Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1906-04-19
DEALERS UNABLE
TO BUY COAL

- - ~ ~ N ~
With the cessation of mining over
the anthracite region-with the con-
sequent refusal of the operators to ship
IA pound of coal from the mines and
with miners strike of greater or less
duration one of the probabilities of the
immediate future, Danville, like many
other towns of the State as far as the
question of hard coal is concerned
faces anything but a cheerful outlook
simultaneously with the shut down
the shipment of coal at the mines ceas-
ed. Upon inquiry yesterday it was
learned that not one Of our local deal
ers is able to procure pound of coal.
The orders placed by the local dealers
are acknowledged but there is no as
surance when they will be filled The
card employed by the d. L. & w. com
pany in acknowledging the receipt of
orders has the following stamped upon
it in red ink: "All orders subject to
ability to ship and to prices when
shipment is made. - No one doubts
that affairs in the coal region are drift
ing on toward prolonged miners
strike and naturally under the circum-
stances there is curiosity to know just
what surplus coal the dealers have on
hand
In all the yards here it is practical
ly the same The dealers are busily
engaged in filling the big orders plac-
ed during February and March by
local consumers who had means for
purchasing big stock of coal, the
room for storing it and were astute
enough to foresee that a clash between
the miners and operators was unavoid-
able. 1t may take some weeks yet to
deliver all the coal previously ordered
and until this is done it will be diff
cult to tell just what margin may re-
main to meet the general demand
The dealers, however, feel morally
sure that by the time they have their
orders all filled the quantity of coal
on hand in their respective yards will
not be worth taking into account. All
of which implies that unless some un-
foreseen circumstance occurs to pre-
vent miners strike, before the sum-
mer is half over Danville will be with
out coal in the dealers yards. 1t is
true by exercise of wise forethought
probably hundreds of families have
their cellars filled but there are hun
dreds of others those who purchase
coal in smaller quantities, as they con-
sumo it-who will need coal and will
be unable to procure it; therefore,
while a miners strike might not bring
about exactly the same conditions here
that prevailed three years ago, yet
there would be much inconvenience
and privation.
The heavy snow, which fell during
March was indirectly responsible for
UIlC 4CtCG tAlStb liiC 4ONdI iAdNO AOS
larger supply of coal on hand. 1t was
during this time that the dealers plan
ned to rush out their coal to fill the
large orders on hand, thereby gaining
space in their yards, which they hop
ed to have filled by additional ship
ments from the mines to supply future
demands in the spring and summer.
The heavy snow, however, blocked the
streets, or rendered them nearly i'm
passable with slush and mud, either
holding up the work or making it i'm
possible to deliver coal with ease or
facility. The consequence was that
before any considerable space was gain
ed in the dealers yards affairs between
the miners and the operators reached
a crisis and the mining of coal ceased.
Local dealers have poor hopes of re-
ceiving any coal from the enormous
surplus stored up by the railroad COM
panies, especially if the strike should
continue very long, in which event
the coal will all the more likely be
needed by the corporations for their
own use.