New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-23
COAL HOARDS HELD TIGHT.
RAILROADS REFUSE TO FILL ORDERS
FOR REGULAR CUSTOMERS.

The standard retail price OF coal " MUST
holders showed no change in this city yester-
day remaining as a general rule, at 30 30 LOT
white ash and 81 y for red ash Some OF the
smaller dealers Yesterday raised their prices
about 81 q ton, but they were men whose STOCKS
have become depleted, and the advance nnaue
nv them does not represent the generally pre-
vaiIlng prices OF the retail market IL was
stated yesterday however, by George D. Cur
It's OF Curtis & BIaisdell that If the mines or
the Philadelphia and Reading Company were
closed down the retailers would at once IN
crease prices to not less than SO ton. Inc
question of stocks is now what may be calleu
the paramount issue in the situation as II az
fects the consumer. 1t is known that many Oh
the coal carrying railroad companies, foreseelhs
the possibility OF strike, laid up large STORES
Of coal The total storage capacity OF the rail-
roads which tap the anthracite regions asgre-
gates about 100000 tons. the largest yards
being those of the Lehigh Valley. at Plainheio'
n. j., with capacity of 10000 tons.
PENNSYLVANIA LARGE STORE
1t was reported yesterday that the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad has hand at least %'VV"V
tons In conformity with the policy OF 'he
other railroads the Pennsylvania refuses TO re-
lease pound of this stock and in consequence
some Of the larger customers of the company
in this ctv are expressing considerable dissatls-
faction They find themselves unable to NIL or
ders which they have booked, and they COM
plain that the Pennsylvania Railroad, IN re-
fusing to release a part Of the large suppHes
which it has stored Up, is animated more pS
a desire to hold on for higher prices than by
anv fear of shortage contingencies for motive
purposes. None of the companies upon Whlch
the dealers of this city depend for their supplies
would accept orders yesterday, and 1t Is appar-
ent that unless the strike comes to an end
shortly it will be impossible to obtain anthracite
coal in this city. The demand during the last
two DAYS from householders has fallen of, hut
this is due In a great measure to the existing
cost and to the hope that the strike may shortly
cease Householders are buying no more coal
than they absolutely need, while manufacturers
and owners of business places are resorttns to
hituminous coal. Orders for soft coal are pour
Ing In unon the dealers and are being filled. No
secrecy is made of the fact that soft coal Will
be widely used In this city next week. and 1t is
generally believed that for the time being the
ordinance which provides a penalty for the use
OF bituminous coal will not be enforced by the
municipal authorities. President Murphy of the
Health Department has practically admitted
that so long as the strike continues the city
officials will allow the soft coal law to lapse.
That the price of coal is bound 10 go far above
the prevailing figures is certain. The lowest
price at which dealers could obtain quotations
yesterday was Sc alongside. This is nearly 100
per cent above the cost Of a fortnight ago,
while I'm addition denurrage and freight rates
are considerably higher, Yesterday Michael
Burns, of Burns Brothers, received a cOmmuni-
cation Offering him 1000 tons at 81 ~ alongside
Despite the scarcity Mr.. Burns did not accept
the offer, FOR the reason that in order 10 obtain
a profit he would have to dispose of this stock
at about SIS 20 a ton, price which he declared
consumers would never pay unless they were
reduced to the severest straits.
MITCHELL LETTER ANSWERED
c. II. Warren, first ce-president OF the Cen
trail RAILROAD of New-Jersey, commenting yes
terday upon the open letter which John Mitch
! ell had addressed to the public, said:
| Two things only are necessary to make Mr..
Mtche's atement reasonable. First, If the strik-
ers had any real grievance Of their own he would
be correct in saying that conferences were neces-
sary. Second. if any of the companies refused 70
! confer with their men whenever a reasonable re-
| quest originated among them he would be right
| tween empIover and emplove With regard to the
| first consideration the men employed by this COM
| and have no grievance. II taken Of ali
! the anthracite miners large majority would say
! only men who have made demand themselves
Mtchelrs suggestion. If at the expiration Of Mr..
Markes ten days the mater is stu unsettled it
! You must arbtrate with me, with your men.
strike. because the strike must be general" So
much for Mr. AlitchelIs desire to have the men
second consideration is disposed of At once by say
! not ready and willing to talk things with its
! men. Mr. Mitchell certainly will not make the
public believe that the operators spurnine the
! demands of their employees simply because they
! refuse TO entertain demands got up by an ex-
traneous organization and presented neither with
the desire the consent OF the workers.
w H. Truesdale. president of the Lackawanna
system. said yesterday that he had received no
| information or news from the mines, and that
| the situation far as he knew remained UNI
! changed. He asked If he had received any
word from Archbishop Ryan or Mr.. Mitchell
| and replied in the negative, adding that he ex-
| pected none. He asked also if he wout
see either of the two named men if they came
to this city and replied that it a question
he did not care about discussing.
r. NJ. ELEPHANT. president of the Delaware
and Hudson Coal Company. said that up to II
o'clock he had received news. There was
no apparent change, he said, in the situation
but he was still hopeful that the in the
mines might be induced TO return to work He
said his position regarding meeting Archbishop
Ryan and Mr. Mitchell was unchanged that is
he would not meet them arbitratorS repre-
sertatives of the strikers.