The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-14
PLENTY
OF COAL
COMING
Cargoss Arriving Keeping Pace
With Discharging Facilities,
and Congestion Sill Exists

While there has not been any large
number OF arrivals or coal careoes In
this port on any one day within the past
week, yet the cargoes that have come in
have been sufficient to keep pace at
last with the diseharglng facilities of the
port For this reason the congestion con-
unues to exist and It will probably con-
tinue for a number OF weeks to come, un-
less there be a period OF severe weather
that will place an embargo Oh tidewater
transportation.
The facilities for dlscharging coal at
this port are what would be considered
ample under normal conditions, but with
coal rushing into the harbor from both
domestic and foreign ports. with the ship
pers straining every energy To get the
coal To the railroads before the cold
wea ther gives way to spring. there has
been demand for dischargng and trans
portation which has been largely I'm ex-
cess OF the facilities at the command OF
the dealers and the railroad companies.
Ii is not believed that there will be any
particular reason To Increase the present
facilities for discharging coal unless the
wide knowledge of the advantages or
Providence as receiving port. the result
OF the many foreign arrivals this winter,
will direct more foreign shipping To This
port. But that is matter for future con-
sideration and development.
The discharging Of the cargoes that are
now in this port is going on day and
night and all energy In directed towards
completing this work. This is necessary
for two reasons. First OF all the de-
mand from the interior for coal and quite
as important the fact that generally all
OF the cargoes pay demurrage All Of the
domestic shipping is allowed a certain
number Of days for dscharging cargo
but the foreign vessels go on demurrage
as soon as they arrive and no dealer who
is receiving coal cares to have the demur-
rage any heavier than is possible. For
that reason as much attention Is given
the foreign arrivals as is possible and
luck is trusted 10 to a certain extent 10
reach the other vessels and 10 keep the
demurrage down to the lowest possible
limit.
Demurrage adds materially 10 the cost
OF coal, when IL is understood that after
the limit is reached six cents a ton daily
Is exacted. a weeks delay would mean
AZ cents added TO the cost of each ton or
coal, and with the prospect OF coal drop
ping In price, should the weather con-
tinue mild, every dealer wants to handle
the coal as rapidly as possible and TO get
the cargoes out with the least delay.
There is now enough coal in the harbor
to keep the facilities OF the port working
day and night for more than two weeks,
with the prospect that the cargoes Will be
considerably augmented should the
weather continue mild. With this prospect
the dealers do not care to see another
cargo come i'm. However. the principal de-
lay is caused by congestion about the
piers of the Consolidated road and as this
coal is intended for interior shipment NJ
will he seen the effect, so far as price Is
concerned. will not be local
All of the local dealers are doing con-
siderable business now. The demands are
I'm excess OF the deliveries and while de-
liveries cannot be made on the day orders
are given IL is possible TO deliver within
As hours as rule. The prices fixed by the
local dealers remain unchanged. The de-
mand has decidedly increased with the
lowering OF the prices, but 1t would APP
pear there is no lack OF coal on the part
of the people OF Providence as n whole.
Still. no person has great deal OF coal
on hand
There was considerable coal I'm the har-
Dor this morning, this being received by
the Eastern Coal Co, the Providence Coal
Co. and John II. White S Son. John X.
White & Son received 2l17 tons of furnace
and stove coal and the Eastern Coal Co.
received nearly 1900 tons of both sizes. The
Providence Coal Co. received about 300
tons OF stove and egg coal. Several bargos
were also received by the Consolidated
road.
one thing noticeable during the past
few days has been the excess OF depart
ures Of shipping over arrivals. Today two
OF the foreign steamships got away and
both went south to load for foreign ports
E'reights between this port and New
York are dropping, the rates quoted being
from 60 to rs cents a ton, while the price
10 Philadelphia and Newport News still is
| from! 81 TO $1.10. Last October the price
was 20 cents n ton from New York to this
| city and 65 cents to Philadelphia and
Newport News.