The Washington herald., 1909-11-21
COAL ON The BOOM
BituminOuS Trade Is Better
Than for Many Months.
PRICES NOW AT 1905 LEVEL
Earnings OF Distributing Companies
Promise 10 Round Out the Year
Showing Good PrOhts-ShOrtage of
Cars Cause Handicap nt Maryland
and West Virginia Mines.

Baltimore, Nov. 9O-The bituminOus
coal trade Of Maryland and adjacent
territory IS in the most satisfactory con-
didon since 1906. Not only are the mining
companies selling their product as fast
as they can get it above ground and OBJ
tain cars into which TO load it. but they
are. receiving better prices than at any
time since the slump In business two
years ago.
Earnings Of the corporations IN con-
sequence for the year now drawing 70
a close promise to exceed those of the
| preceding twelve months.
Mining companies are not receiving the
current price for all the coal they are
now delivering, most of the big contracts
having been booked in April. when the
quotation was considerably lower than
that ruling to-day. but they are receiv-
ing new orders every day at the higher
price.
/ Millions Of dollars Of Baltimore capi-
tai are invested in coal mines and coal
lands In Maryland. West Virginia, Ken
! lucky, and Pennsylvania, and the main
Offices OF some Of the large producing
companies are in this city.
VIII Soon Count Profits.
The date for striking a balance" TO
/ determine the extent OF earnings, is APP
/ preaching and. naturally. investors in
these enterprises feel jubrant over the
prospects. Bituminous coal produced IN
this state and West Virginia is market
( ed all over the country. but principally
| I'm The Fast and the Vast
/ The volume or orders now 20 be filed
Is exceptionally great In the West. and
even in the East where business has
been less responsive 10 the general up
ward tendency. there IS difficulty IN
meeting the requirements. The West
( ern position IS the most unsatisfactory.
and the shortage Of coal IS likely TO reach
I a point at which many consumers will
be unable 20 obtain enough 10 carry
them through the immediate activity
! which reviving business IS creating. The
coming Of the winter and the close OF
navigation on the Lakes are causing al
/ most frantic efforts 20 get In enough fuel
before "a Is too late: and the situation
IS complicated by the inability Of the
railways 10 supply transportation.
The root Of the trouble Is not 50 much
IN an actual shortage Of cars, although
! there is ground for complaint on that
score. but lies chiefly In the insuf1ciency
| Of the supply Of locomotives on many OF
| the coal carrying roads
Not the Fault OF Roads.
This lack OF motive power is not en-
| tlrely the fault OF the roads. because six
/ months ago some OF them had numbers
OF engines laid up without employment.
and st was almost impossible 10 foresee
SO great an Increase in demand for
| transportation within so short a time.
but whatever the reason for the shortage
may be- 10 Is bearing hard upon coal
producers. dealers. and consumers. In
/ ability 20 move their output from the
mine IS leading 10 the reduction OF pro
duction at many collieries in this terri
tory. and at the present time there is no
clear indication when the difficulty VIII
be overcome.
Prices for soft coal are much ahead
Of last year. and are up 10 the 1907 level
In some grades the current rates are
exceptionally high Demand is I'D 10
normal on the average throughout the
country, with record demand 10 some
Western centers 10 compensate for the
comparative paueity OF Eastern require
I ments.
The situation, as a whole. depends
solely upon the conditions Of general
business. and so long as the present i'm
provement continues there IS a certainty
Of improved demand for coal: but unless
some unforeseen relief can be found there
must he considerable difficulty In giving
consumers enough for their present needs.