Year: 1877

IuemOefS.


THE Coal QUESTION is becoming a more
and more important one to the people of
this State every year. Nothing has pushed
its way into our domestic economy SO
rapidly and persistantly as Pennsylvania
anthracite. 1t is estimated that we nearly
doubled its consumption last year, when
the high price was knocked out of it, and
1t was really cheaper per ton than wood
was per cord, to the town consumers. At
the starting of our fires here last fall a cord
OF wood, cut and in the cellar, cost Sc; but
ton of nut coal could be put away for
$475@$5. This margin in favor Of the lat.
ter fuel induced stove purchasers to invest
largely in coal burners, and it will not be
many years, if the present state of affairs
continues, before coal fires will be as
universal among our townsfolk as they are
in the large cities. Woodsawing will be-
come one of the lost arts before very many
years. No business has been more serious
iy crippled within the past twelve months
than this. The decrease in the wood sup
ply as we'll as the difference in price has
had much to do with the change that is
going forward. The decline in the price of
coal, it is true, brought down the price of
wood to some extent, and also the price of
saving, but it is not yet as cheap for
general use as coal, and cannot be, owing to
the limited supply. Even many of our
farmers, who furnish their woodpiles from
their own timber, have discarded the wood
fires from every room but the kitchen.
They find this cheaper, or at all events
preferable, to depicting their forests, the
protection Of which is already causing
some concern among agriculturists and
others. And, aside from the question of
policy and price in the use of coal, those
who have employed it long enough to "get
the hang of it," find it much more conye.
nient, both in parlor and kitchen. Every
thing conspires to rapidly increase its con-
umption-economy, convenience, accessi-
bility over wood, and everything else.


But our principal object in speaking of
the subject was to call attention to the best
time to purchase. This concerns the whole
community, now that it requires so large
an outlay Of money to stock our cellars.
The Philadelphia Leoiger of Monday gave
quite lengthy review of the Pennsylvania
coal trade, and its figures showed an up
ward tendency in prices all the time. Its
advice, therefore, is to buy as early as pos
slble. Last year those who bought early
paid the high prices, and that has had ten
dency to keep buyers off this fall, but the
Ledger thinks those who purchase the
earliest will get it the cheapest. 1t says:


The Wyoming and Scranton regions are
not producing and shipping any coal, and
just at present the prospect of a resumption
there Is not as satisfactory as the CARVING
companies desire. So long as the coal Of
these two regions remains out of the mar
ket 1t is not likely that there will be any
decline IN the present prices of coal, which
are on an average full fifty cents per ton
above the lowest prices of a month or six
weeks ago. Indeed, within some nine or
ten weeks of the end of the coal year it is
not probable there will be any decline from
current prices, even should all the coal
regions 60 into operation. At present the
Reading Company are the only people fair
ly and squarciy ou their feet, not ONLY
ready Tor the good time expected, but
taking lively advantage Of the continued
suspension Of bu-iIt III. more northern
mines Of Pom.