The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1906-01-05
speakinc ..Of the situation, one ).

speaking of the situation, one
writer who has familiarized himself
with ,condition5 has the following TO
say, which is no the point and cor
rectly gives the situation:
at remains to be seen whether the
busy fall and winter season viii com
pensatc for the spring and summer
slackness and roll up an aggregate
tonnage greater than Uas recorded
for 1901, when more steady condi-
tons prevailed. Coke was the first
to rsliy and Irices for coke haye
been al their highest point. This
product. more than coal, seems 10
keep step to the steel and iron IN
dustry, and the prosperous cond1-
ton Of that industry is reflected IN
the coke market. The price OF
coke. It is interesting to note, drop
ped to a sensational low point in the
spring, but began to climb up after
tbe frsn furnaces resumed after
their summer suspensions and it i
now at The high s3-mark.
zone reason offered for the dull
ness IN the coal trade during the
summer was ,oyeproductions and 1t
must be conceded that the large
number of new mines opened IN the
lost few years in this state offer a
good basis for that theory. But
over production, as a danger, has
been lost sigirt of entirely now in the
demand for cars, which exceeds the
ability and equipment of the rali-
roads to supply.
"The activity displayed in the
leasing and selling of coal lands,
which has been marked for four or
FIVE wears, continues and much Of 1t
is grounded on faith in the future
and is therefore speculative, butthe
prices paid show that in the indg-
ment Of far-seeing capitalists coal Is
never going to recede and must re-
main the worlds chief fuel. The ear
problem enters into this sphere,
however. for it is undeniable that
there would have been more new
operations opened had there had
been assurances of sufficient car sup
ply. Thus the car shortage is a
blessing TO that extent in which II
minimizes oyerproduction, il the
dissatisfied operators care to take
that consolatory reflection,
esThe new year opens auspiciOusly
from n labor standpoint. The un-
rest noticeable in the anthracite
region in Pennsylvania and in other
tbitnnlinous states is not in evidence
in West Virginia. Working cordl-
fions here are so much more favor
liable, thicker and easier-yeins TO
mine. good pay and better treatment
from employers-tlat the diggers
betray no anxiety other than mu-
tual concern with the operators over
lack of cars, for these regulate the
number of working days. Inc or
ders for thousands Of cars are begin
ming to have effect. Many of then
have already arrived at the. mines !,
fresh from the car shops, and Others 'Hn :,
NIL come as fast at turned outs =
notable achievement for West Fir-
gtinia in 1905 was the capture OF the
Panama Canal contract by the FAIR
motn Coal Co. over all bidders, Its
fine steam coal proved to be the best
in series of rigid competitive tests
and this victory will pave the way
for others.
con the whole, the coal trade has
been very prosperous, and it is the
abounding prosperity which has tan
ed the capacity of the railroads IN
other lines that has bothered the
coal operators. But if there had not
been that general prosperity in the
land in steel, in iron and in other
manufacturing enterprises, logically,
the coal man would have suffered IN
proportion"