The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-23
COAL is
ALWAYS
COMING
No Reduction Of Tonnage kfIoat
in Harbor, and Congestion Has
Not Been Relieved.

There has been. because Of the storm
and cold weather, no reduction In the
tonnage afioat In the harbor awaiting op-
portunity to discharge. In fact the ton
mage was increased Saturday and yes
terday by arrivals. and there Is no reason
to believe there will be decrease I'm ton
mage for several weeks to come.
Coal is not altogether abundant. ao-
cording TO those who have sought coal
In the big markets. and while there is
sufficient TO meet the immediate demands
II Is not at all certain. II Is stated, coal
Will remain where II now Is.
But there Is reason for the belief that
coal will be increased In this port unless
there he period OF unusually severe
weather. Coal Is being shipped here and
while a great part OF that received is
for the interior II Is fact that the ship
ments for local use have diminished In
number and tonnage.
Since Saturday. including that day.
24.014 tons OF coal have been received
here. or this quantity se96 tons were
soft coal for domestic ports. and 5000
tons. In round numbers. came In the
steamers Firth OF Fourth and Azalea.
which reached port yesterday. In addi-
tion there has been one cargo of b67 tons
OF gas coal, three cargoes OF anthracite
coal for local dealers aggregating 261l
tons. and anthracite coal for the interior
aggregating in five cargoes 3s40 tons.
The quantity OF coal Is considera BILE,
when II is considered that rs, 900 tons OF
coal. (estimated) was afioat In the har-
Dor Saturday. There Is well nigh three
weeks work for tho Consolidated road
ahead. and there Is other coal 10 come.
OF couse all that is possible TO relieve the
situation Is being done. but progress IL 5
slow and with the handicap OF inability
to secure cars. and with delivery ham
pered by the snow on the ground. 1t will
be seen the prospect Is not in the least
encouraging
OF course Il Is realized that each day
brings spring nearer. and as a matter OF
fact, according to the almanac, spring IL
less than a month Off. But cold weather
may be expected during March, and per-
haps in April However. while ali appre-
hension OF a coal famine anywhere Is ex-
ceedingly remote. 1t is a fact that coal
IS wanted much worse in the interior
than I'm the coastwise cities. Hence the
big demand that has so congested the
coal handling facilities of Providence.
The same conditions obtain elsewhere.
In Portland, for instance, the last report
gave 30 600 tons OF coal afioat In the har-
Dor, and every facility for handling coal
strained to the greatest capacity. Should
no more COai come 10 fTONlIeuce IL Wouiu
take the railroad something like three
weeks to clear up what coal there Is on
hand. So II will bo seen that with other
coal to come there IL prospect that
some one stands TO lose considerably.
The price OF coal is usually reduced
April /. 1t may be that conditions will
prevent this reduction this year, but II is
not assumed that such will be the case
There will be certain demand for coal,
ls,,. I.aa aIara fv,A 10 20,
make reduction because of the great
cost entailed by the demurrage. Every
days delay adds four cents on foreign
coal and six cents on domestic coal TO the
cost, and two weeks delay on domestic
cargo means "a cents In addition. This
must be paid eventually by the con-
sumers. 1t will be seen that the people
OF the interior towns and cities will be
the ones the most affected.
SO far as the local coal situation Is con-
cerned there has been no change In
prices. The demand for coal has in
creased, but the people as a rule are buy
ing In small quantities. For instance, In
half or quarter ton lots where they
would. under ordinary circumstances
purchase In considerable quantities. The
dealers are behind I'm their deliveries and
1t will take them couple of weeks to
catch up. provided that no more orders
be taken, and though the condition of the
streets improve daily none OF the dealers
can begin TO do more than a half day s
work at present in the way OF delivery.
Soft coal Is considered to be good prop
erty because of the great demand for
steam coal. but none OF the local dealers
care to have a great Geal OF coal on hand
April 1. For that reason the dealers are
running as close as they can consistently,
and IN addition the cold weather had
made the general coal market steady.
Local prices have not been changed ana
the freight rates average about % cents
a ton between this city and New York.
There will continue to be downward
tendency in freights for coal until the
level OF last year Is reached. but IL will
he we'll along into the spring before the
rates reach the prices Of last year.