The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-11
COAL SUPPLY
Continued from page One.)
MAY AGAIN ADVANCE .

Prom present indications 1 think you
may look for another advance early In
September, II the strike Is not then set
tied and people are preparing TO put In
their winters supply. IL SO, We VIII have
TO cut down orders and not deliver over
a ton TO our regular customers and cut
out small dealers and shops where they
now get S5 cents for basket OF %
pounds or a rate Of S14 ton.
"what, then. can the people do to
keep warm the coming winter2" inquired
the reporter.
well. / suppose they will have to re-
sort TO soft coal. now about 50 ton. and
then you can look for an advance In that
commodity.
Another thing, people do not like soft
coal 1t may be all right for furnaces
and boilers In workshops factories and
locomotives, but IL VIII not even do for
steamboats, while II emits disagreeable
odor when attempted to be used for
house purposes and ruins stoves and
ranges"
The same sentiment were re-echoed by
Manager Kinghorn of John r. White g.
Son, and he added: MY advice to a per-
sonal friend would be not to buy more
than enough for 90 or 80 days. with the
hope that the strike may In the mean
time be settled"
General Manager Holden of the Easern
Coal company. which is the largest firm
In fact a companyJin the city or state.
said he could hardly express an opinion
as to the outcome, for IL would be diff
ficult TO guess how the strike will end.
II don't believe In all the yards of the
city there are more than 10000 tons-an
average OF about one-quarter of ton TO
the 10000 families OF our 100000 popuia-
tion. Why the people would empty our
elevators. sheds and bins In fortnight
EVEN WOOD TAKES A JUMP.
In conversation with prominent deal-
er In wood he remarked that II has al
ready begun TO affect them.
I'VE were notified today OF an advance
OF 81 per cord and hard wood that hither-
to we got from $3.50 10 s. a cord we must
hereafter pay $50 to Sc a cord. For hard
wood the retailers now get s. but they
will have 10 get 50 soon. 80 coal would be
cheaper In the end for IL Is generally
admitted that one ton OF coal Is equal TO
two cords OF wood"
Even coke In sufficient quantity for the
demands OF New England cannot be Sc
cured and the small amount OF anthra-
cite being mined Is shipped toward Chi
cago before the lakes close for naviga-
ton Should the lakes close then IL would
| be cheaper 10 send east by rail coal-hard
| or soft-and this might partially relieve
| the terrible tension that threatens New
| England which is simply remaining SUI
pine through the prevailing hot weather.
Once settled at Is sure that for years
| TO come there will be no further trouble
| IN the anthracite region, for employer and
| employed will carefully guard against q
repetition OF the costly struggle they are
| now waging While IL Is not a pleasant
| thing for the general public TO contem-
| plate, n Is almost certain that the price
| OF Anthracite coal viii exceed that paid
at any ueriOd in the paRt
THE ONLY HOPE.
| So long as a body OF $1,000 remain
steadfsst 90 John Mitchell and the de-
mands OF the United Mine Workers OF
| America so long will the strike I'm the
anthracite coal fields continue, pro-
| vided that tho coal presidents also re-
main firm In their announcement that
| there Il nothing TO "arbitrate."
| There are IN round numbers las 600 men
| who work In and about mines on a strike.
| But these 5000 men hold the key 20 the
situation. They are the miners-men hold
! ing certificates OF competency from the
state examining boards. Without such
/ aid not a ton Of coal can be cut. and 80
long as they, or a majority OF them. re-
main out there will be no change I'm the
| situation.
Mitchell realizos this and his entire
| energies. as well as those OF local boards,
| are devoted 10 Keeping these men I'm line.
| They are the men favored. To them Is
distributed the bulk OF the money re-
| ceived from the monthly assessments
They are assured that there viii be nc
change In this plan. The one hundred
| thousand others--the helpers. laborers
| pumpmon and engine men--receive what
| remains. They could return I'm a body
and. except that the mines could be
cleared OF water, the breakers repaired
and the culm banks washed for the
smallest sizes of coal. the situation would
| remain unchanged.
| Arbitration. forced by President Roose-
welt or Senators Quay and Penrose. Il
the only hope now. Business men In ev'
cry town of Pennsylvania are organizins
associations and petitions for executive
interference OF some Kind daily burder
the mails. Quay. perhaps. is the mar
dependence He has said he win d'
what he can. and every one knows tina
can would only have 60 be an intlma
tion that the next legislature might pas
certain stringent corporation laws 10 en-,
| Il all
| II will be many years before mill,on
| now being lost cun be recovered.