The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-31
COAL STAYS high
DESPITE WEATHER
High Temperatures Have No
Effect on Local Markets in Face
of West Virginia Strike.
ANTHRACITE VERY SCARCE
Car Shortage Is Factor in Cen
eral Market Conditions-Rch-
monders Buying Early.

The mercury has played around 'no
,nnsr regions of the thermometer dur
inc the last month, and the entire Couh.
trv has enjoyed a period OF unexceiieo
weather but despite this fact the gen
eral level of coal prices, usually re-
sponsiye to the influence OF the tenn
perature. has been maintained aoou'
so cents above the average ior oe'o'
Der of 1911.
The price Of steam coal is liked ny
yearly contract, and IN consequence -
not subject to the variations weN
affect other Goals, but with TINS eASep
ton all grades of coal are now seiiihs
for SO cents more on the ton thah 'nss
were in August The most hotieee
factor in the local market IS seaIei'S
of anthracite. which sells no" al 20
ton.
The higher prices are due to c MN
her II influences, both general ana
local. A Richmond dealer said yester-
day that anthracite coal was high now
because none of it was being shipped
to the South. Most of the anthracite
produced in this country comes from
Western Pennsylvania. and IT is no"
being shipped from there to the west
in order to take advantage u the
lower freight rates which prevail De-
fore the freezing of the Great Lakes
for the winter closes water transport
tatioA.
Higher Than New York.
II has been a matter OF comment
among local buyers of anthracite that
they must pay IS a ton for II mere
while the price in New YORK Is ohiy
$3.50. When freight rates are taken
into consideration. however. 1t, may De
seen that anthracite sells in Richmond
about Is cents cheaper in the ton than
in the metropolis, for Richmond pays q
freight rate So cents greater than that
charged the New York dealers on TINS
commodity.
The principal factor in the Increased
prices Of soft coal in local markets has
been the strike In the West Virginia
fields. The Knawha region, which Is
the most abundant source Of domestic
coal for Richmond. was more seriously
affected by the strike than was any
other part of Virginia Soft coal sells
now in Richmond for IS.
Car Shortage Acute.
In enumerating the influences at
work on the coal market. The Fuel
Magazine a Chicago trade publica-
tion. mentions the prevailing car short
during the last five years, and the
widespread alarm among individual
consumers. Coal pays a lower trans
portation charge than any other class
Of freight the railroads handle, and
for this reason the coal consumer Is
the first to find 1t out when a car short
age exists.
The movement Of the Northern beet
sugar crop began a few adys ago, and
90 900 cars will be required for this
work until the arrival Of freezing
weather Railroad construction bosses
have recently shown a marked pref
erence for coal dump cars for use in
construction work. and the cars 50
employed will not be released until
the colo weather puts a stop to con-
struc.ion work.
The coal market depends largely on
the time which the consumer elects to
purchase his winter supplies. A local
dealer said last night that Richmond
buyers were steadily laying in their
winter fuel before the cold weather
reaches this point. THE Fuel Maya
zine" in discussing the situation, re-
marks that Or the foresight Of the
consumer depends in large measure the
future trend Of the market, and that
purchase now may eliminate danger
rom a grave situation at a later date