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28 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
of such a law must inevitably prove useful be­
cause of the light it would throw on local mining
condtions, if for no other reason. Despite the
fact that neither its sponsors, nor those against
whom it was directed are satisfied with its work­
ings, it has had a very beneficial effect. It has
taught the miners that it is a poor rule that
won't work both ways, and incidentally has put
some hundreds of men in the way of becoming
better miners. The mine owners have learned
some practical lessons in the use of explosives
which will have a permanent cash value. Setting
aside the question of whether or not the shot
firers' law is at the end of its usefulness, there
can be no question about its usefulness thus far.
If it should be repealed at once its effect would
last for many a day. There will be for a long
time to come in Illinois, less careless shot firing,
less powder wasted, better coal mining and better
coal loaded. It is only a matter of care and
watchfulness to prevent a return to the old condi­
tions. There has been much worry, much loss
of time and money and much general dissatisfac­
tion, but the law, on the whole, has been beneficial
to the coal industry in Illinois.
* * *
STATISTICS COVERING THE MOVEMENT OE COAL dur­
ing the first half year almost without exception
show increases over the same period of 1904.
There is every reason to believe that surplus
stocks, generally speaking, have been worked off,
and that with the exception of a very few points,
there is less storage coal than at this time last
year. The fall and winter trade outlook is for
probably the heaviest demand the coal trade has
ever had to meet. There is every reason to be­
lieve that the trade is entering upon an era of
prosperity and that the amount of winter business
will be limited only by transportation conditions
which while likely to be better will, as usual,
probably fall far short of actual needs.
Announcement has been made by the Pittsburgh-Buffalo
Co. that it will at once begin the
opening of its 10.000-acre coal tract in the southeastern
portion of Washington county. Pa. Eight
new mines will be opened and employment given
to several thousand men. A town will be built
either in Amwell or West Bethlehem townships.
BITUMINOUS INTERESTS TO HOLD CON­
FERENCE IN CHICAGO IN NOVEMBER.
At the fourth conference of the commissioners
and secretaries of coal operators' associations,
held at Columbus, O., August 23 and 24, a call was
issued for a meeting at Chicago, on November 21,
of representatives of all the bituminous coal interests
of the country, with a view to forming an
organization for the protection of producers of
soft coal and the general betterment of the industry.
At the Columbus meeting, for which arrangements
had been made at the previous meeting
at Chicago, last May, the following were in
attendance: F. S. Brooks, secretary Ohio Coal
Operators' Association, Columbus, O.; John P.
Reese, commissioner and secretary Iowa Coal Operators'
Association, Albia, la.; Herman Justi, commissioner
Illinois Coal Operators' Association,
Springfield, 111.; D. C. Kennedy, commissioner
Kanawha Coal Association, Charleston, W. Va.;
D. Stewart Miller, commissioner Western Kentucky
Coal Operators' Association, Owensboro, Ky.;
T. W. Davis, commissioner Michigan Coal Operators'
Association. Saginaw, Mich.; T. E. Young,
president Pittsburgh Vein of Ohio, Cleveland, 0.;
Patrick McBryde, secretary Pittsburgh Vein of
Ohio, Cleveland. O.; P. H. Penna, commissioner
Indiana Bituminous Coal Operators' Association;
Bennett Brown, commissioner Southwestern Interstate
Coal Operators' Association; Hywell Davies,
of Kensee, Ky.; George W. Harrison, state mine
inspector of Ohio; and Alexander and G. T. Weitzel.
of Columbus. Mr. Justi presided at the
meeting. A committee appointed at the Chicago
meeting to draw up an outline of matters to be
presented to the various coal operators' associations
concerning this organization, so that its
purposes might be made fully understood, reported
that duty performed. A letter had been sent to
the members of all the coal operators' associations
asking consideration of the reasons urged
for the formation of an association of commissioners
and secretaries and asking approval of
the work of that association. The letter says, in
part:
"We were also directed to bring to your attention
the suggestion of the commissioners and
secretaries on the advisability of the respective
groups of associations in the bituminous fields of
the United States meeting in advance of annual
conventions with the miners and reaching a thorough
understanding as to the course to be pursued
by them. The views of the commissioners and
secretaries on this subject, treated in detail, will
also be found in the enclosed pamphlet.
"We were also commissioned to impress upon
you one more subject, viz: the desirability, if not
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