Evening journal., 1908-01-16
The HIah PrIoe ol An.hraeIte coaI.

The High Price Of Anthracite Coal.
Editor THE EVENING JOURNAL.
We notice in one Of the local news
papers an item of news stating that
there is an unusually large number of
applicants for free coal, with both City
Council and Levy Court, showing that
the present business conditions tends
to increase this number.
This situation brings to our mind
the condition of the coal industry, the
price Of it, and how it is controlled,
and the effect of these conditions on
the working man here and in the coal
regions.
The direct result Of the settlement
of the last great miners strike, by the
commission the history Of whose work
and conclusions all are familiar. is The
present high level Of prices Of this
necessity.
The absolute control is in the COM
tbination of railroads whose lines tap
and traverse The territory. and carry
ehe product TO the different sections
which they reach
Since the date of the strike referred
to, or perhaps a year previous to il,
the price for family coal has been ap-
proXimately a dollar higher than be-
1
that much higher than il should be.
and would be if the present railroad
control was broken loose. The charge
for carrying this coal TO nearby locali-
ties, is conceded to be much higher
than the service requires.
! Formerly there were three we'll
equipped waterways reaching into this
region from tide water, and actively
engaged in transporting coal as well as
all other commodities. namely, the
Susquehanna, the Schuykill and Le-
high-Delaware canals, following the
courses of the rivers of the same
names, and before these waterways
were bought up by the railroads, which
now controls them all, they were potent
factors I'm the movement Of coal, and
hence largely controlled the price. We
are sure that II these waterways were
now in unrestricted operation another
slice could be chopped off the price
here, at least one-half dollar, which,
with the dollar added without reason
to the coal, would make the price in
this city, and vicinity, one and a half
dollars lower than at present, or five
and half per ton, instead of seven
as at present. Count for a moment
what that would be to this city alone
II is safe and conservative estimate
that our people here are using in their
homes one hundred thousand tons of
anthracite per year, and we are there
fore paying one hundred and fifty
thousand dollars Of tribute annually TO
this railroad controlled monopoly.
! IL is a safe assertion, that it would
be absolutely impossible for the rail-
roads controlling this situation to gain
that control at this time, IL it WAS now
a public question. This being con-
ceded, we assert that these carrying
corporations have no inherent right to
hold these properties. and control the
product, and IL must and will be taken
from them Il is not our purpose at
this time to take up this controversy;
Il is irrepressible and win not stay
settled, until II is settled right.
Here, many people are out Of work
or on short time. and are applying in
large numbers for free coal from the
city and county. and the situation is
much worse, because Of the high
price Of family coal.
Now look with us for a brief period
at another side of this situation, name
" the present conditions in the anthra-
cite region. We have direct and re-
cent Information, from a source that
NdilhoN bt successfully disputed, that
the business and industrial conditions
there are in splendid shape, with
steady and exceedingly profitable en-
ployment for all. and consequently the
best OF business conditions. IL Is
admitted there, that at the present
rates OF mining and wages, half time
would be profitable and prosperous.
Now we ask why should these un-
equal and unfair comparative situa-
tions be maintained, TO the great ad-
vantage OF the few, while the many.
the multitude Of consumers of this
necessity, are mulcted in exorbitant
prices.
We need not go far from home to
place the responsibility or at least
good share of it. for this unfair and
intolerable situation, which is now
bearing so hard on this community
We will discuss this subject further in
the near future.
Respectfully,
Coal Consumer.
Wilmington, january 16.