The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-10-04
COAL PRICES.

The Philadelphia Record has engaged
in new enterprise, ard ONE which.
though iii no way connected with news
gathering, is destined to increase the
papers popularity and spread is
beneficent influence. There has long
been coal war in tie City al Brotierly
Love. the Retail Coal Dealers Associa-
ton keeping up prices beyond all
reason. The i:ccoof has been most
earnest in its fight against Tie coTbjna-
ton. and three months ago announced
that within twelve months the retail
price of coal would be reduced RI pc:
ton, the price charged by the dealers
being $3.50. Last week the paper stated
that it had made arrangements ny which
il would take orders for coal a 500,
reduction of - cents. \ still further
reduction is promised III the near III
ture This is showing an interest in the
welfare of the working classes Which
cannot fail to reap lis rich reward. +
i much better than SluShy editorials
and labored articles protesting against
monopOlies and combinations, and pro
Tossing fond affection for the poor, OPP
pressed people, who are preyed upon
by the rich companies.
And this, with the chilly Conference
weather. reminds US that the people of
Salt Lake will soon find courage to set
up cry, which may grow into q
deafening howl, against the high
prices which they are required
TO pay for coal. There are four COM
panies engaged in the coal business in
this city-three railways and 4 private
.concern-but so far as the benefits of
competition are concerned, there might
as we'll be but one. The combination is
perfect and powerful, and prices are
held ct monopoly figures. 1t is true
! that few years ago public opinion and
threatened competition induced the
! then absolute monopoly to reduce the
price of this necessary article little,
( lust enough TO drive teams off the road !;
since which the combination has been
able to maintain the rates quite as well
as could have been done had the Union
! Pacific continued complete master of
/ the situation. All that the consumer
can do is to show his friendship for this
or that member of the cOmbina-
! ton by giving his patronage to ;hatmem-
I Der which he likes best, or perhaps it
would be more proper 70 say, that
member which he detests least. The
coal dealers themselves Will hardly have
the courage TO take issue with the pro-
position that $50 per ton for shock
ingly inferior and s. per ton for by 10
means superior bituminous coal, are
entirely unreasonable and exorbitant in
a country which IS a Goa, bed for hun
dreds of miles. To say that these prices
are lower than they were few years
! ago, is no argument. Whatever they
were, they are too high now, ard out of
all harmony with the cost OF digging
and transportation.
We are on the verge Of long ana
cold winter. Until next June coal will
/ be an important article in the home
/ supplies and the cost among the lead
ing items of domestic expense bills.
If the railway companies c3re any
thing for the good opinion and friend
ship Of the community they VIII imme-
diately reduce prices of coal to such
reasonable and just figures that people
will not feel every time they Pay for a
ton of coal they are being robbed to the
extent Of about 33k percent. Of the Bill.