The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-02
EIGHT
CApGOES
ARRIVE
Seven Barges and One Schooner
Bring About 5000 Tons Of
Coal, Mostly for Out Of Town

The arrivals OF coal shipments today
number eight in ail in addition to those
reported yesterday. and OF these five
barges have coal consigned and the other
three have coal to order.
or the consigned coal the barge Marie
from Weehawken, with 1886 tons OF hard
coal will go 10 the Consolidated road;
the schooner Perry Setter, Philadelphia,
with 1883 tons of soft coal will go TO the
Consolidated road; the barge Nora, Ho-
boken, with 1852 tons OF hard coal VIII
20 to the Consolidated road for ship
ment to the Lowell Coal company and the
barge Felix from Newport News has 209S
tons Of soft coal which will go to the
Consolidated road.
The barges Gladys, Falcon and Expert
ment. are here TO order and these have
I'm round numbers about 2o0o tons of hard
coal The barge Delaware, with 56l tons
or hard coal is consigned 20 the Provi-
dence Coal company.
IL Is probable that some OF the coat
sent hero TO order Will be taken by some
OF the local dealers. but this Is not n GER
tainty IL will be seen that OF the five
carRoes consigned 3075 tons were hard
coal and that 4096 tons was soft coal
The conditions which obtain today are
much the same as yesterday. There Is
apparently disposition on the part OF
some OF the dealers to establish prices
without regard 10 agreement on the part
OF the other dealers. when the scramble
10 purchase coal Is considered IL Will be
seen that there is no danger OF compe-
tition affecting the business OF any one
dealer.
II Is not a case OF cutting prices now
adays. but instead 10 Is apparently a case
Of boosting prices. and this has been done
generously by all who have coal that can
be sold.
The freight charged by the railroad
| companies which are now shipping coal
by their own tugs and barges Is $3.50 a
! ton which Is from 20 20 30 cents ton
| less than has been charged by the indo-
| pendent transportation companies. but the
| independents outnumber the railroads IN
| the way Of shipping facilities and they
consequently get their price.
Charters have been made at s. tor
\ between this city and New York. and this
| is 90 cents a ton more than has beer
| charged TO charter steamers Co load Goa
| at Cardin. England. for Providence and
| Boston The cost Of coal freight rates
| from Europe 20 this country has sharply
| advanced and the rates have gone higher
than fer long time. but at that the rate,
cost only three-quarters of tho pric'
! charged 20 bring coal 200 miles. agalns
! the 5000 miles from Cardiff to Provi
| dence
IL viii be seen that the transportation
companies have numerically robbed IN,
dealers and when Il f. considered the dea
public pays for it all eventually 70 Is ap
parent the transportation companies hay,
taken advantage OF the extreme need o
the people 10 rob them right and left
Three months ago the freight rates from
this port 90 New York ranger from ~ q
80 cents ton The rates have Quadruple,
because the people had TO have coal. Tn
people. facing n coal famine. have beel
forced 20 pay rates that are simply extor
/ lion The people who consume coal, al
alike. have 90 shoulder the cost and n D
/ easy 90 see why the cost OF coal has In
creased rapidly
The outlook for the future does not ~
pear 90 be bright There is no doubt IN
: dealers are doing an they can 90 secur
coal but in many Instances money wi
pot purchase coal az any price. There
one dealer in this city who had harg
~ coal confscated by the government, n
least according % the reports that reach
cd the dealers. and tho customers had I
walt. although many had paid their nor
o. for the expected coal The dealer wa
compelled 10 cancel the orders and ~
| fund the money.