The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-12

long to this section. The United
States government report shows that
$4,000 tons in November and ia 900
tons in December passed the 500 canal
for the Lake Superior docks. This
shows that coal has been rushed
through before the close of navigation
as rapidly as possible and this section
has received it's portion. This coal has
been distributed throughout the coun-
try towns, a few cars to each dealer,
until the supply has diminished to
less than $4,000 tons now on the four
teen docks ateLake Superior This re-
mainder is partly obligated upon con-
tracts, and will be required for the
cities on the lake. 1t is then up to the
shipping company to get forward "all
rail- coal as soon as possible. This is
attended with a great deal of delay
and difficulty on account of the i'm
menSe demand made upon the railroad
companies for cars, now overtaXed
with the soft coal business which has
nearly doubled the past few months.
Pursue Advertising Policy.
1t is the law of business to send any
commodity to the market Offering the
best price. This market has been han
dicapped by a few companies having
small quantity of coal to offer the pub
lie from time to time at the regular
$S.75 per ton in the Twin Cities, and
using this as an advertising PROPOSE
ton for future trade.
If this policy is to be carried out
few thousand tons at Superior will
suffice to be tantaliZing and will no
doubt do much toward keeping "all
raiP' coal out. as no company can af-
ford to bring in coal by rail which
will require a retail price of from $40
to $12 per ton to net a legitimate per-
centage of profit to be sold in COM
petition with the price asked for lake
coal. In the larger cities in the East,
near the anthracite fields, coal is
eagerly bought at from $40 to SIS per
ton. The present retail price in Chi
cago by card is IS, while the majority
is sold at from $40 to $12 per ton.
Hard Coal Too Cheap Here.
The freight rate from Chicago to
the Twin Cities being 50 per ton, why
should "aH raiP' coal pass the Eastern
market and Chicago market, where it
is badly wanted at these prices to find
a cheaper market. Another drawback
is that the Eastern railway, needing
their cars, will not allow them to pass
off their rails requiring quick unload
ing and return to the mines by not al
lowing them to pass Chicago and 9TH
er Western gateWayS unless this de-
1IdiIu Is SO1lIpi1Sd WILL - L MS REQUIRES
the Western roads to meet their cars
at the gateways and transfer the coal.
This is difficult on account of short
rolling equipment in the West and it
will require a premium to entice this
class of coal to this section.
Coal has been sold without question
of complaint in the Twin Cities at SO
to S12 per ton within twenty-five years
when no unusual condition such as the
present existed. Why not offer this in
ducement, so more people who are
willing to pay the price can get the
coal? A larger number of poor people
are forced to use soft coal at unrea-
sonable prices on account of the scar
city of hard coal. If hard coal was
brought in at any price it would imme-
diately profit a. larger class. by reduc-
ing soft coal to a more reasonable
price. The price of hard coal at pres
ent is at least So per ton too cheap,
and soft coal is 81 per ton too high. A
better policy upon the part of the
larger shipping companies would be to
equalize the market to the basis of the
greatest good to the largest number"