The New York herald., 1879-07-14
TRICKS OF THE COAL TRADE.

HOW THE CONSUMER Is CHEATED BY THE
DEALER--A STANDARD OF MEASUREMENT
WHICH is MORE RELIABLE THAN THE DEAL
ER's SCALES.
In no considerable branch Of domestic industry is
competition intense in the coal trade, and
natural consequence in none the dealers profits
under more careful supervision. If he handles a ton
of coal to the best advantage he considers himself
lucky to make fifty cents by the transaction. Mean
while old customer calls at his Office and demands
reduction Of his prices. 'Impossibe says the dealer
"my books will show you that the original of my
COAL the expenses of freight, hosting the wharf.
carriage and screening together with the percentage
of waste. leave the scantiest interest my out
lay. If forego this may well retire from bust
ness" But. persists the customer, "Jones at the
corner of the street, has offered much cheaper
price, and, though the dealer would argue for an
hour, he knows that he has lost his customer. He
consoles himself with the reflection that there
only two possible ways by which JONES' at the ccr-
ner of the street. undersell him. Jones either
swindles the wholesale dealer he swndles the
toner. The wholesale dealer is presumed to know
his business and may take care of himself The Gus
toner is peculiarly defenceess.
THE SCALES
Every day in the week hundreds Of coal carts
carts are wholly incapable of holding the ton for
which the consumer has paid. He suspects there is
something wrong. He proposes to have the loads
weighed. He finds that the driver objects strenu-
ously. though the householder offers to recon-
pense him for his lost time. His only available
weighing place is one of the three or four public
balances provided by the city. or the balance of
dealer in rivalry with the merchant of whom he has
been purchasing. In either case he pays for the
privilege, and. though he proves his suspicious
right, gains nothing for his pains. Now the one
Times Full.
1000 lbs. of Lehigh coal fill -four barrel. sh 81
9 600 lbs. OF Lackawanna I'LL -four barrel. o 9L
1000 lbs. of Pttston ill -four barrel. .9H
1000 lbs. OF Scranton fill u -four barrel. 9A
Instead OF relying on these figures which have
been arrived at by actual tests both weight and
measure. many OF the smaller purchasers of coal
prefer to send their carts to the yard. AS the
carts pass in they halt for minute upon wooden
platform, connected with balance inside the office.
and worked by the clerk or manager who is there in
charge The balance is kept perfectly accurate. The
city inspectors liable to arrive at any instant
their correctness, ut the cost OF 81 VISIT and
it may be taken for granted that there scarcely
fraudulent balance III coal trade The clerk reg
listers the weight Of horse and wagon. and
the driver. returning with his coal from
and the first deducted. Unfortunately he has
means of ascertaining what changes have taken
tightening Of a screw would rob him OF 100 pounds.
the pressure OF foot would outweigh
200 pounds. the unperceivcd lifting OF q rod
would counterbalance 500 pounds. The driver
takes his load and his certificate. and
goes away contented, and the dealer has possibly
sold him cart tull of coal weighing from 1.6OO
pounds to 1900 pounds. OF course there are mar.y
honest dealers who would never sell coal on such
terms; but they complain that they gradu-
ally being pushed to the WALL that the fraudulent
dealers are setting up mansions and buying country
houses. and that the coal trade is becoming an
abomination to all respectable people,
CITY SUFFERS.
The largest purchaser of Coal and the worst
sufferer from the frauds in selling 1t is unquestion
ably the city, The consumption OF its court houses.
school houses, City Hail. fire departments and other
public works Is enormous. hach OF IT'S schools
tracts tor 10000 tons ut time. 1t accepts the
lowest bids. and those are often made at prices
which cannot possibly afford proht to the dealer 1t
uses the services OF certain weighmasters,
longer appointed by itself, but by the Cotton Ex-
change and Custom House, so that they vir-
tualIy irresponsible. 1t matter of
mon repute that the coal paid tor by the public
schools was peddled round the streets. Janitors
who supposed to sign receipts would allow the
to turn tail after they had been counted in
body and present themselves twice. One contractor
admitted that, having engaged to supply the city
with English camel coal, he had substituted Amer
lean, ana nobody discovered the fraud. And one of
the Oldest ana most respuable dealers in the city
says that he contracted this year to supply an
armory which for the preceding twelve months had
consumed forty-lour tons, and found that by no
possible means could he make 1t take half that
amount.
REMEDIES.
The method of protecting the public which finds
favor with experts is to get law passed com
peiing coal dealers have carts OF certain regula
tion sizes-large enough 10 hold 1900 pounds OF the
light weight quality Goals. with iron bands inside
to mark tho lines where tons or the heavier Goals
would NIL the cart: each cart being inspected and
stamped by the inspectors of weights and measures
and only licensed by the city when showing the in
spectors certificate and stamp; the inspectors being
empowered to measure and weigh doubtful loads at
any time and dishonest dealers fined and imprisoned
and all weighmasters being duly sworn. Tho second
remedy eliminate the coal agents. aud the third
is to inform the public VIII t are the absolutely
lowest prices ut which ton OF coal eau honestly be
bought.