Evening star., 1925-11-11
4.OOO Tons of Anthracite All
That Is Left to Give Out
in Washington.
BlTUMINOUS CROP NOT
ENOUGH TO LAST LONG
Producers Asking All They Can Get
for Substitutes, Dealers Say.
Nav Go to $36 Ton.
EY HAROLD II. PHILIPS.

EY HAROLD II. PHILIPS.
With scarcely more than 1000 tons
IF anthracite coal left for distribution
here. Washington consumers nov tace
arotbor rr1al menace in the form OF
SraruIy advancing prices for the sub
srifutes that must lac burned this Win
Ter. Coke and the higher grades OF
hifnminous coal already have either
reached or passed the peak price OF
am: hracite here.
ON ton of this il has developed that
while there is a comparatively plenti-
fuI supply of bituminous now, the nor
NAL crop of this fuel is not enough TO
tide the country over an anthracite
famine of long duration. AS a result
coke may eventually become the lone
fuel for consumers who cannot afford
Ia install uil-burning heat plants.
Coke May Soar.
Dn the basis of the skYrucketinS
tendencies Of coke prices since the
am hracite miners quit the mines, re-
iail dealers in Washington frankly
hesitate TO predict what might come
81 such a condition, but il is not at
all improbable that coke might com
uand $50 ton delivered 10 the eel
Irrs Of this city During the last an
thraCite strike il went to SIS ton
:: -. u. the ovens.
The coveted chestnut grade of an
ihyacite coal reached it's zenith last
lnuuth. when it commanded Sl5.75
Ion delivered in Washington cellars.
Immediately before the strike its
nearest of kin in the bituminous fam
ily-SCreened low volatile Coal-could
he had for from SIo.5O to $12 a ton.
High volatile bituminous. also screen
Cd and regarded as equally good,
brought SO a ton.
Even in September, the month the
anthracite strike was called. coke all
but went begging at 81 ton de
livered To the home. But now it de-
mandS SlI ton, or considerably more
Than the best grade of anthracite sold
for at the time of greatest scarcity.
And what is worse, retail coal dealers
here believe the coke market is no
where near its peak BituminousDc coal,
however. is not expected to soar much
more.
Demand High Price.
Washington dealers make no bones
about expressing their opinions about
the meteoric rise of coke prices. One
prominent coal man explained one
tried to buy coke at the ovens in Bal
timore and was told he could have it,.
delivered in Washington. for the same
price asked by the manufacturers way
down in Birmingham. Ala
1T made no difference to the Balti-
more producers that ii would cost little
or nothing To ship the product to
Washington in comparison to the rate
for bringing it all the way from Ala
hama" the dealer said Apparently
The coke producers are determined to
take what the market can bear. not
what the product is worth in a given
market"
In a normal year, Washington
burns about 535 ,902 tons of anthra-
cite. AT least. that was what Il
consumed in the twelve months ended
March 81 last. The corresponding
previous twelve months showed a
little increase over that and the same
period for 1928 considerably less.
The average consumption here, how
ever. is closely estimated at something
in excess of half a million tons
City Faces Shortage
Up to the present time Washington
has received exactly A. per cent of
its normal supply. There is no coal
eft a the mines for delivery in
Washington. 50 that the consumers of
this city are nov faced with the
necessity Of having to 90 through
the entire Winter with something
like 200 600 less tons of anthracite
than they ordinarily use. coke and
hituminous coal must make up the
ma ior part Of this deficit.
There is no doubt. it is said. but
that the gap can he hridged Be
fore the Winter is over. however,
f. is not at all improbahl that many
persons will he reduced to the neces-
sity of burning run of-the mine"
hituminous. The annual crop of low
volatile screened bituminouS is about
1Gn00 600 tons. the production of
high volatile hitumnous is not so
definitely known here. but Is believed
T." run about the same.
This supply. It was pointed out
must serve the whole country. Here
tofore anthracite has taken care of
most Of the popuiace in the East.
u is in the West and South that
most of tbe bituminous is burned.
Output May BE Exhausted.
Dealers here are frankly dubious
that the output of screened bitumi-
nous can stand the heavy demands
that are beginning To pour in. AS a
result. II Is DiedlCteC, America VIII
he burning the lowest quality of soft
coal before Spring comes. unless the
anthracite strike is ended with uneX-
pected Suddenness.
Some indication Of how Washing.
ton il already turning to bituminouS
coal is ShoWr hy figures in possession
Of the railroad companies. At this
time last year only 3 per cent of
The National capitals. normal btu
minou< supply had reached the bins
\ week ago. however. 40 per cent of
the City's normal supply was stored.
railroads that carry bituminouS are
making eNtTavagant preparations to
meet the tremendous demands that
are expected from now on.
There is something to be said on
he side of the coke producers. too. ii
is declared. Ordinarily coke is used
only by certain classes of industry
The manufacturers are obliged to
take care of their regular customers
first. and as a result there is not
a tremendous supply left for domestic
use Every spare oven is being press
ed into use, however. to increase the
supply in an endeavor TO meet the
public demands.
Tn in the anthracite fields of Penn
$ -,Ivania the opera tors attempt to
, ,linim.Ze the suffering this strike
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