i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org

od, J. A. Baughman, W. W. Driggs, J. ri. Gordon,
A. C. Smith. D. H. Sullivan, W. H. Haskins, Wm.
Green, G. W. Savage.
In behalf of operators: The Zanesville Coal Co.,
by 0. F. McKinney, president; J. M. Roan; Geo.
M. Jones; W. A. Gosline, Jr.; J. H. Opperman;
A. B. Dawson; The Kennon Coal & Mining Co., by
R. T. Price, general manager.
T. M. Davies, W. L. Timmons, secretaries.
THE MOVEMENT OF RIVER COAL.
With the south greatly in need of fuel and the
Monongahela valley miners in want of employment,
as a result of the long drought, the effort to run
out coal on the Ohio river was accompanied by
accident and loss. The high wind that ushered in
the cold wave caused all of the trouble. Haste was
necessary to take advantage of the providential
rise in the rivers, the lower temperature threatening
to cut off the water supply before the shipment
could be started.
These facts afford an irrefutable argument as to
the duty of the government to improve the Ohio
river. If that stream were permanently navigable
for coal craft the consumers throughout the south
and southwest and the producers in Pennsylvania
and West Virginia would not be dependent upon
the vagaries of the weather to meet each other to
their mutual advantage. There would never be
any necessity for starting coal tows in the teeth of
a gale, inviting disaster to the shipping interest
and disappointment to coal users down the rivers.
With these hazards removed the price of coal
would be lowered to consumers; industry would be
placed on a more certain basis and loss of productive
energy avoided. This improvement ought
not to be delayed a moment beyond the time essential
to its accomplishment.
The net results of the timely rise in the Ohio
were the shipment of some 8,000,000 bushels of
Pittsburgh coal, and about 5,000,000 bushels from
the Kanawha region. The advance guard left
Pittsburgh on December 28, on which date 3,000,-
000 bushels were started. The start from the
Kanawha was necessarily later. It was estimated
that but little of the Pittsburgh coal would go beyond
Louisville, the demand between that point
and Cincinnati being sufficient to absorb the entire
shipment. As might have been expected under the
circumstances, there were many casualties during
the run, particularly to the Pittsburgh fleet. The
conditions were unfavorable in the extreme and
the showing, on the whole, was not a bad one. The
most serious wreck was that on December 29, of
nearly the entire tow of the steamer Crescent of
the Peoples Coal Co., at Merriman. The channel
THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN. 35
at that point was closed, as a result of the coal fleet
striking the lock walls at dam No. 2, in the Ohio
river. The Crescent had in tow a fleet of seven
coal boats and one barge and in making the locks
the fleet jammed into the lock walls, breaking six
coal boats to pieces.
Four pieces of the wreck sank near White's riffle
and two coal boats went on the dam and broke up.
The fleet carried about 180,000 bushels of coal and"
all is lost except one coal boat and a barge containing
about 32,000 bushels of coal, which were saved.
As soon as possible the wreckage was blown out
and the boats delayed by the accident continued on
their way. The other accidents incident to the run
will be found elsewhere.
C. JUTTE CS, CO., OF PITTSBURGH.
Work is nearing completion on the big modern
elevator at New Orleans for C. Jutte & Co. of
Pittsburgh. This plant will have a loading capacity
of 5,000 tons a day and is costing about
$150,000. It is electrically equipped and lighted.
The Jutte interests have purchased the tug Independence
from New York owners to handle its
traffic in and out of New Orleans harbor. She is
a modern craft and the purchase price was about
$80,000. The Peoples Coal Co., controlled by the
Jutte interests, has plans ready for making railway
connection from the Pike mine at Brownsville,
Pa., the output of which has heretofore been
handled on the river. A double steel tipple will
be erected and connections will be made with the
Pennsylvania and P. & L. E. railroads. This plant
is expected to put out on an average of 2.500 tons
a day for railway shipment.
Big Order For Steel Coal Cars.
The Pittsburgh Coal Co. has ordered from the
American Car & Foundry Co. 2,000 steel coal cars.
Delivery is to be made from March 1 to July 15.
Of the cars 600 are intended expressly for the use
of the Monongahela River Consolidated Coal &
Coke Co. The cars are to have a normal capacity
of 90,000 pounds with an overload capacity up to
100,000 pounds.
Shawmut Company Taking Up Coal Options.
Agents for the Pittsburgh & Shawmut Co. are
taking up the coal rights on 5,000 acres situated
between Clinton and Freeport on the West side of
the Allegheny river. The coal is said to be among
the finest along the river and it believed that
when this tract is taken up the Shawmut company
will at once consider the extension of its railroad
to the newly acquired territory.