MARKETS FOR ALASKA COAL. 
21 
COMPETITION WITH PETROLEUM. 
The competition between coal and petroleum very seriously affects the possibility of 
developing an important coal-mining industry in Alaska. The use of petroleum has already 
stopped the mining of coal on the Yukon for the river steamers and has driven out part of the 
imported coal used both there and in other parts of Alaska. It has also, to a large extent, 
forced the Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia coals from the San Francisco market, 
thus spoiling what might otherwise be a very important market for Alaska coal. 
USE OF PETROLEUM IN ALASKA. 
The importation of petroleum and its fuel products into Alaska is shown in the following 
table : 
Shipments of petroleum to Alaska. a 
Crude petroleum. 
Naphthas. 
Gallons. 
Barrels. 
Value. 
Gallons. 
Value. 
Six months ending — 
December, 1902 
21,000 
840,000 
1,008,000 
1,008,400 
1,008,030 
1,780,326 
935,060 
500 
20,000 
24,000 
24,010 
24,001 
42, 389 
22, 263 
$390 
28,000 
36,000 
35,823 
33,603 
59, 204 
31,864 
60, 358 
210, 147 
84,776, 
231,658 
106,623 
499, 196 
214,300 
$12, 186 
33,831 
18.054 
43, 814 
23, 904 
75, 187 
34, 734 
June, 1903 
December, 1903 
June, 1904 
December, 1904 
June, 1905 
a Monthly Summary of Commerce and Finance, Bureau of Statistics, 1902-1905. 
EFFECT OF CALIFORNIA PETROLEUM ON PACIFIC COAST COAL TRADE. 
It is believed by many that the coal industry on the Pacific coast will not be able to sur- 
vive this competition, but that California petroleum, because of its lower cost, will ulti- 
mately displace coal in all uses to which petroleum is applicable. The statistics contained 
in the following tables will shed some light on this subject: 
Relation of production of petroleum to output and price of coal on the Pacific coast. 
Produc- 
tion of pe- 
troleum in 
California 
(barrels). a 
Production of coal on the Pacific coast (short tons). 
Year. 
California. & 
Oregon. e 
Washington.^ 
Vancou- 
ver 
Island, e 
Total 
Pacific 
coast 
produc- 
tion./ 
Amount. 
Price 
per ton. 
Amount. 
Price 
per ton. 
Amount. 
Price 
per ton. 
Amount. 
1895 
1896 
1897 
1898 
1,208,482 
1,252,777 
1,903,411 
2, 257, 207 
2,642,095 
4,324,484 
8, 786, 330 
13,984,268 
24,382,472 
29, 649, 434 
75,453 
78,544 
85,992 
144,288 
160, 715 
171,708 
151,079 
84,984 
104,673 
78, 888 
$2.33 
2.12 
2.34 
2.43 
2.67 
3.05 
2.60 
2.99 
2.82 
4.76 
73,685 
101,721 
107, 289 
58, 184 
86, 888 
58,864 
69,011 
65,648 
91,144 
111,540 
$3.36 
2.90 
2.72 
3.65 
3.00 
3.74 
2.51 
2.44 
2.42 
2.18 
1,191,410 
1,195,504 
1,434,112 
1,884,517 
2,029,881 
2,474,093 
2,578,217 
2,681,214 
3, 193, 273 
3,137,681 
$2.16 
2.00 
1.94 
1.78 
1.78 
1.90 
1.62 
1.72 
1.69 
1.63 
1,058,045 
1,003,769 
1,019,390 
1, 263, 154 
1,319,101 
1,365,580 
1,413,153 
L, 324, 760 
927, 200 
1,054,864 
2,398,595 
2,379,538 
2,646,693 
3,350,142 
1899 
1900 
1901 
1902 
1903 
1904 
3, 596, 577 
4,070,245 
4,211,460 
4, 156, 606 
4,316,290 
4,382,973 
a Mineral Resources U. S. for 1904, U. S. Geol. Survey, 1905, p. 722. 
b Idem, pp. 458-459. 
c Idem, p. 530. 
d Idem, p. 564. 
e Ann. Repts. Minister of Mines, Britisk Columbia. 
/ Computed from items in this table. 
Note.— The price per ton as given in the above table represents " spot value " at the mines. 
