The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1920-07-22
EUROPEAN
BIDS BOOST
Coal PRICE
Cream OF American Product
Is Going to Tidewater in
East for Export

sWahontaS. west NlfkinA enNnt
and Kentucky block Goals Is flowing
East for export thru Hampton roads
and other Atlantic ports.
The movement Is so great that
these three. the highest grades OF
American domestic Goals. have vir-
tually disappeared from the domcs-
TIC market and cannot be bought by
Americans at price within reason.
No matter how big the American
retailer bids. the exporter goes him
dollar bet,cr--and gets the coal.
EXPORTERS PAY
FANCY PRICES
The export drain IL particularly
strong on tho output Of Pocahontas
mines and the mines around Fair.
mont and New River. w. Va. To
get this cream OF American coal. ex.
porters are paying as high as $3.50
net ton. with coricSpondingiy
higher prices for Pennsylvania an.
thraelte.
Coal jobbers say that V this price
were cut In half the operators would
still be getting a fair price.
The heavy export demand sets the
price pace for the American who
buys In tho domestic market.
Americans either pay the cxpor,
price or don't set their orders filled
nj the mines. for the demand for
coal at tidewater Is now unlimited
Exporters are taking every ton they
can get.
No matter how scarce coal Ia. no
matter how scarce coal cars arc. the
exporters order Is filled first
These export shipments. as they
now East. have cioggcd the railroads
% that New England mills have run
mp an s. o. s. signal They want
some Of this coal diverted from
Hampton Roads and other ports and
hauled into New England.
SOME FORM or
EMBARGO DEMANDED
Senator Walsh. Of Massachusetts.
has demanded embargo OF some
form on coal exports. lie points TO
England. which has recently clamped
on the lid by limiting coal exports
TO 10 ger cent OF her total produc
ton. tho in isis-fsts England cx-
ported ~ out OF every 100 tons OF
coal from her mines.
England. according 20 Walsh. Il
Keeping her coal nj homo. then buy.
Ing American coal and using Il rs a
medidm OF exchange for acquiring
Cuban sugar. Argentine beef and
raw materials from Mediterranean
countries.
Walsh has complied figures show
ing that about 100000 tons Of coal
were shipped out OF the United States
curing April. His information from
coal men Is that by midsummer the
export shipments may be an high as
1000. 900 tons a month.
This would be at a yearly rate Of
$4,000. 900 tons. In other words, out
81 every IL tons Of coal mined In the
United States. one would be exported.
Americans who want thiy coal. but
can't bid against tho export price.
point out that as the coal shortage
eets more acute every ton taken
from the domestic market and ship
ped abroad Is an increasingly greater
drain.
CANADA BUYS
AMERICAN COAL
Canada IL big factor in our coal.
export market Her mines supply
only II ner cent OF her coal needs.
and In 1920 she Will probably buy
about e2.oo0.ooo tons Of American
coal
Canada has thousands OF American
coal cars. which she is holding az
hostages until American railroads To-
cate and send home other cars that
belong In Canada but haven't been
returned to her.
Attempts TO get these gondola and
hopper coal cars back to the United
States viii apparently be Intellectual
until our railroad congestion Is un.
unveiled and an exchange can be
made.