The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-09
CONGESTION
DELAYS
DELIVERY
Dealers and Consumers, Unable
TO Reach Cargo0s Of Coal
Forced 10 Make MakeShift.

While the congestion of carkoes OF coal
in the harbor II not worse than a week
ago the inability of dealers and con-
sumers to get at cargoes that have al
ready been long delayed has caused all
manner OF makeshift in order 20 supply
the demands for fuel
There are few. perhaps, who ever i'm
agfned that such a condition OF affairs
would ever exist in Providence, but II is a
fact that some OF the steamers with for
eign coal have been in the harbor two
weeks or more and 1t will be several days
and perhaps all Of the week before work
can be begun on them,
There are many vessels now In the
harbor awaiting d!scharging and on some
of these the cost of demurrage has run
well up into the thousand, and there Is
no prospect OF immediate relief OF course
the vessels must be taken In turn as they
arrive. and so the demurrase goes on in
creasing and the vessels are earning
money while lying at anchor.
There was on Saturday seven large
steamers lying below Fields point. and
north of Fields point there was a string
OF craft OF all kind lying in the stream
aud the dollars were coming all the time
or course this is we'll enough in a way
fer the owners OF the vessels, but Il Is
not sol interesting for the men TO whom
coal is consigned and who have to pay an
additional charge with no possibility OF
relief
One man hustled into local dealers
Office this morning and paid for two
cars OF coal which he insisted on having
today. He said that he had two car
goes OF coal lying In the harbor. but they
might just as well have been in Siberia
so far as the chance Of getting coal was
concerned.
There has been no change in local
prices and there IL no immediate pros
pect OF any change. IL is considered
however. that there will be marked
increase in the price of soft coal as COM
pared with the prices OF last spring. and
II was said today there was reason to be-
lieve there would be an increase of some
thing like So cents a ton over last spring 5
price, which is big increase.
Some inquiry-has been made by oper-
ators as TO how much coal Is wanted by
the dealers after the rst OF April. and
while there is no intimation there Will
be change in price. II is inferred there
will be a reduction.
President Baer OF the Reading system
Is said to be In favor OF maintaining the
present prices. and II this be so and Baer
presyais. then coal will be higher than
usual the present season.
However there are those who believed
the reduction In price will be normal and
that IL will not be possible for the opera
tors to maintain the present prices. The
price prevailing with the operators IL -
q ton instead OF $3.50. for winter prices.
The retail price OF coal is about N.oO ton
at least above the prices OF former
years The prices OF freights range from
65 cents between Providence and New
York and TO 81 and s1.1O for Norfolk and
Baltimore IL Is expected there will be
good deal Of shipping next month and, II
this be so. then there is no immediate
prospect OF coal falling 60 the prices OF
former years, at least not until warm
weather comes