The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-14
SOUTH DAKOTA
COAL AT $l6PER TON
Fuel Famine Is Felt All Along the
Line of South Dakota
GO -.
Towns.
Bituminous Is Selling for $40 in
Some Instances-Local Condi-
r-~-7. a
tons Portrayed. /
Special to The Journal.

-N>S SO~~@AS@@'
Sioux Falls, S. D., Jan. 14-The coal
shortage in South Dakota has resulted in
some peculiar Inconsistencies. While the
standard price of hard coal is SIS a ton
IN Sioux Falls, it Is being sold at Bran
don, a little town about fifteen miles north
east for $11: " And at Chamberlain $50
miles west anthracite is selling for s12
IA ton; Notwithstanding the great differ
ence in, freight rates. -. ....--.
The latest period of excessive cold
weather has emphasized the fact that the
question of securing an adequate supply
OF fuel is the greatest problem which now
confronts thousands of residents of South
Dakota. -.
Hooking Valley coal, which is being used
by many as a substitute for anthracite
has recently advanced from $3.50 to 50
ton with the promise of a still further
| advance, II not a positive famine in this
class of coal. Wood has also advanced
to such an extent that hard coal at SIG
ton would be cheaper for fuel in the end.
Some South Dakota cities have only re-
Gently received their first car load of hard
coal, while at many places not a pound
has been received this winter, although
local dealers have made. frantic efforts to
secure supplies. The present situation is
shown by the following reports:
/ .Alexandria-The people keep the roads
between here and Fulton and Farmer well
IlcFC1CuJ idl &c -luctlltlLiSS VI COAL lldflIS
been hauled from those places, where the
| dealers had more than they needed for
imm ediate SALE. Some coal has been re-
ceived here direct from the east, but there
is always such a rush for it that a car load
does not last more than fifteen minutes. .
Parker-The first car load of hard Goa
to be received here this winter arrived
a few days ago. :. II. IT,. r, ~ls..as
Brookings-This city was threatened
with wood famine short time ago; r
fact, during two days there was no wooc
to be had, but since then several car loads
have been received and the scare is over
for while at least. 1t has been next tc
impossible to purchase hard coal.
\ Blunt-Some Of the towns along this
line of railroad are now getting hard coal
Claremont-The members Of a Swedish
settlement in this vicinity are the only
ones who have been fortunate enough tt
iget any coal thus far this winter. Wher
the car arrived, they were lined up be
side the track and had carried away every
) pound before people ten rods away ha6
discovered there was q car Glad in the
) country.
$Deadwood-The shortage of fuel does
not affect the people of this part Of the
Black Hills. A local coal company an.
nounces that it will furnish Sheridan Goa
in any quantity desired without. delay
One dealer urged a customer to take twice
the amount he had ordered.
: MISUNDERSTANDING Valley coal Is
selling for $3.50 a ton. There appears tt
: be enough ito supply the demand
; washington Springs-This town has beer
: fortunate, so far in having plenty of sof
J, coal to supply the demand At presen
the supply is running somewhat short anc
more will have to be received soon OF
: there will be decided scarcity.
Iroquois-The local dealers are. fairl!
well supplied with various grades Of sof
coal and coke. while many residents Q
2 Iroquois also have good supplies in thei
$ bins. Another car, of hard coal was re
: ce1yed a few days ago and was sold gu
). in lots Of less than a ton.
iWilmot-People in and around tht
e place have been fortunate in the matte
!. Of fuel this winter, for while the stoc
q Of hard and soft coal is perhaps not a
d that could be desired, several carloads G
Il wood have lately arrived and there ap
pears to be fuel enough on hand to las
9 through a, month or two of cold weather.
f IS White Lake-The price of soft coal too
: a Jump of fifty cents last week. and tlli
: week another half dollar has been added
!. 1t is now selling on the local mark fc
|. $40 a. ton. The local dealers say there
9 a question about getting it at any price.
. Lake Preston-Nine teams were her
& from Erwin for seoal in one day recent.
The dealers at Erwin are short Of sol
n coal as well as anthracite. Two cal
r loads of hard coal were received here
h few days ago, but both were dumped frol
h the cars into the wagons of customer
O who were glad to haul sit home then
S selves.
Il Clear Lake-A farmer living near her
Il who has sick children at home came
\