The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-25
NO FEAR or 4 COAL FAMINE.
OPERATORS HAVE 9,OOO,OOO TONS
STORED NEAR NEW YORK.
They Issue a Reassuring Statement saying
That Only Speculation Can Make TrOu-
BILE for Many MOnths-BiE Consumers
Also Have Large StO9ks on Hand.

They Issue q Reassuring Statement Saying
That Only Speculation Gan Make rOu-
BILE for Many M~Onths-BiE Consumer
Also Have Largo stocks on Hand.
The anthra cite operators announced yes
terday hat unless speculat oIS get mold Of
domestic anthracite in sufficient quantities
to cause an artificial scarcity there will
be plenty to last for many months in case
of a strike.
The reserve OF more than 9,o00, 900 tons
is in the hands of the companies and VIII
not be drawn on until n strike takes place
Dealers said yesterday that while domestic
sizes are fairly plentiful and are no higher IN
price, very lit lie anthracite inthe small steam
sizes is coming to New York. A great deal
of it is sold on the way from the collieries
at different points and spectators have
been buying large quantities OF II in this city.
The statement of the operators is as fol-
lows: -
There is now on hand within q radius OF
less than 100 miles of New York city n reserve
supply of more than 1900. 900 tons of good
marketable grades Of anthracite coal. This
is held by the coal operators in addition TO
the enormous supplies held by the dealers
and larger consumers. The operators are
piSpui'N " i'iF Wv cN'h
the public against any contingency.
In accommodating this vast store Of coal an
army of men and the latest mechanical and
engineering improvements have been steadily
employed for months. Storage facilities
have been increased very largely, in some
cases by the leasing OF farms along the route
of railroads. Many of these spots are $50
lated. but they are within easy transportation
distance from New YORK..
One of the largest OF these storage YARDS
in the immediate neighborhood of New York
city Is the South Plainfeld yard OF the lehigh
Valley Railroad Company. Here fourteen
mountains of coal, each 75 90 so feet high.
with a base of 275 TO 800 feet, now contain
nearly 100000 tons, and this supply is being
added to at a rate that can be Increased at
any time TO 5000 tons a day. immense steel
trimmers ninety feet in height at the apex add
| to the supply in each pile at the rate OF five
tons per minute. while the endless chains Of
horizontal pivotal reloaders fill cars at the
rate OF two tons a minute, Three locomotives
are kept busy placing cars to be loa ded or
unloaded. This yard contains seventy-hve
acres, about thirty Of which are covered with
coal.
At Rochelle Park. y. j.. the Erie Railroad
has a yard containing at this time over 20O.Ooo
tons. and its capacity is being increased by
the installation of additional trackage. Al
this plant the cars are moved about by a COM
plete cable system tina dispenses with the
Use of locomotives after a car has been placed
in the yard limits.
At South Amboy. y. j.. is one of the main
storage yards Of the Pennsylvania SYSTEM
and its capacity of 100000 tons is at this time
being tested to the fullest extent. Near
Hampton Junction the Central Railroad of
New Jersey has accumulated something more
than 200, 900 tons of anthracite.
Al Abrams, Pa, the Philadelphia and
Reading Coal and Iron Company has one or
the largest coal yards in the country and its
limits now contain at least 500. 600 tons.
Probably the largest coal storage yard
in the country il that OF the Susouehanna
Coal Company at Mcclellan. Pa. lts capac-
ity ia far in excess OF 500, 900 tons and during
these recent dull weeks in the coal trade a
continuous stream Of cars had added to the
supply usually maintained.
These are the largest plants and many OF
the coal roads have erected temporary bases
of supply containing quantities varying
from so, OOo tons 10 100, 900 tons.
While the railroads themselves have been
tn us active the larger coal consumers have
not been asleep. This is indicated by the
full piles of the New York Edison Company
at Shady Side. n. j.. just across the Hudson
from New York city. where an electric sign
so large that residents Of Riverside Drive
may read it tells of q capacity OF 100000
tons.
New York city alone consumes about 49,
600. 900 tons of coal every normal year and the
mild winter Just passed reduced the local
tonnage about - per cent. This amount
has been added to the supply in storage
for there has been at no time for the past
| year any short time at the coal mines. Miners
have been kept busy and no mine has been
shut down.
Should a strike COM there will be no in.
convenience such as attended the distur.
Dances in the anthracite region in 1907. The
coal operators at any rate have taken every
precRntion TO protect the public against
any such condition A coal strike would not
| cause a coal famine for a very consider able