The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-06-18

W IN 1896 consisted OF Sizes below
chestnut. The percentage would have
been materially increased had all the
small sizes possible been shipped. This
proportion is about an average one for
the anthracite region.
o.
AS will be seen from the foregoing,
the domestic sizes of anthracite do not
enter into competition with bitumlnous
coal, and the trade in those sizes Is
limited to the domestic consumption in
localities comparatively near the an
thracite regions and to domestic con-
sumption in the homes of wealthy men
In the west and northwest who prefer
TO pay the increased price for anthra-
cite over bituminous on account of it's
greater cleanliness. The trade in the
small sizes enters into direct compe-
tition with the bituminous coal trade.
To meet this competition, lower freight
rates on sizes below chestnut coal are
necessary. The operator In the an
thracite region can afford to put these
small sizes on the car under the break
er at o. price that will compete with
the price received by the bituminous
operator for his coal at the mine: but,
when q freight rate of two or three
times as much Is charged on small sizes
of anthracite II cannot compete in the
| markets with bituminous coai, and the
result Is manufacturers, no matter how
pfich they may desire anthracite, are
driven to the use of bituminous. The
| snthracite-carrying roads contend that
they are carrying coal to market as
| cheaply as they can afford TO. This
statement may be true as far as the
lsrge sizes are concerned because the
| demand is not constant enough to keeI
their ears continually in service and
thus give them regular tonnage.
o.
There is nothing to be gained by the
| statement that the anthracite produc-
tion Is not restricted. 1t Is restricted
and rlghtfully so. without restriction
the market for domestic sizes would be
flooded, prices would break, bank.
ruptcy would be the fate of the opera
tor and starvation that of the miner
but, the restriction that wisely control:
| the production of domestic sizes should
not be so closely applied to the small
sizes. These small sizes should not bt
| counted in the apportionment. They
have very little, II any, bearing on tht
state of the market for the domestic
sizes, and they should have the same
advantages of regular supply to con
sumers, as bituminous coal. Further
the freight rates on these small size'
| should be reduced to figure more II
| consonance with the freight rates giver
bituminous coal. II this is done many
| manufacturers now using bituminou
| coal, because they can get regular sup
plies of it, would speedily turn to th'
| small sizes of anthracite. Operators o
anthracite mines would be benefited
and the railroad companies would GER
| tainly gain, as it is better for them t
| employ their cars in the transportation
| Of small sizes of anthracite than t,
have them lying idle during consid
| erable portion of each year. If btu
minous coal can be hauled to market a
| three or four mills per ton per mile, S,
can the small sizes of anthracite.
| o
If such policy is inaugurated tn
| great carrying roads will profit in tw
ways. First, by the increased incom
from their coal properties. Second, b,
| an increase of tonnage on which tn
| profits, though smaller than on tn
| tonnage on domestic sizes, will resul
| in some gain where now there is none
| While restriction in anthracite produc
tion must be adhered to, it must ais
be borne in mind that no steam use
can afford to arrange his steam plan
for the use of small sizes of anthracit
unless he has some assurance that hi
supply will be regular and in accord
ance with his wants. This supply can
not be regular if the same restriction
apply to small sizes that apply to do
mestic sizes; therefore he cannot hav
such an assurance as long as the smal
sizes are included in the restriction
Neither can he afford to turn to the us
of these small sizes of anthracite unles
he can get them at such a figure as Wi
enable him to make steam as cheapl
as does his competitor who uses btu
! minous coal.