The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-22
WHY COAL COSTS so MUCH.
A Dealer Attributes the High Prices to
Freight Rates-An Advance Expected.

How is it," inquired a Journal reporter of a
prominent coaldealer, shat coal keeps up in
price all summer? Is. it because of your coal
dealers combinationq
The coal man grew somewhat red in the face
combination. He didn't like the word. 'We
have an exchange" said the coal man, land have
had for five or six years 1t isn't combination.
We meet once week and discuss matters of in
terest, but prices are considered only once a
month. We talk over freight matters, cost of
coal at the mines and the different coal fields"
"How does it differ from combination of deal
ersl" persisted the reporter.
well, it isn't combination at all IT'S mere
ly an exchange. There are many coal supplies
about now that there is no longer any chance Of
cornering any kind of coal in this market. It is
not an exchange to force exorbitant prices. A
member drew out the other day because we
wouldn't put block up to 49,"
"Why doesn't block coal sell lower than So 70
nowq'
1--WE pay So 10 for block coal on track at Indi-
annapolis, 10 cents ton switching charges, haul
ing and shrinkage is 40 cents on the ton, and the
remainder of the S. rs is profit
How about anthracite?'
Milwaukee prices on anthracite coal are the
same as ours and they have water freight GO
cents; discharging vessel 30 cents, making 80
cents, against ST.. rs freight per ton we pay to
this point. They make money up there Every
city sells anthracite higher in proportion to cost
than Indianapolis. Dayton, o., is getting Sc. so
for nut and stove sizes, and their freight is only
ST.. 25 Cincinnati gets freight rate five cents
less than do and the retail price there is so to
20 cents a ton above ours Last year there was
not, to my knowledge, retail man who paid ex-
penses. We expect to get better prices this
year. We are not asking anybody to buy coal
now. We are willing to sell, but we will not
give away any moro coal. There was time in
Indianapolis when some dealers sold l, $50 pounds
for a ton. Now we have to give 1000 pounds.
BY the way the present city ordinance
this way. A friend of mine came
in and asked the price of anthracite coal. told
him $l1. % toni believe that was the price
then-adding that ton was 1000 pounds. He
said he could get it, naming the place, at So rs
ton. l told him there must be some mistake
about it. and said if he would go and buy load
and pay the money without asking any ques
tions or giving any hints, and afterwards watch
the cart. so we could have it weighed and if it
then weighed 1000 pounds, would give him
load of anthracite for nothing.
lie came back pretty soon and said the coal
was on the way in bright-blue cart. AS the
coal came up the street, he ran out to the driver
and told him to drive to the city scales.
&NOe ny u Juk-Lui sdlQ Lu0 OriVor as uo turuou
about to drive back to his employer My friend
then went and got policeman who persuaded
the driver to run his cart on the city scales
The load weighed 100 pounds.
I'm the afternoon one Of the members of the
firm came into my Office He was excited and
had been drinking. He was very angry and
cursed me roundly, declaring that he would make
me sell 1,600 pounds for ton before he got
through with me. A member of the City Coun-
Gil CHANGED to be standing near, and the ordin-
ance regulating the coal trade was drafted soon
afterward.
1.-THE ordinance created quite futter among
some of the dealers. One gentleman came to see
me in great haste He said he wanted the coal deal
ers to all meet at his Office that evening why
said he, this is the most humiliating thing ever
put upon the business. I'll have to have side
boards built up on all my carts He took me
over to his yard and showed me. His carts were
little deeper than dirt-carts. except one that
stood in solitary grandeur by itself. What's
thatf inquired. oh, said he, his eye lighting
up with pride as he showed how wide it was
that's my Bates House cart. Get around and
take good look at it,"