The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1906-05-30
THE FUTURE OF COAL
And the Impending Exhaustion of Worlds
Iron Supply.

Iron Supply.

cents, and 1t will be seen that the
Belgian and Welsh Goals can be landed
in ordinary times at the docks ouside
the walls of Paris for about S6.86 to
$3.50 per ton. The wholesale price
charged by importers to local dealers
for bltuminous coal is at present
slightly more than $40 per ton. Is
there not, in the margin of $3.50 and
1884 between these figures an oppor.
tunity for American coal, provided the
whole transaction, including mining,
railway and ocean transportation, and
transshipment at seaports, is so or.
ganized and managed as to develop a
large trade and reduce expenses per
ton to a minimum? In other words,
can American bituminous Goals of the
grades adapted to gas manufacture.
domestic use and general industrial
purposes, be delievered in large guam
titles at Havre for cost not exceeding
S5 per ton?
1t remains to consider the correlation
between tlese conditions and the fu-
ture ore supply Of the United States
and certain European countries, as de.
scribed in the first section of the pres
ent report. Coal imported into France
pays duty of twenty-six cents per
metric ton. In respect to duty. freight
up the Seine to Paris, and other
charges American coal would be on
the same basis as Belgian and British
Goals, which come into France princl.
pally by that route.
| The demand for foreign coal will
/ increase with the gradual exhaustion
of the French mines and the consump-
ton will be augmented in proportion
| to whatever reduction can in future
be made in the present high cost of
fuel. There are millions of tons of
good coking and gas Goals in the Ale
ghany and Cumberland districts of the
United States which can be produced
with great profit at the mouth of the
mine for an average price of 81 to S1.25
per ton. When the railroads now
projected or under construction are
finished and in operation it should be
possible to carry such Goals to tide
water for a freight rate not much, it
anything, in excess of 81 per ton.
When, in 1902, the project of export
ing American coal to Europe was ac-
lively discussed, it was the consensus
of expert opinion that the successful
development of such q trade would
require the construction of a special
class of vessels which would do for
the ocean going coal traffic what they
had done for the ore and coal trade of
the Great Lakes. namely, steel barges
of 10000 tons burden, stanchly built,
with quarters for crew of ten to
fifteen men, and engine power suffi.
cient for a speed of eight or ten knots
per hour, which would give steerage
way sufficient for safe handling in al
weathers. Given a fleet of vessels
with loading docks for coal along the
Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic Coast ant
reliable return freight. and the prob
lem of large and expanding coal ex
{ port to Europe, which depends primar
. lily on an ocean freight rate not exceed
ing S1.25 to S1.50 per ton, would b,
practically solved.
AS return freights, the potash min
, erals of Germany have been suggested
but they are limited in quantity ant
restricted by various conditions, so thai
there remains but one available re
source, and that is iron ores of Spain
Finland and the Scandinavian PENN
sula three countries which, together
now mine about 100000 tons pei
annum, but which, for want of cheaI
, and abundant fuel, smelt not more thar
one-third or one-fourth of that amount
The time will doubtless come wher
most, if not all, European countries
will prohibit the export of native coal
except to their own colonies. The i'm
ported fuel supplies of France, Italy
Spain and Scandinavia will then have
,, to come mainly from beyond the At
lantlc. 1t will be strange indeed II
American foresight shall fail to recog
. nize the opportunity which time viii
ripen and the laws of demand and sup
: ply will offer to American enterprise
, Scientific American.