Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-20
SUPPLY CUT IN HALF
STRIKE PREVENTED THE USUAL
SUMMER SURPLUS.
The Situation Necessitates Patience
and Self -Denial-Outlook Not
Very Encouraging.
Special From a STAFF Correspondent.

Special From a Staff Correspondent.
NEW YORK, December 2}.-The presi-
dents of the anthracite coal. comp ln!es have
taken some steps to ascertain the dis
position of the output of the coal mines
This inquiry was instituted for the purpose
of satisfying themselves of the truth or
falsity of reports that somebody was hold
ing up the coal supply. This action was
inspired by considerations of humanity.
Notwithstanding the prevailing idea that the
coal presidents heartless and soulless
monopolists.
The idea that any individual firm cor
poraton could hold back the supply OF coal
in anticipation of possible severe weather
and exorbitant prices later on was abb
horrent even the much-reviled trust mag
mates could hardly bring themselves to be-
lieve that any human being could be SO
overcome with cupidity to perpetrate an
outrage of that kind upon suffering hu-
manity. However, in order to make sure,
and take no chances on human nature, the
railway presidents have looked into the Sill
uation thoroughly.
The following may be accepted as an au-
thoritatve, truthful statement:
No Hold-Up o. Coal.
There is no hold-up of the coal output
in a general or to a material degree. Ii ID
not believed that there are many Individual
cases of Withholding of supplies by local
dealers. AS to the latter. the people in each
community can best judge for themselves:
they can see the stocks in the dealers
yards or by little inquiry ascertain the
stocks on the railway sidings In the vicin-
ity:
of supplies by the operators, the railways
or the agents who act as Intermediates
ne producers
ers.'
The following series of questions, which
| l propounded. and answers to them by the
authority above referred TO may interest
the consumers of Washington
rs the present output OF coal al the
| mines up to the norman?
| 1T is about 100000 tons day above the
normal for this season of the year.
| What becomes of the coal?"
"It is hurried to the market and absorb
| ed in small quantities rapidly that tts
| presence is hardly noted. 1t must be re-
1 membered that every family started with an
| empty coal cellar when winter fairly set In
a stock on hand. The work OF the pro-
ducers at this season of the year only keeps
| up the average consumption Now tho
| work of the producers must not only keep
up the average consumption, but the aver
age consumption is increased, BECAUSE or
! the original deficit in the supply.
| 1.-The public has an idea" | suggested.
that some one is keeping coal from the
| trains say that they pass miles OF coal
| cars on the sidings.
Capacity of Mile of Cars.
do you know how many tons of coal
| there are in a mile Of coal cars?" was the
reply.
There are just 4,3JO tons in your mile OF
| coal cars. Now ii takes just ten miles OF
coal cars to supply New York for day
The strings Of coal cars observed on the
| sidings approaching Washington were not
| being held up by anybody or anything ex-
| cept physical condtions-the inability to
handle unload and deliver their contents
THE total output of coal for the past
eleven months of 1862 was 2j,10I ,459 tons.
The output for the same period. 1901, was
| AZ. 445.I4S tons The difference, OF course.
| comes about from the long period of idle
| ness of the mines. l venture to say that
991a per cent of the daily output is going
| into the hands Of the consumer Just as 1ast
| as steam can haul it, dumps can unload IL
| and teams can deliver it on the sidewalk.
! The railroads cannot hold 1t back because
| they have not the cars TO store 1t in, and.
| Furthermore, because they are interested In
getting the freights for its transportation
THE middemen are not holding Vt up,
because they are afraid of big slump In
prices that would follow a warm spell In
January l venture to say that the re-
| tailers are not holding it up, il for no other
reason-taking the most cold -blooded view
of it-than that the pressure from their
customers will not permit such action
"Our estimate of the present daily ship
ment of coal is as follows: To New York.
Jersey City and Long Island. 5000 tons:
Philadelphia, u, 600 tons; Boston, 10000
tons; New Jersey. 5000 tons; New Eng
land, 13 $50 tons; Buffalo, 5000 toms; west
ern states, 2SO00 tons; southern states.
1000 tons; Canada, 5000 tons; miscella-
neous. including local, $4,000 tons. Total.
226 750 tons.
Now, to come to the consumers stand
point what is the prospect for the house.
for he winter2'
Prospects Unfavorable.
Exceedingly unfavorable,' was the re-
ply.
What can the householder do?" was the
next question of a practical nature.
II can only say he should be patient and
above all not to exercise cupidity. In other
words he must be willing to bear his share
of the common burden of self-denial and not
insist upon filling his own coal cellar full.
That will certainly result in his neighbor
having none. The visible supply is almost
cut in half. The very poor will suffer less
in reality than the middle class. There VIII
be always some one to look out for the
holder who will feel the pinch
You are not very comforting, was sug-
gested.
The Star asked for the truth" respond
ed he, "and there it is.'' iWth this condition
confronting the public. the Standard Oil
Company proceeds to pile further burdens
on the people. The pr.ce of refined Kerosene
to tobbers was yesterday advanced one cent
a gallon. Kerosene today is quoted at
higher figure than has prevailed at any
time within twenty years.
Down in Wall street today some men
were figuring the results of that increase
to the Standard Oil Company. The lowest
estimate was that 1t would, IL the ratio
continued increase the income OF the
Standard Oil Company s15.500,o0o year.
Last Monday the stockholders in the
Standard OIL Company received their last
quarterly dividend of 10 per cent. The
dividends Of the entire year were s45,00o.000
N. o. NJ.