The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-08-21
President TruesdaI0 Of Lacka-
wanna Road Is Optimistic.
ANTHRACITE FAMINE NEAR EN- D
Assertion Mads That Fall Supply VIII Bs
Ample for All Needs and at Last
Years Prices.

New York. Aug a.-Despite the state
ments made by retail coal dealers OF this
city that there will be nara coal famine
by the time the fall trade sets In and
that the present fancy coal prices VIII be
maintained for the greater part OK tho
coming winter. official assurances were
made yesterday that these statements
we're not founded on fact.
IL was intimated that a great part OF
this sort OF talk has been got up by
retail dealers who are profting by the
situation In the anthracite coal neids
with view TO causing a scare among the
great mass OF householders who are now
figuring on their supply of coal for the
early fall months.
To these householders the statement
made yesterday by w III. Trues"aie'
president of the Delaware. Lackawanna
and Western, one OF the greatest anthra-
cite coal roads I'm Pennsylvania' VIII come
as welcome news He said:
81 think work at the mines will be re-
sumed In time TO produce plenty OF coal
for the fall demand. Many or the work
men want to come back TO work now
and they will return just as soon as tney
feel that they will be thoroughly pro-
tected."
Mr. Trues4ale's opinion indicates an
early cessation Of the strike. He has Kept
IN ciose touch with the progress OF Affairs
AT the mines. and his expression OF be-
lief that there will be plenty or coal 10
take care OF the fall demand IL can De
Judged is not founded on mere surrnise
Yesterday he attended a meeting OF the
Temple Iron company. the directors OF
which are presidents of all the large an
thracite coal roads.
PRICES THE SAME
OF more Importance, however, to the
consumer of coal than the official assur-
anco that there would be q plentiful sup
py when the demand set In, was an au-
! thoritstive and official announcement that
| IL has been decided by the anthracite
| producers not to advance the price OF
! coal when II is rushed 10 market
| This policy will deal a deathblow TO the
| efforts OF retailers who have been plan
| ming to reap a golden harvest later on AZ
| the season, when the coal strike was
| settled and supplies began to come or
| the market Recently warning was giver
TO fat owners and tenants that they ex
pect only half supply when coal oegar
TO come on the market This was takei
|
would be maintained indefinitely
The coal roads. however. have decided e
| sell coal at tho same prices which pre-
<ailed a year ago. In fact. II mas beer
officially stated that the scale or prices
which has been In vogue for two years
| past will prevail as soon as coal Degin'
TO move from the mines. Prices var,
according to the month IN tne seae .
| prices which have been In vogue for some
| time past. Whatever price should pre-
vail according to this scale, when tn
| strike ends. that price will be charged
Mr.. TruesdaIe added that there wal
| no founda ton TO the rumor that tn'
anthracite coal operators will make an!
concessions to the minors, I'm order to enc
the strike
TESTING WELSH COAL.
Several carloads of anthracite coal from
Wales the first II is said that has beel
brought to this country for half cen
tury, have been imported by II. l.. Her
bert g. Co., the firm which has the con
tract for supplying fuel for the Man
haitian Elevated Railroad. The frm !
now conducting a series OF experiments
with a view to detsrming wnether III
coal is suitable for use In American
stoves and furnaces. and II II is II ma
| be imported I'm large quantities.
According TO the latest quotations an
thracite coal was worth at Swansea from
"a TO s. a ton, fair coal selling for s45
] a ton These grades are production
for the Paris, one for the suburba
French and one for the German market
Freight charges TO this country ar
about $3.50 a ton. and the tarin on 10
imported fuel is 75 cents ton. ina
brings the net cost In New York to Vi
a ton at the docks.
Frederick Il. Saward, OF the Coai Irao
! Journal, said that while this price wa
! not prohibitive II would make the bus
ness OF importing fuel somewhat precar
s ous Welsh coal could not be retaile
for much less than 81 ton, and tha
Is the price now asked for Pennsylvani
anthracite. Should there he another ad
. vance. however, TO No ton at reta
: there might be market for Swanse
: coal.