Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-11-16
AUGUSTUS COAL
Dealers Have a Better Supply Than in
Other Cities.
Price Likely to Advance Insane Hospital Will
Not Be Very Short.

Have You placed your order for the
winters coal supply" If not you had
better be doing it or else there may be
few more dollars coming out of your
pocket for the fuel. Augusta is not in
so bad way in regard to her coal sup
ply as her sister cities, Hallowell and
Gardiner, but she has not quite her
usual supply.
Augusta requires for her citizens
stoves and furnaces about 1900 tons
or more of coal every winter season to
ne placed in storage at the last of the
water freighting season. She has not
quite that amount though the dealers.
+. Stone x Co. and Purinton Bros. say
that they are not far short Of their
usual marks. The former company
carries about 5000 tons at the opening
Of the winter, while the latter about
5000. Both firms say they are nearly
up to the figures and all is selling now
at $3.50 a ton.
Hallowell is 1000 tons short, while
Gardiner is said to be 1000 tons worse
off than she should be. This is likely
10 call upon Augusta to a certain ex-
tent. and {. l.. Purinton said, Wednes-
day morning, in case it We're found
that the supply is not sufficient. the
price Will undoubtedly have to go up
inside the winter. for to get more here
after the river closes will make the
cost per ton to the wholesalers. about
81. the railroad freight rates are so
very high on coal.
Treasurer NJ s. Campbell of the In
sane hospital. was seen. Wednesday
morning. concerning the report that
their supply was exhausted, and also
about the dispatch Of the ludicrous
nature sent out from Philadelphia that
the inmates of the asylum are likely
t" suffer. this winter. on account Of 4
famine in the fuel supply.
II am not worrying about my sup
ply or for the inmates" said Mr..
Campbell. Il have something like 500
have purchased SEQ bns in Gardiner
that will b. lightered "a the hospital
wharf before the river closes.
II can Get through the winter with
1900 tons in case ii is necessary. and
even il | cannot get more vessels to
bring coal here. | shall not suffer. for
can do as IF old and bring it here
On the cars. There is coal enough in
the mines, and the only question is the
EXPENSE Of getting il here.
The entire secret Of the scarcity in
New England. especially on the Ken
rchec river ~ in the difficulty to get
vessels to bring il here. The fleet has
been terribly broken up in the past
few years. ana there are few of the
vessels to y" found that can bring coal
AS far up the river as this There are
no ships building and here is a diff
Guilty | have tried The Boston ana
N"W York ports for vessels for the
past four weeks but have been unable
until recently to get any. The T.. G.
Allen is. rs the report stated. on her
WAY tu Augusta from Philadelphia
with coal for the hospital. The
freight rate is something enormous but
it il what al the other people are pay
inE. There has been a great increase
in h freight rate in the past few
months. y vessel from New York will
not carry for less than $15o ton. and
from Philadelphia it is. of course.
great deal heavier.
Another thing that has bothered is
the getting Of the coal to tide water
from the mines. There il enough Of it
here but the ears have been used for
50 many other purposes that. the coal
at tide water has been rather scarce.
So far rs heating the hospital goes.
there is no fear Of that. for had
chance. yesterday. to purchase 2OO0
cords Of wood and refused. We have.
az you know. contract with the Au-
eusta Lumber Company TO furnish Us
With heat for all but four months out
Of the year, and they are anxious to
heat Us another month, this year. as
they have an extra large amount of
waste wood that they would like TO
utilize in that manner. This would
heID us out for one quarter Of the
amount. Oh. there is nothing to fear
on the Insane hospital heating ques-
ton