Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-02-21

tatiOn or coal auOuhtS ~ o1e
The only revenue collected Is on the
California coast, where our coal can NOT
reach. The Cellfornians must import
their coal. There's none other they
can get and manufacturers there pay
from SIG to SOS ton for the little coal
they use. II we had the Nicaragua
canal we might be able TO reach tnelr
markets with our coal. The Q. a. o.
sells coal +. o. b. on the Atlantic coast
for 50 ton, and If the canal were COM
pleted We could doubtless enter INTO
competition with foreign Goals in Call
fornia.'
Mr.. Evan Powell, of Powellton, man
ager of one OF the largest coal and coke
pantsin the State, who was the first pres
dent Of the Kanawha Coal Exchange,
the coal operators organization, which
is opposed to free coal, is an ardent ad-
vocate OF free coal and free trade. Hav-
ing seen the statistics quoted above as
to the cost Of production, he has no
fear from Canadian coal competition
and regrets only that the protective
policy of the country has driven US ant
of all the foreign trade which should be
ours ana given it 20 other countries.
'tSome time ago, "says Mr.. Powell, see
ing that the home markets we're being
over-stocked, that our mines were pro-
ducing more coal than there was de-
mand for, | resolved TO try the ship
ment of some coal to Mexico. l made
q trip to that country, found a market
for our product, and raised company
at home to put in q line OF steamers
which would take our coal from New
Orleans to Mexico. Estimates were care
fully made and 10 was founo
that if our vessels could bring back car
goes on their return from Mexico we
could compete with the foreign Goals
then sold in Mexico. discovered an
excellent black marble, which would be
in great demand in New Orleans Tor
building purposes and was, l thougnt,
inst the thing for our return voyages.
made satisfactory terms with the quar-
~ owners, and then found that there
was a prohibitory tariff OF GO per cent
on black marble imported 10 this coun-
try and so our scheme fell through.
Now coal which costs from S2.75 to
S3.OOa ton in England and coke at
from S5.75 to 5000 ton are taken into
Mexico every week from England ana
! our own is excluded.
| Thus is the natural market for our
Goals closed up 50 far as we are con
cerned and given TO our rivals by the
so-caled protective policy OF the Re
| publican party. In connection with
| Mr.. Powell's story OF coal shipments TO
! Mexico, it will be interesting to note
! tnat in a government report, Mr.. Addi-
son NJ. Scott. United States resident
engineer in charge OF the Great Kan
awha Improvement, makes the state
ment that the 'Kanawha, Ohio and
! Mississippi rivers offer TO coal shippers
| the cheapest transportation IN the
world, the cost being about one-four-
| teenth of a cent. per ton per mile. Inc
! quotations of coal and coke In England
! from the COUicry GudrdtdR, London,
should also be coup pared with our prices.
The London quotations are as follows;
/ Northumberland
| Best steam. ..........'.....''' 80 :
Household. ..,................... . 90
Unscreened bunker. .......:..... Z'Zs
Coke. .........',..'. '.90'oV " 1'0e
! Durham 10,
Steam Goals. ..........,..,......' ~
Unscreened bunker. 2.lt
Newport 90,
Best steam. o o 90 ~
Cardiff
Steam No. Observation-Disclosures. 36C
q" Observation-Disclosures. 0.ft
Best foundry coke. 5.2S
Ordinary ................ ~
Furnace coke OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 5.ol
With the
| CHEAPEST TRANSPORTATION IN THE
WORLD
aud a great advantage in distance, and
with our prices but fourth to third
of those OF English coal, they still have
control of markets which should be ours
! and in the month OF December, 1892
the shipments from Cardiff, Wales
alone, TO South American and Atlantic
seaports were as follows:
Barbados, West Indies, 1900. 4O2 tons
Trinidad, 80 -. 80. s,4Ol "
Tampico, Mexico, ............... 1854 -
! Vera Cruz, ............... 6,SOO
La Guayras, Venezuela, $1,000. 6g1
lQulque, Chlle,..,.. ........'.. 0'lSO
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. .......... 5,453 "
Buenos Ayres, Argentine. ...... 1000
23,9O3 &"
1--WE can produce coal, coke and
iron," said Mr.. Powell, cheaper in the
United States than in any other coOn
try in the world, except perhaps India
or Japan, where labor costs practically
nothing aud we need have 10 fear o.
foreign competition. What we need IL
chance TO enter the markets OF TIT
world. England's vessels, every time
they take a cargo to foreign country
1-trr a oorgo hory and that is how sll