The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-03-25

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Tho rccons agrcoment ontorod into
by tho bituminoua coal operators Of
Ohio, in which tho ovor. thc.rivcr fold
figures prominently. bids fair to DO
permanent. In tho distribution OF out.
put the Wheeling & Lake Erie mines
got 100000 tons annually aud those
on tho limo OF tho Cleveland, Loruin 4
lWhoeling 100000 tons, while tho Balti.
more & Ohio mines in eastern Ohio
secure 100000 tons.
This agreement seems to havo boon
arrived at uuder conditions favorable to
4 permanency, says tho Railroad Gazette,
aud the reported harmony shows every
sign Of being rcal. During tho last
year competition has boon very severe.
and, I'd usual, ono feature OF tho strife
J has been excessive expenditures for
marketing tho product OF tho mines.
While there Is no very hopeful ground
Tor expecting to incrosae tho price Of
coal, it looks rs though secret cutting
and further depression would DO OF.
fectually checked.
Tho chief competitor to DO dealt with
. by tho Ohio coal producers and coal
railroads, as q whole, is tho Pittsburgh
district; next to this comes tho Chicago
market, where tho competitors to be
met arc tho Indiana aud Illinois fields;
and the West Virginia fields arc an in-
creasing factor in tho market; but the
Ohio people have suffered much moro
at tho hands OF each other, from their
competition within tho family, as 1t
were, than from these outside sources.
I There is, therefore. umplo room for m
agreement, and Rrea. need Of return
to regular dealing, without regard to
anything that may DO dono or not done
by these outside competitors. II tho
members NIL bear i'll mind tho tact that
an agreement OF this kind has to do
with percentages and not with absolute
amounts-a. point in which tho agree
ment OF tho anthracite companies af-
fords an example not to be followed
they can materially mend their for.
tunes. If the market shall improve, US
seems likely, so rs to demand more than
100000 tons this year. the prospects
are probably good for rational rcyula-
tion Of competition; but If tho weekly
and monthly comparisons with last year
should be unfavorablc, instead Of favor
able. tho coal mon like the rest OF US, in
hard times, would need to use good
deal Of philosophical SELF restraint
at the conference at which the agree.
ment was made there was declaration
in favor Of the establishment OF a joint
agency for selling all the coal, but it
does not yet appear whether this is to
be carried out. The best warrant for
the smooth working OF the agreement is
the arrangement for regular and fro
queut conferences. II these arc faith
! fully attended by the actual heads OF
the various local bodies. every serious
SirreSularisy should be choked Of at its
inception.
The long-expected ADVANCE in tho
& price OF coke is likely to como April l.
The indications that il. will come are
! the announcements by the various com.
Z panies OF increases in the wages OF work
men. Following the increase Of Is per
cent announced last week by tho Frick
company, W. ]. Rainey has made SIM
liar announcement. The Mcclure and
Y Oliver companies have also advanced
Z wages, and tho smaller concerns arc OK
pected to fall into line. Furnaces in
western Pennsylvania arc taking on
! large supplies OF the coke, most OF it
going into the stock piles. There is a
general belief among furnace owners
that tho price of coke will advance
4 Las. week the II. c. Frick Company
had greater output than any week
during the past year.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
5 holds its annual meeting in Philadel-
phia tomorrow. The old board OF d..
rectora will DO reelected, as follows:
George I. Roberts. Alexander NJ. Fox.
Alexander Biddlo! N. Parker Short
ridge. Henry D. Welsh, William L. Ell
kins. Fl. II. Houston. A. J. Cassast. c.
A.. Griscom. L. b. Comcges. Amos r.
Little, W. Fl. Barnes. George Wood,
Frank Thomson. John 2. Green and
Charles L. Pugh.
I LOOK Hero! Mileage tickets good
everywhere! Buy by the dozen aud
! save half. Money refunded il goods do
not wear well. Good on all air lines
and for foot passage on all roads. A
Ticke. 20 Now York, San Francisco, or
Z London always in your pocket. Try
me and you will uae no other"
Tho foregoing iH prospectus OF intor-
go q