Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-17

| will be governed by the northern and
western markets, which will take the
| initiation.
The price Of coal is not based upon its
| intrinsic worth, but on the unsettled
| condition of the market, which makes
| large buyers run up the price on each
other.
| Should mining be started in the hard
| coal fields and some evidence shown that
the public would be supplied, the in
| flated values will burst and coal might
be obtainable at a stiff, though compa-
/ rativey reasonable, figure.
| A prominent dealer said yesterday that
private advices from Philadelphia show
ed that the anthracite product would
| probably begin to arrive in this city.
within one month to six weeks after the
| strike had been officially called off. This
! prompt shipment would then arrive here
| before the real cold wea tf1er arrived.
and there would be no serious inconve
nience on account of the shortage which
| has existed.
No Cheap Coal Yet.
There IS little prospect of cheap coal,
| however, as the supply Of anthracite ls
already about 25,OOO.O30 tons short. and
| there is little chance that this deficiency
| will be Immediately made up, as the de-
mand in winter equals twice the mining
| capacity when the operators are run
| ming on full time. The policy of hard
coal opera tors is to mine coal in summer
| and store for use during the season of
great demand. Since May of the past
summer no storing has been done.
The soft-coal situation remains COM
| parativ easy. Wednesday the Chesa-
the mines. including New River, Kama
wha, and the Kentucky districts.
amounted to $40 cars. Most of this is
steam coal. while very little is donres-
tic-otherwise known as splint lump.
One black cloud has not disappeared
The miners along the Chesapeake and
Ohio railway are still striking, and are
as determined as ever to win Should
the hard-coal troubles be settled, it is
said the entire pressure of the union
will be brought to bear on the operators
of West Virginia to force them to treat
with these miners.
West Virginia Outlook.
AS the Chesapeake and Ohio road is
the. recognized supply center for the
Richmond market the following. from
the Charleston CW Va) Daily Gazette
of yesterday will prove interesting:
IF the anthracite coal strike is settled
will see the biggest labor conflict in her
history"
4
The above was a statement made by
man prominent in labor circles in this
city. yesterday. The statement is author
itatively made that in the event Of the
settlement Of the anthracite strike in
Pennsylvania President John Mitchell,
of the United Mine-Workers will move
his headquarters to West Virginia. for the
purpose of aiding the coal miners in this
State, to secure the concessions for which
they have been striking. 1t is said that
the entire force of the mine-workers or
ganiZation will be concentrated to bring
the coal operators of the mountain State
to terms. According to the informant no
sum Ct money would be spared. In his
opinion the West Virginic operators would
eventually be forced to settle at terms
named by TIE miners.
George w. Purcell. of Terre Haute, Ind,
national Executive Board member of:
the United Workers of America,
who has been in charge of the strike
headquarters at Montgomery since the
strike was inaugurated. was in the city
yesterday. Mr.. Purcell occupies a posi-
ton close to President Mitchell. In. an
interview with Gazette represen tative,s
he said: ss8Ss-s,
IF the anthracite strike is settled it.
means that the strike in this State will
enc in favor of the miners. The United