i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org

44 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
ages, which affected the free movement of equipment
on all railroad lines. Another factor which
contributes to the belief that April will be an
extraordinary month in anthracite mining is the
knowledge that the present agreement between
the operators and miners expires April 1 of next
year and dealers are not inclined to be again
caught with a limited stock on hand in the event
of a strike such as they were two years ago. It
is expected, therefore, that, following the spring
discount a flood of orders will pour in on the
operators.
Hull, Blyth & Co., of London and Cardiff, report
that the market is sluggish with, little indication
of improvement. Quotations are as follows:
Best Welsh steam coal, $3.48; seconds,
$3.24; thirds, $3.06; dry coals, $3.24; best Monmouthshire,
$3.06; seconds, $3.00; best small
steam coal, $2.10; seconds, $1.98; other sorts,
$1.68.
i CONSTRUCTION and DEVELOPMENT. tt
The mammoth Truesdale breaker of the Lackawanna
company, at Nanticoke, has been completed.
The structure is such a huge one that
the ordinary breaker seems dwarfed by comparison.
It will be the largest in size and capacity
in the anthracite region. The machinery is now
being installed, and it is expected that in less than
three months it will be in operation. It will be
equipped throughout with automatic machinery.
No steam power will be used, as all the equipments
are to be driven by electricity. The capacity
of the breaker will be 4,000 tons daily.
The Oakland Coal & Coke Co., of Corinth, W.
Va., is preparing to erect a large coal washer, the
dimensions of which will be 50 by 100 at foundation
and 75 feet high. The washery will be
equipped with up-to-date machinery and when completed
will be one of the most modern plants of
its kind.
George W. Kitsmiller, of Blaine, W. Va., has
purchased the coal and mining rights of the
Stover property located near Wallman, Md., and
those of the Manor Mining & Manufacturing Co.,
adjacent, and will install a complete modern plant
for working them. The tract embraces 820 acres.
With a capital stock of $3,000,000, which it
is proposed later to increase to $10,000,000, the
Atlantic & Birmingham Construction Co. has
been chartered in Georgia to build the Western
end of the Atlantic & Birmingham railroad
into the Alabama coal and iron fields.
The Middle States Coal Co., of Columbus, O., is
to build from 250 to 300 coke ovens at its coal
properties at Hager, near Welsh, W. Va., at a cost
of about $75,000. The output of the ovens is expected
to be close to 1,500 tons of coke daily.
The Tennessee Coal & Iron Railroad Co. is preparing
to install a practically complete new equipment
in its No. 3 and No. 5 mines in the Pratt
division in Alabama. The company is also building
50 new houses near the mines.
The Pittsburgh Coal Co. has begun the construction
of a large power house near Canonsburg,
Pa., which will supply electricity to all the mines
of the company in that district.
The Lorain Coal & Dock Co. will erect one hundred
houses at Lansing, O., for the accommodation
of the miners employed at the company's mine
at that place.
PLANS FOR STRENGTHENING
ANTHRACITE MINERS' UNION.
At the recent meeting of the anthracite district
miners' officials, at Hazleton, Pa., plans were
formulated to reorganize the anthracite workers
and get the many thousands of them who have
dropped out back into the union again. The present
paid-up membership out of the 150,000 mine
workers in the anthracite field is only about 43,-
000, which is a decrease of nearly 15,000, or at the
rate of 1,250 every month during 1904. According
to the plans of the leaders it will be necessary to
increase the paid-up membership at the average
of at least 5,000 a month between now and April
1, 1906, when the present agreement with the
operators expires. In the effort to do this President
Mitchell will visit the anthracite region as
soon as the weather is warm enough for outdoor
meetings and devote two or three months to aiding
in the reorganization work. The miners want an
eight-hour day and the sliding scale, the present
wages, and a number of minor concessions next
year.
Saxman Interests Consolidated.
The Saxman interests, embracing the Saxman
Coal & Coke Co., the Superior Coal & Coke Co.,
the Latrobe-Connellsville Coal & Coke Co. and the
Ligonier Coal & Coke Co., have purchased the
Derry Coal & Coke Co. and will merge all of these
companies under the name of the Latrobe-Connellsville
Coal & Coke Co. The new company will
control about 3,000 acres of coal, with 570 coke
ovens. The consolidation will take effect about
June 1.