The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-04
SOFT COAL
SCARCE AT
ALL PORTS
No Cargoss Offered Since Last
Friday and the Prospect for
Anthracite Not Assuring.

While there is no hard coal coming o.
any indication OF the time when hard Goa
will arrive, II Is certain enough that 1
Is growing more and more difficult to Sc
cure soft coal.
This may seem strange to the average
consumer, but is a fact that not since
last Thursday has cargo OF soft Goa
been offered for sale at any of the large
coal ports. and there include New York,
Philadelphia, Newport News. Norfolk, or
Baltimore, and when soft coal will be
again offered is something uncertain.
Today II was believed by the Eastern
Coal company yesterday that something
definite might be known today as 10 the
probable time when shipments of anthra-
cite coal m. ght be received here. but the
expected Information did not materialize
and while II Is still hoped for there Is
nothing that can be said regarding the
situation today.
There has been such an abnormal de-
mand for coal within a short distance
Of the mines that little. II any. coal has
been sent To or received at tidewater,
and until the supply which has been sent
will meet the local demands II is doubtful
that coal is sent TO tidewater.
The work is going on In the mines. GER
tain enough. and. of course, the output
as yet. The efforts of the coal opera
tors to supply the demands Of the entire
country. and a part of Canada. result
in the mines being run 10 the fullest ca
pacity. but what is turned out daily is
but small fraction OF the amount neces-
sary for immediate need and there Is
no provision for the future.
One coal dealer believes that II will be
well along towards spring before the
local market will receive a supply OF coal
which will enable the dealers to stock up
their customers. and this man says that
II will be the first OF the year to a GER
tainty before coal comes to this market
IN anything like a sufficiency TO meet de-
mands for immediate requirements
SO long as the coal weather holds off |
the people will not feel the need OF fuel,
but when the thermometer begins TO play |
tag with zero there will be absolute neces- !
-sity- OF finding -fnsl--and- the demand will |
be far greater than the dealers can meet |
for the needs of all will be equally acute. |
The scarcity OF soft coal is a problem |
which was not expected and II is not |
that the miners have not been producing |
'e the largely M "e increa T Sed0 sed demands @ 1ust 81
what the local effect will be Is something |
difficult TO predict. burt II Is a certainty |
that people who have coal had best econo-
mie until there is an abundance In the |
local market
There Is some soft coal coming all the !
tlme ana tniS morning the EASTERN Coal 4
company received two large cargocs from
southern coal ports. But these cargoes,
while large. are but n drop. and n small
drop, inthe bucket OF public need. IL
may be. and II Is expected that there
will be soft coal offered. but when II is
considered that the entire country Is
seeking fuel quite as anxiously as is
Providence and vicinity. Il will be seen
that with the most just distribution OF |
coal but little can be sent to each place.
Under such circumstances IL is not
strange that the prices are maintained
high and the fuel is scarce.
Under the present conditions the outlook
may not be considered reassuring but |
II Is believed that the coming OF anthra-
cite coal Is nearer each day and that
az really coal weather Is not expected |
before the middle of next month the con-
ditions may be materially changed. One
reason assigned Is that coal is being |
shipped west before the rivers and the
great lakes are closed to navigation.
These close early In the winter as rule.
while tidewater Is usually open nearly |
all of the year round. save In the extreme
north and east