i STEAM COAL - Clpdigital.org

42 THE COAL TRADE BULLETIN.
Anthracite Shipments For Twelve Months.
Tons 1904. Tons 1903. Tons 1902.
January 4,134,245 5,964,950 4,538,138
February 4,326,269 5,070,608 3,741,253
March 4,375,033 5,211,548 3,818,767
April 5,407,786 5,044,990 4,924,830
May 5,285,079 5,156,449 1,708,892
June 5,728,795 5,436,497 92,203
July 4,623,227 5,377,495 259,079
August 4,331,854 5,169,402 321,774
September 3,967,600 4,654,454 445,883
October 5,131,542 3,925,642 1,276,257
November 5,124,068 4,091,147 4,984,384
December* 5,000,000 4,259,748 5,099,451
Total 57,429,378 59,362,830 31,210,911
^Estimated.
Decided In Miners' Favor.
Carroll D. Wright's decision in the matter of the
grievance of the employes of the Exeter colliery
of the Lehigh Valley Coal Co. was substantially
the same as that given some time ago in the case
of the Reading company. The men complained
that the company, since April 1, 1903, had paid the
sliding scale increase provided for by the anthracite
strike commission on the net earnings, instead
of the gross earnings. Mr. Wright decided that
the increase must be paid on the gross earnings,
but said the men were entitled to back pay only
since the time the appeal was filed, which was
August li last.
MINIMUM WEIGHT QUESTION.
Secretary R. E. Harris of the Coal Dealers' Association
of Iowa and Nebraska, has sent out the
following circular letter on minimum weights to
his members:
"Your attention is called to the fact that various
railway companies have issued instructions to
their agents, insisting on the collection of freight
charges on coal shipments according to the minimum
capacity of cars in all cases where cars are
not loaded to the required minimum amount.
"Many instances have been brought to the attention
of the association where expense bill weights
are the minimum capacity of the car, at the same
time showing that the load has been weighed by
the railroad company and found to contain much
less coal than is charged for.
"It is eminently proper, in all cases where cars
are not loaded to minimum, to deduct from shipper's
invoice all overcharges of this character.
The shipper is the only party in position to prevent
this loss to the consignee, and if he neglects to
properly load the cars he must assume the responsibility.
"It would be well for members of this association
to make note of matters of this kind and to
report same to the secretary, in order that all of
our members may be advised as to the class of
ears which will not contain minimum, the road to
which they belong and the mines making use of
them."
COAL TRADE CASUALTIES.
The towboat Charles Jutte, belonging to the
Peoples Coal Co. of Pittsburgh, was sunk at Cable's
eddy, above Steubenville, in the Ohio river on
December 26. The boat was only a little more
than a year old and cost about $30,000. She was
caught by an ice gorge and is lying in a bad position.
The crew of 11, including one woman, made
their way to the shore with difficulty over the
ice pack.
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Through the burning of a small shed at the
mouth of the Hammond Fire Brick Co.'s coal mine
near Bolivar, Pa., seven miners were suffocated on
December 22. The smoke from the fire was drawn
into the mine, filling it completely. The property
damage was slight.
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The towboat Frank Gilmore, owned by the Budd
Coal Co., sunk at her landing at Middleport, O.,
on December 23. The boat is lying in 12 feet of
water. The extent of the probable loss has not
been ascertained.
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The Hutchinson Fuel Co.'s tipples and mine
rigging were totally destroyed by fire near Byron,
W. Va.; loss $25,000, with $5,000 insurance.
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A coal storage house and eight cars in the N. Y.,
N. H. & H. yards at Providence, R. I., were burned
on December 23; loss $14,000.
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About 60 mules in the stables of the Mount Carmel
Coal Co. mine No. 8, at Pittsburg, Kan., were
lost through a mine fire.
Southern Railway Coal Tonnage.
The following is the coal tonnage handled by the
Southern railway during the first ten months of
1904: January, 339,351 tons; February 289,526
tons; March, 363,843 tons; April, 304,087 tons;
May, 308,230 tons; June, 301,014 tons; July, 169,-
982 tons; August, 259,888 tons; September, 260,-
374 tons; October, 280,604 tons. Total, 2.876,-
999 tons.