The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-09-14
LOOK FOR SUPPLY
OF HARD COAL SOON.
Local Dealers Think Shipments of
Anthracite Will Reach st. Louis
by November 1.
OPINIONS OF COAL MEN VARY.
". V. Mason Says There Need Be
No Hardship Here Worth
Mentioning if the Strike
Continues.
OPINIONS OF COAL MEN VARY.

Opinion varies among local coal dealers
as to when st. Louis viii begin to receive
shipments Of coal from the anthracite re-
gion and the local hard coal stringency be
relieved. Some say that 1t will not be be-
fore December or even the first Of January,
while the more hopeful look for shipments
by November /
Among the latter Is Edward Dewey Of the
Dewey g. Feuerborn Coal Company. Mr..
Dewey said yesterday that he bases his
opinion on the large number OF st. Louis
empty cars at present lying In the hard
coal district. He was Informed by a dealer
recently from the East that there are
miles Of empties on tracks near the col
lieries.
These cars" said Mr.. Dewey, went East
with grain and freight Of various kinds.
and unless they are to be shipped back
empty they will certainly come back full
Of hard coal. OF course. It Is impossible
to predict anything about the settlement OF
the strike. II g settlement Is reached next
week ] believe VI will have hard coal by
the first OF November.
1T Will be several months before prices
become normal. but l believe the demand
VIII be sufficient for this market. This
market consumes in round numbers about
2es.W, tons of hard, coal per annum. On
hand at the time the strike started were
about 15.p0 tons. This hss been distributed.
and now it is impossible to fill orders for
80 !
What are the people to do? Well, 1 think
II viii be possible to get along with the. Ar
kansas. Illinois and West Virginia product
until the hard coal situation rights itself.
Then there is COX which does the work OF
anthracite in nearly all instances. / should
judge that there is on hand at this mar
ket. now about $500 tons of coke. This
sells at from $3.50 to 81 per ton. This price
Will doubtless advance If news from the
hard coal region is unfavorable the coming
week.
In Chicago coke was selling at 81 per
ton, but ] DO not think It will reach that
inquire here. In all probability the supply
on hand here will be kept for local Gus
though not a hard coal. answers the pur-
pose I'm many cases. This product has ad-
yanced recently from $50 TO I.75 per ton.
There has been no advance in soft Goals.
and | do not look for any in the near flu
ture."
w. V. Mason of the HuIl-Masson Coal
and Coke Company gave IL as his opinion
that there viii be no shipments of anthra-
cite to St Louis worth mention before the
first of the year. He says the supply of
substitutes for hard coal are plentiful, how
ever, and that st. Eouisans will not suffer
from cold for lack of fuel.
Most Of the hard coal furnaces" said
Mr.. Mason, will burn bituminous coal
satisfactorily IL they are properly handled.
True, there Is a certain amount OF dir and
SCOT resulting. which cannot he avoided.
but care will eliminate much of this. The
Arkansas smokeiess coal, which has been
used in ST. Louis for some time. gives per-
feet satisfaction in furnaces. There is n
good supply OF this In St. Louis and adj
oitional shipments are arriving.