The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1902-02-27
Special Correspondence.

ing in commercial or household
economics under modern conditions
10 more important than the price,
supply and distribution Of coal.
These subjects have lately received
unusual attention from the press
and the public, but with deduc-
tions widely varying as to their
compatibility with the facts.
Loose and incomplete information
has been for the most part respon-
sible for the conclusions in this re-
gard not justified by the truth,
many Of which were sincerely
reached after being based upon in
adequate knowledge.
People are too inclined to make
local applications of effects that
are not local, while failing to con-
slider their causes, which are gen.
srsl. This fact is very prominent
in many of the publications that
have been made relative to
THE PRICE OF COAL IN OHIO
during the present winter and last
autumn. 1t has been assumed,
without the shadow of justification,
that the partial scarcity Of coal
and it's advanced price has been
due to local causes, and these have
been sought for locally, the search
resulting in much apprehension.
The truth is that coal is not diff
ferent from any other commodity
in being subject to the law Of sup
ply and demand. During the past
two or three years, and most nota.
bly, during the past six months,
while the supply of coal from the
mines has increased enormously,
the demand has increased in even
greater proportion. This condi.
tion is not local in Ohio or any
other state, but is universal and
due to economic conditions as
broad as the nation. In this coun.
try, every factory and shop is us.
ing to-day from
90 TO 100 PER CENT MORE COAL
than it used a few years ago, while
the railroads have increased theil
consumption accordingly, for the
simple reason that they have beer
required to do it in order to NOV,
two and three times as much
freight as they moved in former
years. 1t should be set down a.
the outset, therefore, that tn,
state of Ohio is not peculiar il
this matter Of the present demand
for coal and its supply; and hence
local causes are not to be looked
for TO ascertain the causes of pres
ent coal mining and carrying con
ditions here. Notwithstanding this
however, if any such causes exist
ed-as, for instance, a trust formed
by Ohio coal roads, as sometime
charged---they would readily ap
pear from the facts existing her
as compared with the facts exist
ing elsewhere. That they do no
appear is evidence that they do no
exist; and it may be demonstrate,
that, instead of combining to rails
prices, the coal roads Of Ohio hav
actually exhausted every means i
their power to hold them at reas
enable level, under the circumstan
ces, and as q matter of fact hav
succeeded in doing SO.
The official figures on file in Va
rious Ohio railway offices and i
the Office Of the state commissions
of railroads show that the recen
INCREASE IN THE COAL CoNsUMPTIo
OF OHIO CITIES,
showing the consumption of 100
as compared with that of 1893, ra
as high in some instances as 25
per cent, while increases of 25,
and 100 per cent were common
and in not one instance was ther
q decrease. These facts prove ne
only that tremendous increase j
the demand has taken place, br
that this demand has been met b
the coal carrying roads in \ mea
ure that would have seemed as in
possible as it was unexpected thrt
years ago.
OF course this wonderful recor
of coal delivery could not hay
been made if the most strenuor
measures had not been taken
guard the supply against the III
favorable natural conditions Of To-
water, which put hundreds OF el