The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-01
SCARCITY OF SOFT COAL
Lack of Cars the Reason Alleged
for the Shortage
The Manufacturers suffer From the
Famine and Big Owners Feel the
weight at the Increased Price.
BUSINESS Generally Affected - An
other Advance In the Cost Expected

PHILADELPHIA. Jan. 1.-The recent
advances in the prices OF bituminCus coal
during the past three months. together
with another advance scheduled to go into
effect today. have put an extremely grave
aspect upon affairs in the coal market. IN
sc ne sections CT the country there is lituS
short Of a soft coal famine, and should the
present situation continue many mill own
ers Will either have 10 suspend operations
or resort to the use Of wood.
Especially is this true Of the New En-
gland milling district. where thousands Of
tons are consumed daily. Il is becoming
more and more a problem for the shippers
to keep the mill owners supplied with coal
and although they are couscientiousIy try
ing 70 fulfill their contracts. yet in many
places the supplies are on the danger Inc
On Friday IL was announced that there
would be an additional advance in the price
of bituminous coal, TO go into effect after
The first OF the year. This will not only
affect the local mill owners. but also. and
probably more materially, owners Of tug
boats and small steamboat lines. In Sep
TENDER soft coal was selling at sl75 and
$3.50 per ton. During October the price
was advanced 10 $3.50. and in November
stil further to S225 This last advance.
reported on Friday. will put the price at
$3.50. which means a considerable sum TO
vessel owners
The reason for these unprecedented adj
vances lies with the railroad companies
They cannot furnish the number Of empty
coal ears necessary for the transportation
OF the coal, hence the scarcity. Bitumip-
Gus coal is the poorest paying freight
known, consequently when the railroad
companies can load their cars with a
more profitable commodity coal Is not con-
sidersd. 4 member Of a firm Of prominent
coal dealers stated yesterday that bItumin-
Gus coal would De- scarcer for the incoming
year than iJ had ever been.
The fault Is entirely with the railroad
companies he said They do not fur
ujsh anything like an adequate number Of
cars TO haul the coal to the consumers
Within the past three months they have
only furnished Is per cent OF the number
OF ears that should have been i'm use As
a result Of this the vessels lying at the
different ports cannot be loaded in time
and On enormous loss is caused by the de-
lay. Within a short time vessel rates
have jumped from - cents TO s. per ton
inc IdilIOdAe are not uhtll TO Go q ~
thing toward loOseuing matters. either.
for 10 is TO their advantage to have the
prices OF bituminous coal high. After the
first Of The year they propose TO advance
the freight rates 90 cents per ton. and by
April 1. 1900. there will be an additional
rise Of 20 cents. While soft coal is scarce
all around. there Is less Of &c in New Eng
land than anywhere and a two weeks
ireeZe-up would put all the mills TO burn
ing wood.
Owners Of tugbOats viii especially suffer
10y the increase. One prominent owner in
the city stated that g. practically means
the putting Of nearly one-haIf the tugs in
dry docks.
This year has been The worst I'm the us
tory OF The tugb0at business he said
We were just about making expenses be
fore but now 60 carry on business would
mean loss. The coal we have been getting
lately is OF an inferior quality. and We will
be compelled 70 burn pea coal until things
look brighter.
The large steamboat companies will not
be affected by it. however, as their con-
tracts are always made q year in advance
10 was stated yesterday on good authority
that several prominent coal firms had cor
nered the pockets throughout the country
and In this way controlled the coal mar ket
These men will reap a rich harvest when
the contracts for the ensuing year are 70
be drawn up.