Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-09
TELEPHONES.
LOCAL COAL MARKET

.rbe -osition of Richmond's WOOD anu
coal dealers is not a happy one just now
-rbev come into immediate contact Win me
CONSUMER" who is sometimes an I'M
reasonable or irritable. or ignorant per
,on. Not necessarily ignorant from 'te
,o;n, of view of the schoomaster' Dull
rom that of the man of affairs
wa dare say that the idea entertained
nv some that these dealers are making
fortunes hand over fist is erroneous
No doubt most of them would vastly pre-
or to have business pursue the even tenor
its way, rather than for it to be e2-
tied and rampant as it now is. AS
natter of fact, many of these dealers
,stand to lose very considerable sums,
saving agreed to furnish customers with
winter supplies at rates less than prevail
now at the mines. What profit they are
making ont of the coal they are selling
now we do not know. but we shouldn't
wonder if they are doing what they cam
within reasonable bounds, to even up
things.
From what we have seen in our eX-
changes, the rates prevailing here are not
in excess Of those prevailing III other
cities In Baltimore citizens assocla-
ton has been formed, and a highly favor
able arrangement for daily supplies made
.Sith the railroad companies.
Baltimore's influence over and ownership
n the railroad companies always has been
arge and perhaps its good luck. If 1t
holds out, may be traced to that-'source.
sut speaking generally. go far as our in
.rmation goes, it seems that Richmond
sees for coal are as low as, if net lower
IAN, those that prevail elsewhere. How
yer. they are high enough now not to
}auee US to wish them to go any higher.
The paramount trouble with us is that
there are no supplies Of anthracite here
and little of biturinous. Wood also Is
Very scarce and landowners hereabouts
having oak wood to sell would do we'll to
cut II down and rush 1t to our market.
In a seasoned state it probably never
would sell for as much as it would now
green. There are scores of ways in which
it can be advantageously used as fuel,
green as it is. All our people want is a
chance to buy 1t.
AS for anthracite coal, we cannot pre-
dict when the marke: will be supplied
with it. even in small doses; we presume
not until we can, and will, outbid other
buyers. Our prospects for bituminous
coal should be vastly better. The railroad
companies centering here owe it TO the
Old Dominion, which gave them their
charters and always has treated them
literally, TO make extra exertions to sup
ply Virginia cities and towns.
We do not know what is the truth
about the charge that most OF the coal
mined in Virginia is being shipped to the
west but certainly it is very difficult to
get 1.-THE of the coal we need. The
mining companies say they cannot get
the coal-cars they need.
We do not expect the railroad companies
to do injustice to other communities in
order TO serve the cities of this State,
but we hope they will sec to it that we
receive our due share of the coal mined.
We do not wish to overreach Others.
nor do we want others to overreach US.
We hope also that the companies will
rather up all the stray cars that are to be
iound on their sidingE, and hurry them to
the mines to be filled and returned to
Virginia markets.
With two great railway systems reach
Eng two great coal fields. the cities and
OWLS of Virginia should not be left in
The lurch in the race for soft coal.