New-York tribune., 1902-10-08
AID FROM COAL ROADS.
ENGINES TO HAUL BITUlIL
NOUS HERE.
WILL INCREASE THE SUPPLY
GREATLY AND BRING DOWN
THE PRICE

OF soft coal and enable consumers to get cheaper
fuel until the end Of the strike
With the stoppage of the anthracite supply for
the city, after all coal held by dealers had been
used up, there was tremendous increase in
the demand for soft coal. The bitumnOus mines
were open and working overtime. and the output
OF those mines has been greater of late than it
ever known to be before Vast quantities
Of soft coal have been mined. but the coal has
not been brought to the city Of late in quantity
to meet the demand. The result is that the
price Of soft coal has increased from 81 80 a ton
to ST. ton. That the price yesterday for
coal sold at retail, although some Of the opera
tors said they>were selling at IS JOa ton along
side" The soft coal operators have declared
that they could not get sufficient transportation
for coal from the bitumnous fields
1t said by operators ana dealers on Mon
day that the city's soft coal supply came over
the Pennsylvania and New-Jersey Central lines
and that many trains Of coal cars were stalled
on the lines because there were not enough loco
motives to haul them or because the lines were
tied up with other freight traffic. 1t was said
too that eighteen hundred cars were held back
the Pennsylvania lines because the tracks
had to be Kept clear for excursions OF Gradd
Army posts to Washington.
At the meeting Of presidents OF the anthraciA
roads yesterday afternoon it was said that they
had offered the use OF locomotives to move coal
trains from the bituminOus fields to the city
President Truesdale of the Delaware, Lacka-
wanna and Western said 10 a Tribune reporter:
Il have made the offer Of engines to be used
in hauling coal trains on the Pennsylvania lines.
and I suppose the offer will be accepted We
will do everything in our power to aid in bring
ing sufficient soft coal TO the city TO meet the
demand while the shortage OF anthracite coal
continues"
How many engines will the Lackawanna lend
to the Pennsylvania to move soft coal trains?''
was asked
"AH they need that can be used" was the re-
ply Some of our engines are constructed TO
burn soft coal and they can be used in the
transportation of soft coal"
Will your company lend coal cars for the
transportation of soft cOaI?"
They not needed. The soft coal roads
have plenty of cars. What they need in the
present emergency is more power. That IS be-
ing supplied
President Fowler Of the Ontario and Western
said his company lending engines to the
soft coal roads. We going TO help all we
can in relieving the situation he said.
Most of the soft coal that comes to the city
over the New-Jersey Central tracks Is brought
over the connecting line Of the Baltimore and
Ohio that taps the bituminous fields and both
lines closely connected with the Reading
system.
We are sending locomotives to the Baltimore
and ohio division TO be used in hauling coal
trains. said the general manager of the New
Jersey Central yesterday. President Baer told
me to-day that he had ordered ten engines from
the Reading roads to the Baltimore and Ohio
for the same purpose. The extraordinary de-
mand for soft coal that has developed OF late
account of the scarcity of anthracite has
blocked up the soft coal roads. They have
enough cars hundreds OF which are sidetracked
near the coal fields What they need is power
TO haul the cars. We going supply the
power right away"
How many coal cars loaded with soft coal
will come to the city over the New-Jersey Cen
traI and Baltimore and Ohio tracks to-mor-
row?"
Probably four hundred. They will be cars
which were loaded yesterday. Some Of them
are twenty-ton cars and some are ffty-ton
cars"
II was said that only about fifteen thousand
tons of soft coal had been coming in daily over
the New-Jersey Central tracks. and about the
same amount over the Pennsylvania tracks. and
that thirty thousand tons did not meet the daily
demand for soft coal With largely increased
supply. however, the price of soft coal is ex-
pected to fall. even IL there is some increase in
the demand
The meeting of the presidents OF coal roads
was held yesterday afternoon in the Office OF
George +. Baer, president of the Reading COM
Central Building, in Liberty-st Among those
who were in session with Mr.. Baer after 80
?. m were President Fowler of the Ontario and
Western President Truesdale of the Lacka-
wana, President Olyphant OF the Delaware
and Hudson, President Underwood OF the Erie
and President Walters Of the Lehigh Valley
The meeting did not end until near D. m. Then
the presidents said there was statement to
be made. They said they did not wish to discuss
the general situation make comments upon
the action of Governor Stone in ordering out
the entire Pennsylvania militia; Pressed with
inquiries, however. some of them said they
thought IL was plain that the miners who re-
turned To work would have ample protection.
President TruesdAle said he thought the situ-
alton in the anthracite fields would i'm
prove. 1T looks If the miners who want to
work will. be protected. he said.
The calling out OF the additional troops is
what the operators have been asking him to do
for several weeks President Olyphant said
Whether not it will enable the operators to
open their cOllieries remains TO be seen
Asked whether at the meeting there was any
apparent disposition on the part of the operators
TO modify or change their policy in any way. he
~Is there any change in the general situation
outside of the calling out of the additional
troops?" was asked
None that I know Of he said
In answer TO the inquiry 10 whether the
operators had been informed that any addi-
tiOnal mines have been opened, he said:
No; it is too early for anything Of that kind
10 result"
President Baer went from the meeting to J.
P. Morgan's office. AS he was leaving there he
asked what effect had followed the calling
out Of the troops in Pennsylvania
Il won't discuss the matter at ALL he
swered- There is no use in asking me any
questions
He went from Mr. Morgan's office to the Lib
erty-st. ferry arriving there a few minutes be-
fore o'clock, to catch train for Philadelphia.
The coal operators yesterday refused TO talk
about a report from Buffalo that John Mitchell
in conference there with the representatives OF
the National Association of Manufacturers. had