Show I I j i I IFor 75 Cents a Ton For Anthracite All China Asks I With a fair grade ade of ot bituminous coal coat brou brought ht from Japan Janan commanding 12 to 16 gold od per tier ton in land and Canton it Is possible to buy bus coal of good to fine quality at Chinese mines in the interior for a price that seems almost ridiculous I Native miners at workings not far removed from the waterways will sell the product of their labor at 10 cents Chinese currency per catties 75 cents gold per short ton This rather amazing state of ot affairs Is pointed out by a writer in a Hong Hong- kong newspaper who emphasizes the need of or a comprehensive transport system Bs B's tem ten to take advantage of ot Chinas China's great resources In this article he says The writer has recently had the opportunity opportunity opportunity op op- op- op of ot visiting some of the coal coalfields coalfields coalfields fields of ot which are situated near Sipa in the prefecture The region Is alive with men women and children all aU busily engaged in either mining the coal from the various shafts shans or carrying It to adjoining markets markets markets mar mar- for sale or private consumption The coal is of at the best quality No 1 anthracite an and 1 is being mined in fairly large quantities No machinery is used picks and shovels and the ordinary carrying baskets being all that is re required required required re- re by the hardy workmen In spite of the primitive methods in which the coal Is being mined the different shafts shafta are yielding on an average catties catties cat- cat ties tics per day Some of ot the shafts shat arc are about thirty feet teet deep though at the present time the tho smaller pits seem to tobo tobe tobe be bo producing the best coal and the tho greatest yield The price of ot coal varies according to the tho place in which It Is 15 bought Coal at the pits pit's mouth Is Js selling as low as 10 cents per hundred catties but when the coal Is delivered at a a. distance the carriage adds consIderably considerably considerably con con- to the original price When a a. new railway now building Is completed It will cause some of ot the tho districts which are aro barren and unproductive unproductive lu to become |