Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-01
SOFT-COAL FAMIN E.
TIE MINERS STRIKE CAUSES AsTR'N'
CeNcY IN THE MARKET.
Premiums offered TO Desisrs-Boom IN
Anthracite WIN Result II Present
Conditions Continue.
philadelphia Press.)


There Is a soft-coai famine in this cry
The trade includes In the "ci'y NC"
York, Brooklyn, Staten Island. ana near
by points on Long Island. where SLY
ccal IL burned by factories or power coh'-
panies. IL the miners strike continues
one month longer the price OF sou eo''
viii have reached prohibstive ngure'
and there will be an unusual poo'" j"
anthracite.
Soft coal is the best fuel for genera''ns
steam. Many consumers have been IN 'ne
habit OF mixing pea and buckwhea' co"'
with the bituminous, thus giving the mt
ter harder Foundation in the-furances'
and preventing too rapid comouseoh'
But Of late even these sizes arc scaree'
They are the residuum Accumulated III
the making OF the domestic sizes Oh an
thracite coal Alone they are or h,''c
use as steam-makcrs, so that II consumers
are forced u turn to anthracite. they VIII
have to use the larger sizes. a great ue''
OF anthracite is now used insNew iorA
owing 10 the existence OF a city ordinance
preventing the use Of bituminous coal
This was due to the heavy black SMOKE
which the use OF the latter occasions
understanding devices are used py tue
concerns which burn the soft coal.
The amount OF bituminous coai coh-
sumed in this city IL placed conserve
lively by large dealer at 2JO,Vyo toiis d
month. As there Is very little OF IL stoieu'
IL VIII not be long before the supply Oh
hand will nave run out Then VIII CONF
the pinch. AS II is now dealers III SUI.
coal are practicing the strictest economy
OF their stock. All are refusing orders
except from their Oldest customers, ana
even these are compelled 10 get aions
with n smaller quantity than they wouia
like 10 purchase. wholesale dealer toid
a Press reporter yesterday that early IN
in the day he had received an order from
a customer for ~ tons, but all ne couio
furnish was fifty tons. The same STORY -
told by other dealers, who say that II
they were disposed they could ask ex-
tremey high prices for the coal whicn
they have on hand. There is disposi-
ton on the part OF dealers. however, not
to advance prices on the supply now ds
tidewater, but the advance VIII De 1orceu
upon them when the reserve supply comes
into their nanpS.
PREMIUMS OFFERED.
The price of the coal on a normal mar
ket IS sS.o5 ton alongside. or In other
words. In boats at any place In the mar
Dor Yesterday offers were made or s.. 40
and 81 ton. At the offices of the pela.
ware Lackawanna, and western Coai
Company it was reported during the day
that one man had bid for cargo OF d.
luminous at 81 advance on the marker
price. The offer found no takers. Such
offers as these will have the effect OF In
creasing the anthracite sales TO an ehor-
nous extent If the strike continues.
There are az yet three soft-coal regions
which are not affected by the strike.
These are the Cumberland. New River. and
Norfolk and Western. Some soft coal
from these is dribbling into the eastern
markets, but in sufficiently large quaint
ties TO Offset the stoppage OF the supply
from the other sources. Dealers III the
coal from these regions have been asked
for coal, but they. too have had 10 refuse
to supply II. owing 10 the Increased de-
mands of their own customers, who fear
that trouble may extend to these mines,
and place them in the same position as
the other consumers.
NOT AN OUNCE IN THE MARKET.
John Berwind, OF the Berwind-White
Company. said to q Press reporter yes-
terday: I'VE could get almost any price
We were disposed TO ask for soft coal.
owing to the strike. The supply on hand
Is limited. and we have = hold IT to mec'
contracts made with customers. 1t Is
only a question OF a very short tim
when the users of bituminous coal VIII
have to turn TO anthracite and be very
glad to be able to get that. There Is MOI
an ounce OF hituminous coal on the open
market now az any price"
The Maryland Coal Company, which com
pany handles the product of the mines
yet unaffected by the strike. said that
their output could not at the present
time supply the demand here. All OF
their coal Is ut the order OF customers
and very little can be had for outsiders
Several orders from these were refused
yesterday by the company.
a meeting of the general sales agents OF
the anthracite coal companies was held
yesterday In the Jersey Central building
IL was decided 10 make no reduction In
prices, either East or West. The produc-
ton OF anthracite for May Will be re-
stricted to basis OF 80 per cent. OF the
theoretical capacity OF the mines. This
Is estm tied at an output for the month
OF 10000 tons, against production OF
100000 tons in May last The Bureau OF
Anthracite Coal Statistics reported ship
ments OF anthracite coal for the week
ending April 2lst, as compared with the
corresponding period OF last year. as fol-
lows: Wyoming-lS9f. 37i,2J6; 1893, 39i,359
Lehigh-ls9i. ll7,6l5; 1888. 1885. Schuyl-
kill-ls9l. l95. s56: 1899. 80. i6c. This makes
a total tonnage OF GS7,127 for 1894, and OF
1851 for 1898.