cents on stove coal every
body who knows the companies and the
trade, knew that the advance could not
possibly obtain at tidewater markets.
1t does not obtain in New York city,
and some companies who have their
own barge service and therefore are
not affected by the scarcity Of vessels,
have been offering stove coal in Boston
at $685. alongside, while less favored
competitors are unable to fill their or
ders. But the line trade received notice
that coal had advanced, and at places
where there Is little competition the
buyer was forced to pay so cents more
than New Workers did. 1t is impossible
10 say exactly how much coal goes to
line points, but 1t is not an extravagant
estimate to give 60 per cent. of the
total shipments. Basing our figures on
the statistics Of The Mineral Industry
for 1899, this means, in round numbers,
about 27,5O0,000 tons. If the difference
between tidewater and line prices is
90 cents ton, this makes $13, ,750, 900
gross profit which goes to the railroads
annually. The individual operators
suffer also because q great deal of their
coal which they sell on the basis of &C
per cent, the tidewater price, Is sold
by the companies for so cents a ton
higher"
Thus, If 60 per cent. Of the 10000 OO(
tons of coal obtained annually by the
railway companies from the individual
operators be absorbed by the line trade
at so cents ton in excess of the stipu.
lated basis of payment, we have vir.
tually the spectacle of these companies
deliberately picking $4,000 from the
pockets of the individual OPERATORS
sum of money which 1t is we'll worth
the operators while to get back, If pos
sible, or If not, then at least to try tt
guard in the future. Almost any man
II thus Ill treated, would, after all othei
means Of settlement had been ex
hausted, make up his mind to try tn,
virtues OF a good. stiff, whole-soulet
fight. This. from all accounts, Seems
to have been the recourse forced upor
the coal trade by the railroads; ant
while the trade will probably not ge
out Of the scrimmage without evidence
Of injury, we feel safe in predicting
that the bulk of the wounds and bruise
will eventually devolve upon the othe
party.