The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-02-16
SOUTHERN PROGRESS.
CONCENTRATION OF OWNERSHIP OF COAL PROPERTIES.
Southern States . District of the
 Nation Which Will Be of the Utmost Importance in This Respect.

Baltimore, Feb. 1a.-(Spectal.)-ln Q special. article in this weeks issue or The Manufacturers' Record. MT. Y. F. Saward. the New York authority on the coal trade discusses the decided tnfu- ence of the concentration of the own ership of coal properties for an enlarge ment of our foreign trade m coal lie
 lThe district of our country which will be of the utmost importance In tnis re- spect Is the Southern States. for herein Is found the quality pest aoap5ed ioT was informed by German visitor who has made a most exhaustive tour Of our coal and iron districts. that ne fo9nd some Alabama block coals the ideal fuel, but that vessels could not readily be had at q fair rate of freight; that next after these were the Pfttsburg seam coals, in West Virginia. to be shipped from Baltimore. He was most enthust- astic on the subject and spoke or talk ing up the shipment early this year; be- ing a practical man in coal ana iron, his verdict is of more than passing value and scope.
 that Prince Henry Is only coming here for frolic? There are many reasons that he should take an interest an the matter of our mineral resources. oniy within the past few days is there the news of the formation of company to operate coaling stations along the Medi- terranean-Red Sea route to the east ward, in opposition to the English. AS our West Virginia coal Is being used by the German cruisers in the Caribbean, why is it a stretch of the imagination that we should have the trade Of this new company?
 MT. Saward sketches the concentraion of interests now under way in the South, points to their effect upon busa- ness at seaboard terminals. and says:
 Evidently the Virginia and West Vir- ginia properties are being put into shape for an entirely new era of things New. port News and Norfolk will be taxed to the utmost of their shipping faciii- ties before many months, and the DIE pier at Curtis Bay will prove to De the Ohio management ever made. .oo,
 He shows that between 1899 and 1901 the exports of American coal to Europe increased from 35, 900 tons to nearly 5soooo tons and says:
 When one considers the facts. this is not a bad beginning, and all Europe owes us a debt of gratitude. for was largely due to the proven pQsslMhues or American shipments that the Brtisher was forced to "a reduction in his prices. Even this will not avaal If there De proper handling of the trade by those most directly concerned. There never ,Ss Tss R9T is there Of British Sessss Americans. It Is a logical conclusion that the seller shall deliver his goods to the buyer, and whie we are now paying for eign vessel-owners for carrying this coal. the time should not be far distant when the American owner of vessel Will De able to effect a through bill of lading from the mine to Europe. Ihis can only be possible, however. by the establish, ment of lines of steamers which will lay the coal down in Europe with the ut- most economy of time between the mine pit and the European coal dock. inc lower the freight rates between this T hah hAf al American coal will have in the European market"
 He mentions the strong probability of owners of French built steamers being shortly in a position to transport Amer lean coal to France and other countries at low rates. and says:
 French capitalists are studying the question whether American coal. carried on subsidized French steamers. could not be delivered from France and other Eu- ropean countries at such prices as would enable 1t to enter into successful com petition with British and other coal It Is not alone in the s-the-Atlantic trade that our coal exports have grown wihln the past two years, but to the West Indies, South AmerIca and Central America, while the bunker trade has increased enormously all the way from New Orleans, where they take on Ala bama coal. to Baltimore. where they get West Virginia coal. It is growing grow ing. and l contend that the recent con- centra tions. such as are noted above, are all in the line of even better things than have yet been witnessed. This outside business Is not the only factor In the future development of the mineral wealth of the South "
 Mir. Saward dwelis upon the rapidly Increasing demand for coal In Southern industry and in conclusion says:
 AS the country develops there Is more demand for all the greater number of vessels to carry the products from the ak.e et n Ot1fSjdarS and they all need coal Once let the qualities of our coal be more fully and better known abroad, If only as bunker coal there springs up other avenues of trade, both here and abroad: It is so interesting cna as Ats discnssinn and axnlnitatinn :.