New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-23
TOO MUCH SOFT COIL.
AdUance an Trade Made Last Wsn-
ter Not Lost, HOzceUer.

Chicago Nov % esoecfaD-In marked contrast
TO conditions only twelve months ago, Wnsn nc
cry was. Where can coal be Obtained-coai OF an
kind. grade or quality. long as II can %
burned?" cones the present complaint Of dealers
In the bituminOus product OF giutted market ana
falling prices. with supply far beyond demand
Yet the present state OF market f. only nata-
raj consequences OF the last year.
The winter Of 1879. with soaring prices Of al
fuel products because Of the scarcity Of anthracis
from the strike IN the Pennsylvania fields. sent
rates for soft coal Jumping spasmOdicaIly upward
The industry revived-fOr il was in a somewhat
scmnOent conditiOn-and new territory was
pIOred and new mines opened I'D. old PROPOSE
tons that had failed 70 pay took renewed lie.
and the only trouble the operators had was get
ting their output the market. Once there. 10
was readily disposed Of
At first. il Is true. there little difficulty
experienced with purchasers unaccustornsd 70 the
use Of soft coal. but these became acquainted
with its little pecuIarities. and many who had for
rnsrIy used the steam sizes OF anthracits--ics.
buckwheat and pea--In their business recognized
the permanent availability OF the bituminous sub
stftute.
Complaints Of soft coal smoke. which 20
make the whole country one perpetual Pittsourg.
soon. ceased as frernen learned how to keep .
clean. free burning FIRE
one manufacturer driven FOR q time to despera-
ton By threats Of what would happen to him Il he
did not abate the smoke nuisance. went 70 a
coal expert with the inquiry: What Is the best
smoke consuming device Tor me 70 o1g- NOs- - No
object
The expert gazed at him calmly. and replied:
The very best thing you do Is 20 nire good
fremen and pay them good wages And the me'-
chant found that the advice was good
So the trade in soft coal grew fat az the expense
OF the anthracite fields. The output Increased. and
the scale Of production enlarged. and mines
were multiplied so that the increase OF the present
year over the one preceding IS estimated at some
ffty-seven million Last winter many 1oooers
and operators made enough TO warrant their retir
ing from active business and high quotafions wers
continued up into the spring OF 1seS
TIt the resumption OF work IN the antnracfte m
du=+r c11t short the OF harvest. and aItnousn
the bituninous product has made many advances
,t-oue, fsz introduction consumers previously
,sconafnted with its yet the sales FOR inc
-o-ns1g winter are as might be expected. far De-
lou those OF last year. And IN consequence those
GENERATORS who had bIindly hoped for boom times
40 continue are caught with too much goods on
hand
The strikes in the Colorado fields are looked 70
by some operators as the saving factor IN the
problem they have to work out. but "a yet there
has been little demand from the West for coal
one road has already informed operators n ms
State that special emergency rates viii be put on
10 Colorado. and perhaps 70 otner states Dut eHS
Besides the wyoming mines are still doing 5usi-
and can be expected 20 enter ne - s, re
further West last week. and there IS nope tnar
more NAV be disposed Of
or course the general Industrial CONDITION OF ne
country will IN the end decide the question OF the
prosperity OF the soft coal trade for with the pig
iron production cut down and steel mills running
Ssit in +he soft coal trade. But the advance made
last year will not be wholly lost