The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-08
LIFE OF THE COAL FIELDS
ANTHRACITE PRODUCT WILL LAST
OVER SIXTY YEARS.
Some Information About the Coal
Fields of Indiana-Three Big
Miners Strikes.

strike situation remains as ii is. If, how
ever, the Indiana miners went out in SYM
pathy with the rest things would be altered
although local dealers say that they could
furnish coal for domestic use for sixty days
without trouble, but those who depend up
on ii for steam would be compelled to get
some other fuel or do without. because they
haven't stock enough on hand to supply
wholesale customers. OF course when
natural gas was plentiful some years ago
a coal strike concerned the inhabitants OF
this city very little, but now, since all of
the large factories and buildings have dis
continued the use of gas and are depend
ing almost exclusively on coal. the details
of a strike of miners are watched with in
terest.
This city has the advantage in the pres
ent strike, because Of coal used here COM
paratively little is anthracite With the in
creased use of coal, however, dealers still
assert that this city is not in the proper
sense of the word coal-burning town. One
of the most prominent coal merchants said
that the people would be surprised if they
knew how few people were really depending
wholly on coal outside of those who use it
for steam. He said that the increased
small when compared with the number of
persons who discontinued the use of gas
He further said that among his personal
friends he found that a large majority Of
them used petroleum for fuel and also
still greater number had private hot-water
plants put in their homes, which reduced
the number of fires
In indianapolis nearly all Of the coal
for
soft coal There is a very small percent
age of anthracite consumed here and the
merchants who sell large quantities of
coal claim that they don't sell ton day
of it at this season of the year 1t is said
that from May l until the last of July is
known the dullest time of the whole
year in the coal trade and that is one rea-
son that the local dealers do not feel much
concerned about the strike for the prin-
cipal thing that is being done by them at
the present time is stocking up for the
year. OF course, all shipments of hard
coal from the East were stopped soon after
the strike was declared, and this will neces-
sarily delay them for some time in getting
in the winter supply, it all comes from
one place. The merchants here also claim
that ali of the Eastern cities will receive
first attention as soon as the strike is de-
clared off. as the West always gets the
short end" of all such deals from the
Eastern mine operators, who see that their
own interests are well taken care of first.
The principal reason for this is that the
East consumes much larger quantities of
anthracite coal each year than the West.
COAL FAMINE IN NEW YORK.
1t is very nearly certain that a coal fam
inc will occur in and about New York if
something is not done shortly Anthra-
| cite is now selling at IS and $3.50 a ton,
/ which is an advance of $1.65 and s.. 10 ton.
/ In this city the advance has only been 75c
! Before the strike it was selling at $6.25 and
last week it advanced to 81, and this is
| about as high as it is thought that it will
! go on account of the lack of demand.
| If, however, the shipment of bitumi-
nous coal was discontinued to this
city, although 1t is not exclusive
| ly coal-burning town, it would
| prove very serious and industries would
practically be paralyzed. The artificial gas
! company could not furnish light to its Gus
/ toners, and the electric power companies
would be unable TO give electricity for any
purpose, and this would of course mean
much in the way of having dark city and
| the stopping of many other things that de-
pend on electricity for running power. The
/ street-car company, which consumes large
quantities of coal each day, could not move
a car over the streets of. the city and all
] transportation would be stopped. The water
company would be compelled to quit pump
| ing water, which the inhabitants of this
city are absolutely dependent upon, and
all of the high Office buildings would be
! deserted because the elevators and all other
machinery about them would be useless.
! The railroads, which are the largest con-
summers of coal, would no doubt be the
greatest sufferers if unable to get fuel. The
daily newspapers would have to cease pub
! LEGATION for there would be nothing to use
but the hand presses, and these could do
nothing but put out a few thousand small
news sheets and that would not begin to
supply the people. All OF the large foun-
dries and factories that are located here
would have to quit business. In fact, the
town would be dead. strike at this sea-
son of the year, though, would have less eff
feet upon private families than at any other
| With coal dealers the domestic trade does
not open until late fall. while the wholesale
trade keeps up the whole year through
The actual amount of coal that is used
in this city each year is often the subject
Of much speculation, but that is as far as
| 1t can go, for those who are in d position
TO know say that ii would be impossible 10
estimate how much is burned here. because
there are so many small coal dealers who
do just business enough to keep alive, and
then all the coal that is shipped here is not
consumed in Indianapolis. Take New York
/ for instance, and "A number of other cities
/ All coal sent TO New York is used by that
city, but this is not so in regard to local
coal. A great quantity OF il is consigned
here, and after arriving is rebilled to some
other point. OF course. one reason for this
is that a great amount OF the coal that
comes through here is from Indiana mines,
and. as this city is railroad center. it can
almost be called the distributing point for
Indiana coal, for most OF il is sent here
and then forwarded to it's destination. 1t