Evening star., 1900-09-20
THE PRICE OF COAL
Effect of the Strike in the Anthra-
cite Region.
THE LOCAL RATES NOT YET ADVANCED
What Dealers Say Respecting the
Supply and Demand.
OPINION OF AN EXPERT

| With the approach of wintry winds local
| householders are beginning to take keen
| interest in the prevailing strike of the coal
| miners. The prospect of a short supply of
/ coal and increased prices has natural ten
| dency to cause something akin to alarm.
| That such alarm is prevalent in and about
| Washington is attested by the fact that the
| dealers are overwhelmed with orders, and
| many Of them today are hiring extra wa
/ gons in effort, unsuccessful for the most
part, to deliver the anthracite called for.
The in the coal business vary in
| their opinions regarding the situation. Some
are optimistic, while others lean in the op
| posite direction. At all events, 1t may be
| stated that no advance has yet been made
| in the retail price of coal in this city. Reg
| ular customers are being supplied in reg
| ular manner The scale of prices in vogue
since last February has not been disturbed.
| Furthermore, the intention is sincere and
| determined on the part Of the local supply
| men not to advance prices unless absolute
| ly forced to do So
The dealers advise that customers should
| not grow excited that they should not call
| for more coal than they really need; that
| no matter what the conditions may seem
| to be the situation could not grow unduly
serious for at least three months, and that
| the strike will certainly be at an end by
Wholesalers Advance Price.
| An advance Of % cents ton has been
| made to the wholesale trade. A circular
announcing this has been issued by the
| Philadelphia and Reading Coal and Iron
| Company.
Wholesale dealers in coal, 1t seems were
| not surprised at the action taken by the
Reading Company although they say that
| 1t has not as yet been seriously affected by
the strike, and that most of its mines are
working. 1t Is said that this company,
| which is controlled by the Philadelphia and
Reading railroad interests, might stop ship
| ping coal and grab all in sight for the use
| Of the railroad. This is the usual custom
| with railroad that finds the coal supply
diminishing. AS the Philadelphia and Read
Ing uses anthracite on its engines 1t would
| hardly ship out coal that it needed to keep
| its road In operati tim. Other operators have
| followed the example of the Reading Com
pany, and have sent out notices of an ad-
| vance Of % cents a ton to the wholesale
trade.
The Strike Situation.
representative Of the Allegheny Coal
| Company, s13 11th street. returned to the
| city from Philadelphia this morning He
| went there for the special purpose of
studying the situation, and having been as
| sociated with miners and with coal mining
interests the greater portion of his life Is
able to speak from the standpoint of an
expert 10 q star reporter he said.
THE fight between the miners and the
| mine owners is going to be to a finish, but
1t is. at the same time. going to be short.
Everything will be calm and peaceful, 1
| firmly believe. in a very few weeks. AS
the strike covers the entire anthracite coal
region the trouble must Of necessity be
snoothed over in some manner in short
order. If only a small section was IN
| volved the wrangle might be kept up much
| longer
But to come down to the local situation.
OF course, the matter Of the supply is of
chief interest, and to be frank, there is not
too much coal in the local market. The
people should be urged not to call for their
supply of coal for the entire winter to be
delivered now. Take in enough to last, say.
| until the 1st of January. and everything
will be lovely. The demand for big sup
plies will embarrass the small dealers By
the 1st Of January. at the very latest. the
differences between the miners and the
owners will have been cleared away.
"Of course. If coal should become very
scarce and the customers demand supplies,
prices will have to go up But the local
dealers have not yet made raise, and
have no disposition to do so. In fact they
will do all they can to prevent action in
that direction.
eff the worst should come Washington
could fall back on soft coal. There has
been no disturbance to interfere with the
supply Of soft COAL and all demands for it
can be promptly met
What Dealers Say.
At the Office Of John 2. Agnew & Co., 1922
New York avenue, 1t was stated that there
exists no disposition the part of the
local dealers to raise prices. The matter
that Is causing bother is the question of
supply. While an advance of p cents
ton has been made In the wholesale price
the retail price has not been disturbed.
Should the supply fail and it should be a
question Of ofngstting coal at any price, Of
course, pril build naturally advance.
The loca ply Of coal on hand will last
ofhce e.f of hliam J. zeh. 7O2 11th street.
We cannot secure coal at any price," a
Star reporter was informed. land therefore
1t would seem that steel chains could not
prevent rise in prices. No change has
been ordered up to this time however,"
We are awaiting developments and can
tell nothing definite until we hear more
from the strike was the Information avail
able at the main office of Johnson Brothers.
1872 f street. THE truth is the dealers
here know little more than does the public.
We have on hand three or four weeks sup-
ply, and there Is some more in sight Prices
will not be raised unless such a move Is
imperative"
AT the office Of ]. Maury Dove 1906 II
street, 1t was stated that orders for coal
for future delivery will only be received
subject to the conditions that may develop
in consequence of the strike.
There Is great demand at present." 1t
was said, and we have good supply on
hand. but We can't tell definitely as to the
future"