New-York tribune., 1900-09-24
SOFT COAL CALLED FOR.
STRIKE SENDS UP PRICE OF ANTHRA-
CITE, AND BITUMINoUs COMES IN.

CITE. AND BITUMINOUS COMES IN.
NETWORK AND THE WEST WILL RUN OUT
OF ANTHRACITE FIRsT-BIG BUSINESS
FOR THE READING COMPANY.
Reading. Penn. Sept. % (speciaD.-A close OBJ
server Of the strike In the anthracite coal regions
is almost disposed to consider seriously the asser
+ion Of the operators and the fears OF business
mon that the time IS soon coming when this class
OF fuel will be entirely driven out OF the market
save for domestic purposes. At no time mas pl'u-
uinous coal invaded this territory as II mas since
the present troubles were first agitated though
trainloads have been coming this way daily for
several years Now that the strike is fully under
way redoubled efforts have been made to SEND all
the soft coal obtainabe into the field once occupied
almost exclusively by anthracite. Bituminous Is
to-day higher in price in Eastern Pennsylvania
than ever before. and a leading agent of the
Schuykl Valley to-day Informed The Tribune cor
respondent that another advance would be made at
an early day of anywhere from 20 to 40 cents toh
The increase is made by the soft coal operators on
the ground that the demand for their product
caused by the strike justies it and because Of the
scarcity of cars IN which to bring 1t to Eastern
points
Bituminous is at present delivered to Eastern
Pennsylvania manufacturers for from 81 30 to 2 20
ton The latter price is for the West Virginia article
From that State the freight rate is 81 so ton The
lower figure is for soft coal from the Beach Creek
region from which point the freight rate Is 81 S9
Only two years ago manufacturers hereaoouts
could get all they wanted at 81 50 ton, and OF
this sum the railroads secured 81 as freight From
the advance I'm price and the increased demand for
soft coal 1t is apparent that the operators are
making money, and that they we'll afford to
pay good wages. they are reported to be doing.
Some Of their employees who formerly worked In
the anthracite country have sent word to their
Eastern brethren that their wages range any
where from 50 to s. a day and over, these being
figures which to the hard coal miner almost
fabulous. The present demand for in which
10 bring htumnous coal the East Is not only
due 10 the present strike but to the export ship
meuts and should they be deprived for time OF
the income from carrying anthracite the railroads
would have their hands full handling the soft arti-
Gle Manufacturers who have been using anthra-
cite realize that they will be handicapped II
their supply should give out and soft coal is being
hurried through this city from the West as never
before for many points along the Atlantic seaboard
The Reading company has just finished double
tracking its Lebanon Valley branch between this
city and Harrisburg. and this improvement is
timely, in view of the increased soft coal ship
ments This week one thousand Reading Railway
are going into the bituminous regions to be
returned loaded with their product. II is now com
ing this way from the mines in Western Pennsyi-
vania and West Virginia at lively rate Solid
trains of the fuel brought down the Lebanon
Valley and the Beach Creek territory. over five
hundred carloads are delivered daily to the Reading
company at Harrisburg and Wiamsport and for
warded TO Port Richmond and Port Liberty. A
great deal also is sent to the manufacturers from
one end OF the Schuylkil Valley to the other. BIZ
luminous coal is certainly on top, the soft coal
nuisance Notwithstanding
Reports reach here from all sections of the coun-
try tnat dealers raising the price of anthracite.
Some took the initiative. while others waited until
the Reading company announced an advance.
Many are taking advantage of the large stocks
they have on hand, and have fixed prices far be-
yond the amount justified by the increase made by
the company. News from some of the Western
the effects of coal famine. Big shipments were
cut them short and little anthracite has been sent
since the men stopped work. The upper region
pany's miners alone. TO the number Of about eigh-
teen thousand being at their employment;
coal market ark for the time being and the only out,
this city and its branches. Western shipments
have grown less daily and it is recognized that 1t
gether. ENORMOUS orders for anthraGite have been
sfnt an IN from b & az ovT the EAST ana ana no{
jump and it is predicted that If the strike should
be asked for coal The fact that there is almost
a four weeks supply in the storage yards and in
taken into consideration by those who believe in
ma making King the consumer pay as % much as possible for
and the Reading company expects to get great
ofacials believe that it is Simply impossible to tie
up all Of their thirty-nine collieries. Their men
on a sympathetic strike a prominent official
or the company, said to-day that the company in
tended taking care OF its home consumers first and
that outside trade must take second place This
means that the people living in the several States
through which the Reading passes will be sup
Piled first. and that New-York. Philadelphia East
The company has close business connections with
the people In the territory named, and this terri
tory will now be taken care of first. During the
last week orders have been received for coal from
people in distant places who never patronized the
Reading before, and II goes without saying that
they will receive the preference.
Some Of the striking foreign miners, who have
no interests in the anthracite region beyond draw
ing their wages. already quitting that section.
Several droves of them have passed through this
city bound for the West. to work in the bitumi-
nous mines. where they have been offered steady
employment, shorter hours and increased wages.
anthracite miners several weeks ago. At first there
was scramble 10 leave, and at the beginning fully
five hundred English speaking and Welsh miners
turned their backs the Schuylkill region. They
left the mining towns In squads. and scenes were
witnessed the stations equal TO those the
departure OF the soldiers for the Spanish American
War. The reports they sent back were not alto
gether satisfactory and the exodus over before
the strike movement began Now the HunsariauS
and other foreigners going away, and re-
markable fact is that with the departure OF these
mon an equal number of newly arrived imm grants
moving toward the anthracite coal towns. eager
strike s II is predicted that il will be only
a few years before this foreign element will be in
complete control.
No TOOPHOTE FOR SOFT TOAT