The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1881-07-17

CO had TO seek other destinations. Not
~ithstanding this, the coal receipts Of
San Francisco in 1880 we're compare
lively large. amounting in the aggre-
gate to 65l.iIs tons agsinst els SIS
tons in 1873 and Cis. $3.50 in the Big
year OF 1878, which until 1880 vas th+
year Of largest coal importations.iu the
history Of the port. The supply va.
also we'll regulated 20 meet the public
demand, but ~ the foreign shipms nts
which composed the great bulk. were
In the hands of . fes Erm.. 40 artifi.
cial scarcity was easily created in the
beginning of winter and maintained
until recently, although the receipts
for months past have been largely in
excess Of requirements The ma
chinery by which the several advances
in the price CT coal were brought about
and sustained in 1880 was then new Tn
San Prsnnisco, aud il is to be hoped
hiss no exact counterpart in any other
part Of tia world.
This machinery is the Coal De.lers'
Union, an organization formed at the
instigation Of the importers. and which.
by its ability TO prevent any indepen-
dent action or any outside existence on
the part of retailers. may be regarded
IS one of the most successful specimens
OF an arbitrary trade association that
has yet been devised. Under this sys.
tenn each importer fixes his own price
10 the retailers. while the latter fx q
uniform margin Of profit. which. under
severe penalties. must be adhered TO on
all occasions. This margin since last
summer has consisted Of the munifi
cent addition OF $3.50 In price and the
customary deduction of 240 pounds in
weight Hence. when the Wellington
firm advsnted the price OF their coal
TO SIS ex wharf, the retailers price be-
came si7 80 per short ton of 1000
pounds, or $40 90 per long ton of 2240
pounds. which gave them q gross profit
Of S4.60. or 80 per cent. In the same
way Coos Bay and Seattle coal, which
continued TO be sold At $40 ex wharf.
became 10 the hands of retailers $12 80
per 1000 pounds, or f14 per 2240
pounds. and gave gross profit of "a
per ton, or 40 per cent. But while
the retailers gross profit may have
been ct that time absolutely confined
to 40 per cent on Coos Bay and Seattle,
IL may perhaps be inferred that there
was no such absolute limit in regard to
the percentage on Wellington Scotch
splint. West Hartley and other expen :
sive varieties How far these Goals can
be improved BY the judicious admir-
ture Of cosst ocal has been fully settled
by the public, aud, as in the case OF
the various tea and coffee compounds,
must always perhaps remain an open
question. The public is still more
suspicious in the matter Of weight, aud
while the dealers own up in public to q
deduction of $40 pounds. 1t has been
firmly believed that their confessions
in private point generally TO . much
larger figure. But these suspicious
may this year be set entirely at rest,
since the Coal Dealers Union offer q
standing reward for the detection oil
such practices among any Of its mem.
bers. II is claimed by the Association
that by drawing the line strictly at
$3.50 and $40 pounds they have raised
the morale OF the trade, and this per-
hsps may reasonably be assented to-
since the admirable effects Of discipline
on character have long been recog'
nized.
Yet it will doubtless occur to many
that the public now pay too large q
premium for the moral Improvement
Of 9 class that did not specially need
reform. The gross profit of retailers i.
now equal to the entire cost OF coal in
the Atlantic cities, and double what il
costs in some of the leading cities in
Great Britain. But the absurd protii
to the retailer Is not the worst feature
in connection with the Coal Dealers
Union. The system affords an extra.
ordinary temptation on the part OF i'm.
porters to advance prices and to main,
tain them far above their natural level
And the retailer. instead Of acting al
he should do on the side Of his custom
ers. or even In neutral position. has q
direct interest in acting against them
Every advance by the importer lend.
an increased value TO the stock of the
retailer, while levery decline 10 cor
responding injury. The consumer now
usually pays a double profit to both
and has no means Of protecting him,
self against either. Had it not beer
for the Coal Dealers Union. and its in
fluence In advancing prices, the whole
sale rates during the past season would
have been to . great extent regulated
by the law Of supply and demand. and
kept within moderate bounds. Will,
this community Of interests between
wholesalers aud retailers had made oil
them an exceedingly happy family
and seemed to have brought back &c
them the golden sge. il was far differ.
ent from the great body of consumers
To these the famine prices created for
coal proved generally q greet hardship
and Il 10 not surprising that the public
conscience was more than usually stir.