The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-05-05
THE LOCAL PROSPECT.
Wholesale Increase Schedule-Re-
tail Rise Imminent.

What will we have to pay for coal next
fall? is question that is agitating the
minds of all consumers.
Throughout the State, with the excep-
tion of Hudson County, the retail prices
have beengadvanced this month fifty cents
ton over the retail prices of last May.
The State Coal Exchange controls the
majority of the coal dealers Of the State
outside of Hudson County. Here the
dealers have an independent organization.
The Hudson County Coal Dealers
Association met last Monday night, and
though notified of an increase by the
wholesalers in the Reading combine took
no definite action in. the direction Of
ordering an increase in the price to local
consumers.
/ talked with one of the most promin-
ent coal dealers in the county this morn
ing. He gave me this schedule of the in
crease, notice of which was served upon
him bv the wholesalers last week. 1t
went into effect Monday
Stove, "a TO s. 25.
Egg, 81 to a 35.
Nut, 50 65 to 81 90.
Pea, s. 40 to So 75.
Broken, "a to "a 35.
The general increase is thirty-five cents,
with the exception Of "stove," which Is
twenty-five cents.
WHY'S AND wHEREFoREs.
Now" said the dealer, "notwithstand-
ing this increase, we are still selling our
customers coal at the same rate as that OF
last Mays a ton. You can readily see
from those figures that the margin OF
our profit is very small when you con-
slider that carriage anywhere within the
city limits costs us at least forty cents a
ton. Why do we not make our customers
pay this increase? We are afraid to
do so at this season. A customer
Is not forced to Immediately lay
In his supply of winter coal. If we tell
him that coal has advanced twenty-five
cents ton, he Is apt to 60 around other
dealers to see if he cannot strike a better
bargain. He is recognized as So and Sos
customer by the new firm to which he
applies, and they may undersell in order
to get them on their books as regular
customer. But we cannot Withstand an
other increase in the wholesale
rates without putting up the retail
prices. So l believe the wholesalers
will demand another increase, am rather
inclined to that opinion. But I am not
positive. think 1T depends altogethe er
on whether the combine of the Phila
delphia and Reading, the Jersey Centra
and the Lehigh Valley Railroads will be
allowed to stand. 1t is possible Governor
Albeit may be biding his time to execute
Il master stroke so far as this State is con-
cerned, but am in doubt as to whether
he can technically prove that the combine
is not legal. One thing l do know: the
Lehigh people, of whom I buy my
coal, are very confident, and they
are apt to make all they can.
If litigation is forced on 1t will be quite q
while before it Is settled. Meanwhile the
coal consumers will pay the tribute levied
upon them by the combine"
| At the office of the Lenloh Coal Com
pany, wholesale concern, the gentleman
| in charge did not seem inclined to talk
but referred me to the main office in New
York.
1t is not anticipated that the consumers
| who purchase by the scuttle will suffer,
the profits are already exceedingly large.
They pay at the rate of about $40 ton.