The Minneapolis journal., 1902-10-25
"A SLUMP IN FUEL
Spectators May Begin to Unload
When New Anthracite Be-
.,- ~ ..,'@, gins to Arrive.
AT the: Worst, Prices Will Be
Very Little Above the
=. Ordinary. 3

The local landlords and other interested
persons who are still unwilling to aban-
don their profitable prophecies Of coal
| famine, this winter will find little, solace
In the actual facts. Fuel dealers are
compelled to agree that both coal and
wood will be abundant.
These dealers parted from their anthra-
cite during the coal strike. but they al
ways had plenty of bituminous coal on
hand. 1t. was not at Minneapolis, to be
sure. But 1t was close at hand, as usual.
In the great coal docks at the head Of
Lake Superior. To such supplies OF soft
coal were added. within the last two
months, large store Of hard wood, which
was accumulated, mainly for speculative
purposes. by men that hoped to profit
from the expected dearth Of coal.
A Drop Not Unlikely.
But now that the miners have resumed
work and steady supply Of both hard
and soft coal Is assured within a few
weeks, the owners Of soft coal and hard
wood have abandoned all hope of money
making extraordinary. They are ready to
accommodate every customer within a
reasonable time and at fair prices. They
are not little apprehensive, indeed. that
soon as the new supply of coal be-
gins arriving, the local spectators will
begin unloading their boarded fuel alto
gether too freely. Thus 1t is not impos-
sible that coal. and especially wood. will
60 down instead Of up. This possibility IS
increased by the fact that many large
consumers of coal in the past, such as the
owners Of factories, office buildings and
apartment houses. have laid in recently
winters supplies of fuel In the shape Of
wood, mill products, Ignite and other sub
stitutes for ordinary coal.
I'm fact,"r said the fuel dealer who
made the foregoing statement to-day, "our
only hope of being able to keep the price
OF coal a little higher this winter rests
on the fact that we shall have to receive
our future shipments from the eastern
mines by rail instead Of water. The
higher freights paid on that account may,
If there Is no break in the market for
other reasons, add SO cents ton to the
ordinary price of coal. But to the aver
age householder that difference would
mean an additional expense Of s5 only for
the entire winter.
Mr.. HIPS Prediction.
"No, the fuel men were not alarmed by
j. J. Hills prediction the other day, In
the merger hearing, that we're likely to
have fuel famine. The fuel mon. and
the railway men as we'll, understood Mr.
Hill perfectly. He was on the witness
stand demonstrating that his merger was
devised chiefly for the public benefit. He
KNEW now IllIlOTOu6 tilo poOpl6 nave laIely
become about their fuel supply, and he
| wished to take advantage Of the prevalent
agitation. He wanted to show that If his
merger was permitted to, prosper 1t would.
| as he believed, stand ready to succor the
northwest in it's hour Of need by bringing
cheap. fuel this way over the Burlington
| road. But II you people are too ignorant
| to see this fact Mr.. Hill argues, and If
you still continue to rely upon independ-
ent lines, why I'm afraid. I'm dreadfully
afraid, that those other fellows will over
tax you!"