The morning call., 1892-12-16
GOALS OF FIRE.
Dunsmuir Heaps Them
on Housei1olders.
STOVE COAL STILL CHEAP.
Why the Customary Winter Advance
in Prices Is Checked, to the
Chagrin of the Dealers.
STOVE COAL STILL CHEAP.

"HOuse-coals." say the quotations, fare
advancing, and greater advance may be
expected"
thing in winter. but is agreeably surprised
that the advance Is not greater.
In quotations for "the trade" Seattle coal
has gone up from Sc TO Sc 80 a ton, Coos
Bav from S. 80 to Sc Camel from So so to
50. Brymbo from 81 30 to So, Scotch from
81 80 20 So.
The only exception IS Wellington coal,
which remains steady at SIS a ton.
One result is that long lines of carts be-
siege the Wellington coal depots, carts
remaining in line all night at some points TO
secure supply of black diamonds for the
retail dealers.
Another result is that r. Dunsmuir &
Sons, the proprieiors OF the Wellington COL
lieries, are coming in for big allowance OF
expostulation on the part of the other
wholesale men.
r. Dunsmuir smiled grimly when ap-
preached on the subject yesterday by a
CALL reporter.
Yes" he said I'VE are supplying our
coal at SIS. and see no reason to change.
1T is a purely business proposition, and
we can afford to do it. Our yard here, you
see, is nearly empty, and we can see good
market for all we can bring.
There is NO prospect of our raising the
price IN the immediate future"
That is the view of Dunsmuir, the coal
king, of the situation, and people who buy
coal may take comfort in the fact that as
long as he holds out the retail dealers will
not have much ground to raise prices.
Some OF the retailers had providently laid
In big store OF coal under the expectation
OF realizing heavily, and their disappoint-
ment is keen.
But the greatest kickers are naturally the
wholesale dealers in coast Goals, who see
their stocks accommodating idly as the best
season waneS,
J. Wilson of ]. Wilson & Co., large deal
ers in West Hartley, Scotch splint, West
minister, Brymbo, etc, admitted that he was
feeling little sore about the way the We'll
lington people were acting.
The price here is too low" he said.
I'VE can't load in England or Australia at
the price for which it is selling now.
"IEe time will come when Dunsmuir
can't supply the market and then the other
houses will have show.
POSSIBLY he has made contracts with a
great many iirms up to the first of the year
and that is the secret of his attitude"
st the office Of the New Wellington Coal
Company en- Howard street it was thought
that Dunsmuir's action might be attribute
bio to desire for retaliation in having
been burt in business by the competition OF
Many householders, it is said. have
within that period deserted Wellington for
other brands, and Dunsmuir, in keep
ing the price low. is now heaping Goals of
fire on their heads, while exasperating his
competitors.
Another theory duplicates the Southern
Pacific railroad policy. and is that Duns-
muir wishes to keep out the Rocky Noun
tain or Wyoming coal.
The Wyoming eoaIfe Ids are practically
1nexhaustible and yield product almost
equal to If not better than Wellington coal.
LII IS mined at cost of about So but
with the charges imposed for freight by the
Southern Pacific cannot be laid down here
for less than Sill.
As soon, therefore. as coal here rises TO
S11 ton the Wyoming coal begins to COM
pete and it is said to be the Wellington
peoples object to keep the price below that
figure.
III the Southern Pacific would reduce the
freight so that the Rocky Mountain article
could be landed here for 50 it would mean
perpetual cheap coal, according to the
knowing ones.
However that may be. the key of the coal
situation seems to be in the Dunsmuirs'
hands,