The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-22
THE ABOLITION
OF COAL AGENTS
Proposition is Interesting Dealers
and Carriers.
C. & 0. WILL ADVANCE. RATES.
Cost OF Transporting Coal Viii Be Increased
April lst-Report That Baltimore and
Ohio Will Absorb the Seaboard.
Facts and Runners.
C. & o. WILL ADVANCE RATES.

The decision of tsleast a portion OF the
coal operators of the fIlanawha, and New
River coal fields to handle their own coal
creates much interest in transportation
circles. 1t is understood that all the
smaller companies gave agreed to handle
their product independently OF the sales
agents, the large companies which have
for years been the Intermediates between
the coal operator and the wholesaler, or
the large consumer. For instance, the
coal shipped from Newport News, which
is hauled thither from the mines by the
T Chesapeake and Ohio, is consigned to the
Chesapeake and Ohio Coal Agency Com.
pany, or the Chesapeake and Ohio Coal
and Coke Agency, or c. j. AtWater, all
+ doing business insNeW York. II the coal
mining companies should all decide to.
handle their own coal. of course there
would be no business for the coal
agencies.
The movement on foot, which has been
noticed in The Times, to bring all the
: coal mines of West Virginia under one
mana cement, is said to be making. pro-
/ gress Many hundreds Of thousands
worth of coal property has been acquired
II is not vet clearly established that. the
property being bought in the Panhandle
district is to be owned by the same per-.
sons who are buying up the kanaWhas and
New River property.
The demand for cGal for export was
never nearly so sreat-as now. Wests,Vl II
cinia coal is being shipped from Newport
News to various coast cities of this coun-5
try Canada South America and EGYPT
rrhe Chesapeake and Ohio Will lnausu-
rat 2, substantial. advance in coal rates
On the lst Of April is likely that this
advarce will be sufficient to prevent any
very substantial decrease in ea1nii1Ss fro M
coal traffic, usually noticeable during the
summer months.
The increase of business OF theeChesa-
neake and Ohio at Richmond is nowhere.
more noticeable than at the Seventeenth
Street Yards OF that road. Spur tracks
are being put in all the time, and looks
as if the stracllageE of the yard. was twice
what it was two years ago. The tracks
are at all times crowded with cars loaded
with freight for Richmond, or waiting to.
be filled with shipments from this city,
Tie sWal1-Street Journal of yesterday
started an entirely new rumor regarding
the Seaboard Air Line-an exploit not to
be deSpiSed in view of the very thorough
manner in. which this field has been
worked recently. The Journal makes the
Baltimore and Ohio possible purchaser
of the Seaboard, but says the rumor lacks
confirmation. The Journal says it is
more than likely that there might
be a community Of ownership now or.
hereafter between the Southern Railway;
and Seaboard Air Line. Consolidation.
or lease would probably be impossible
under existing laws, but community of
ownership would be of advantage to the.
Southern Railway, in view of its policy
of railway control in the South.
The traveller which has been used on the
Chesapeake and Ohio viaduct construc-
ton, will, it is said, form "a part of the.
american Bridge GoInpany.s exhibit at
the Pan-American Exposition, which will
be held at Buffalo. N. this summer.
The plan is to gid the immense mass Of
( steel and this alone would cost a small
fortune. The work of dismanthng the
intention of the company to sell it as
!. junk Now the plans of the company, it
is said, have been'sradic ally changed. .SSs
The construction force on the sChesa-s
peakei and Ohio viaduct is now on he
& Fulton end oft he work. yesterday the
Ssnans across theEWater-Stre tracks were
put in place and The work viii now 3 he
rushed to comp ion Only about two
hundred spans yet remain to finish all
s OF the overhead work in the eli hiss
it is expected, Will be compI eted4 ] Gne-s
II there was any doubt thai { the South
ern had acquire ontrnl of the Mobile
and Ohio ii wa doubt tess dispelled by the
meeting the.Bear Of Directors inn eN
York, at which Samuel W Spencer.
president of fhesSput hern. and An-'
8 reWs andsy Finlev,. and second
Observation-Disclosures the Sniif iiarf Te8uec.s