Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-30
SITUATION UNCHANGED
Supply Of Anthracite Coal
Gradually Diminishing.
USE OF GAS AS FUEL
PRESIDENT MCLEAN DENIES SUP
PLY WILL BE LIMITED.
Prediction That Soft Coal Will Be
Cheap in Baltimore-Local
Conditions.

There is no change in the situation of the
coal strike as 1t affects Washington The
supply of anthracite coal is considerably
less, naturally, than it was few days
ago when the most conservative estimate
placed 1t at from 1000 to 1900 tons This
supply is controlled by very few dealers
who fortunately placed in a stock before
the strike went into effect
So far as could be learned today the high
est price paid for the anthracite product
was SIS per ton, although there was ru-
NOR that one purchaser had paid go. The
entire delivery for the day in tons could be
counted on ones fingers and toes. and was
apportioned in quarters or half tons.
Advices from New York were to the eff
feet that hard coal was sold In small guam
titles at from $40 to s21 ton. This is
explained by the fact that New York is al
most entirely an anthracite using city. 1t is
so far north that cold weather comes earlier.
The coal dealers of Washington, while
some of them have undoubtedly endeavored
to main tain the old prices to their regular
customers and supply them in limited
amounts as far their supplies would go,
are, a rule. secretive as to the exact sit
uation. The dealers, of all others, are near
to the operators or brokers than any one
else. From them they are dependent on
their supplies. 1t would seem that they
uation is in the anthracite region
Rumors Regarding the Strike.
Evasive answers were given by nearly
every dealer who was questioned today by
an Evening Star reporter.
rs there any hope Of the strike being
ended soon?' was asked of one Of the fore
most dealers.
You know as much about 1t as I DO"
was the curt answer.
But Is II not reasonable to suppose that
you, as a dealer. should know something
about the situation at the mines2 Your
business is coal, and would you not have
some information to the progress of the
strike-the opinion Of the operators and
the brokers who are on the spot and on
whom you are dependent year in and year
on. for cupplies for your customers?"
II do not know more than what I have
told you,' he said, and the interview ceased
there.
One dealer was more communicative than
the others. He said there is a growing
belief among the dealers of Washington,
as well as those OF other cities, that the
operators are interested in driving them
out of business In other words the opera
tors hope to not only kill the miners or
ganzation, but to drive out of business
local dealers, with the ultimate intention
of placing their own agents in the cities
and towns Of the country, which would net
to them a greater profit.
While several dealers who were ques-
toned on the subject were disinclined to
discuss the proposition as indicated above,
there were those who intimated that there
has been a growing disposition on the part
Of the operators to control more and more
the disposition of their coal output
Price of Soft Coal in Baltimore.
From Baltimore came the Information
that soft coal will soon be delivered from
the mines of West Virginia and Pennsyl-
vania at 81 a ton. Local dealers who were
asked to the possibility of this today said
they did not believe that it could be done.
Soft coal sold today IN the local market at
s. and IS a ton, and not to exceed a single
ton was delivered to a customer.
There a rumor in downtown circles
this forenoon that the Washington Gas
Light Company would restrict the of its
gas product for fuel purposes, and that gas
would be sold only for lighting purposes.
Mr.. John r. Mclean. president of the COM
pany, denied the story in toto. He said:
The Washington Gas Light Company
will supply gas for any purpose as long as
II Is possible to get coal for producing gas
supply gas. and II does not care how it is
used by the public. There will be no re-
striction. The company desires to sell its
product, and will do until it is unable TO
produce It,"
The sale of oil and gasoline In Washing
ton and the District of Columbia has been
greater within the past twenty-four hours
than in their history. The demand for oil
stoves is unprecedented The result is that
prices for these appliances have increased
Manufacturers are running their plants day
and night and the increase in price UP TO
the present time is due to the additional
cost in wages for night work
Steamboats, and Coal Supply.
The demand TO- soft coal 10 take the place
OF anthracite has caus, great shortage
in the bituminous variety. One prominent
dealer stated yesterday that while he ordi-
narily received from 1I5 to zoo tons of soft
coal per day. he was now getting from 25
TO 40 tons, not half enough to supply his
ordinary trade. The managers of the
steamboat lines making their Headquarters
mere were notified Saturday last that coal
mad taken jump Of 75 cents per ton, and
was now worth $40 per ton. This is an
advance of 81 80 in the past year. Even at
that hgure the steamboat men were told
they mad no guarantee that they would re-
celNe coal necessary to run their boats
The receipts of cord wood here have been
quite light since Saturday, but dozen or
more vessels are down the river loading for
th!s city. AS the heavy demand for wood
70 take the place of coal was not expected
but little of the heavy oak and hickory
wood nave been cut. but the CHOPPERS are
now at work getting II out for the dealers
here. Even with this the suppIv of oak