The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-07
NO COAL IN
FOR LOCAL
CONSUMERS
Inability TO Get Fuel From
Mines TO Tidewater Said
to Be Cause.

The coming OF coal into this port seems
to have stopped suddenly. for while the
beginning made on Sunday was promis-
ing for the week. since that time there
has been but one arrival and that the
barge Clitonia, which came In from Nor
folk today with 1900 tons OF soft coal con-
signed TO the Consolidated road.
The shortage of coal was never moro
strongly felt by the local consumers and
while. of course they are hoping for the
situation TO improve 1t cannot be said that
the aspect is any more encouraging The
local dealers have some coal ahoat.
some OF which Is coming along from Vir-
ginia and Pennsylvania ports. but what
coal il afioat is but a small part OF what
Is owned by dealers who cannot get trans
portation facilities to bring the coal to
tide water.
The cost OF the coal amounts up rapid
ly when there is delay In transportation
and the GOAL while II Is held at what
seems to be exorbitant prices, is not any
more profitable TO the dealers. There
would be a great deal more profit for the
dealers IL they could sell coal at the nor
NAL prices. There is a variance or from
$50 to 50 a ton between the prices paid,
Z. O. b. at tidewater at Pennsylvania and
Virginia ports and the prices at which
coal is sold at retail to consumers.
IL must be considered that the whole
saIer has TO pay the freight from the
ports TO Providence, to pay for handling
Il In quantity and then In small lots, ana
then again the cost of carriage enters IN
to IT, With competition existing II can
not be considered that the dealers are
neecing the people. Far from this. The
prices which are asked and which are
paid by the people with more or less pro-
tests are prices which are determined by
a practically fixed margin OF proht.
So much for the dealers. II there were
transportation facilities to get coal from
the mines to tidewater the shipping avail
able is sufficient TO rush all the coal de-
sired for Immediate needs, at least. and
II would not appear to any thinking per-
son there was danger OF a coal famine
under such conditions. But without the
railroad facilities, without cars or loco-
motives TO haul the cars II they were 70
be had the conditions which uphold the
prices OF fuel may be seen TO exist whoi-
! ly between the mines ana tidewater.
Soft coal IL quoted at $40 ton, ac-
cording 10 some people, but II Is not
| fact that a price Is made on coal. None
| of the local dealers have sufficient coal
on hand TO quote a price. ana wniie
some OF them are dealing out ton 20
| each customer the greater part or the
coal on hand Is necessary to f1ll existing
contracts. and so II will be seen thai
there Is not much coal to be had.
There has been great boom In the
| sale of OIL stoves and heaters In the pas
| few days, and while oil heaters are op
| jectionable from many points OF view !
| is a fact that oil heaters will give hea
| and comfort and tht price OF oil Is no
! Increased. There has been large DE
mand for gas as we'll and 1t would appea
| that the facilities Of the Providence ga
| company will be pushed 10 the capacit!
| OF the works the coming winter
One of the captains Of the Providenc
Tow Boat Co, recently removed nj
family from Cape Cod 20 this city and n
desired to get a ton OF coal for immediat
use. The influence of the Tow Boat Cc
was invoked and everything was done J
order to get n ton OF anthracite coal
was no use and so the captain. when
removed his family. brought with him
ton and n half Of the precious fuei an
also a cord and a half of wood He wa
quite content TO pay the freight In orde
| 10 get the fuel into his new home.
This Is but one OF thousand incident
| showing the need OF fuel.