New-York tribune., 1907-09-01
STEAM COAL GOES UP.
iSKYSCR4PERS BLAMED.
Demand for anthracite May Mean
Similar 4dUance an Bituninous.

An Increase OF 25 cents a ton in the cost OF
the steam sizes OF anthracite coal goes into ef-
feet to-day At tidewater the prices will be SO 25
a ton for pee, 50 7b for buckwheat and 81 % for
rice To New York consumers the cost will be
81 10 a ton for pea. 80 so for buckwheat and
SO % for rice.
This advance according 20 q local wholesale
and retail dealer yesterday. is unprecedented
at this time of year He added that it was
avoidah'e ar o. .-1nF tare these rea
sons:
First-The enormous increase In demand for
small sizes OF coal due to the recent erection.
especially in New York City. OF skyscraping
office buildings and large hotels and apartment
houses
Second--Inability OF the coal producers in
Pennsylvania to obtain adequate supply OF
labor this being due TO the new law requiring
all miners TO have state certificates.
Third-Insufhciency Of transportation facil-
ties, the building Of coal railroads having prac-
tically ceased. while the consumption of coal
has more than doubled
Fourth-The practical doubling within FIVE
years of the cost of labor, material and trans
portation. while the market price of coal has
remained about stationary during the same
period.
After giving these reasons. the dealer quoted
made the prediction that it only question
Of time when New York City would become. OF
necessity large consumer of btuminous coal.
and that when this time came the policy Of the
Board of Health would have to be elastic enough
to meet the new conditions. After telling OF
the new prices the dealer said:
As far as New York is concerned, the prime
reason for this advance lies in the increasing
demand for towering office buildings. hotels and
apartment houses The Singer Building, which
will consume scores of tons Of coal daily. Is
only one among hundreds of such structures In
all these buildings there is an unequalled de-
mand at present for the small sizes OF coal
covered I'm the advance. This demand must be
met but to do it at the present prices would
be ruinous. The coal producers have ordered
the advance at tidewater. and this compels US to
increase the price proportionately to the con-
sumers.
'.Pennsylvanias new labor law is an annoy
ing factor In the present shortage in the labor
market There are thousands of men In that
state now out Of work who might be digging
coal were IL not fof the legislation requiring all
miners to have state certificates guaranteeing
experience and qualifications for the work Ihls
law also prevents the engaging of foreigners
employed so extensively in the past These re-
strictions have made it impossible for the pro-
ducers to operate the mines TO their full capac-
ity while at the time the demand mas
''The railroads are not to blame for the lack
of TRANSPORTATION facilities. 1t should be remem-
bered that coal is what is known in railroad
parIance as slow freight and that practically
every other train, from passenger down, mas
the right of way it. In making the round
trip of approximately $50 miles between the
PENNSYLVANIA fields and New Yorks tidewater
coal car taking less than week for the journey
IS doing well Bear in mind. Also the fact that
not a single important coal railroad has been
built in the last twenty-five years, while at the
same time the consumption of the entire coun-
try has increased from 10000 600 to more than
60 900 900 tons annually.
."Those who may criticise the advance going
into effect tomorrow should remember that
while the price of coal to-day is substantially
no hisher than 1t was Ave years ago. If 1t is as
high, the price of everything figuring in It's pro-
same length of time. / refer not only to LABOR
and freight rates but also to all kinds of raw
material involved in coal production. For In
stance hay to-day is SO ton. while the cost
of oats is about 20 cents busheI. In each
case hese prices are more than double what
tbev were five years ago Everything else has
gone I'D in proportion. and my only wonder Is
that the advance not ordered long before
this.
"a. far as know. no advance II TO price OF
.sr.rx coal is under consideration at pres
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