Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-03-23
Coal Prices Advanced twenty-five Cents
on the Ton.

CDHi COlu lbtulSE, uclu III UAe w uSIlLS
ton Building. All the principal COM
panics were represented at the meet
ing.
After he meeting the announce
ment was made public that the sched-
ule price of chestnut coal had been
advanced % cents, to take effect at
once. 1t was explained that the
advance was ordered merely for the
purpose of "squalizing' the price OF
the various grades; but q glance Of
the official schedule Of prices will
show that the 'equalizing" claim is
hardly tenable, in rs much us there
are three diff,ren prices for four
grades Of coal, as follows
Crate, $3.55 per ton; chestnut,
1856; egg. $2.75; stove, $3.50.
There was no change in any price
except that for chestnut size. 4 dis
count of fifteen cents ton IS allowed
on these prices to jobbers.
In further excuse for tho advance,
il, was stated by the agents that ths
price of chestnut coal has been un.
duly depressed by producing com
panies having large amounts of ac-
cumulated stocks on hand. These
stocks are now cleared out and the
full advance is expected to be he'd.
Il was agreed to limit the produc-
tion this month to the basis of :, 900,
600 tons, not including the estimated
output of 100000 tons of the Penn
sylvania and the New York, Ontario
and Western Railroad Companies
There is reason to believe that the
reason why the companies waited
until one half the month of March
had elapsed before they mads the
advance in price was because they
did not deem it wise to show their
power too soon after the impregn2ols
coal combine which is the result of
ths great Reading deal.
UNAVOIDABLE COMMENT.
When the news OF the action OF
the sales agents was known in Wall
Street late in The day there wers
many unfavorable comments, espec-
tally on the part of those who are
opposed to the coal combination, on
the ground that it gives the compsn-
les absolute control over the price of
fuel. The advance was hailed as
proof that the men who put through
the coal deal have deceived the pub
lie and broken their promises not
to put up the price.
1t viii be remembered that on
Saturday last President Mcleod, Of
the Reading Railroad, in testifying
before the Senate committee which
is investigating the legality of the
big deal, declared under oath, that
it was not in the power of the
Reading Railroad to advance the
price of coal arbitrarily; that the
combination had not been formed
for that purpose; that it would not
take any such action, aud that its
policy would be solely to "equalize'
prices The truth of Mr.. McLeod's
statement as to the intention of the
combination to advance the cost of
coal and what he meant bv equal
izing' prices is perhaps explained by
the action of the meeting yesterday.
CONSUMERS WILL FEEL IT.
called on number of leading
coal retailers last night TO find out
Just what this advance meant, and
found them unanimous in the opin-
ion that it meant higher rates to
consumers for the coming year. They
said that at this time of the year slight
drop in rates has always been made,
and that they never had known an
advance In March before The rate
is usually raised in May or June
about 10 cents ton, and from then
on till September or October by sim
liar small jumps.
Mr.. Herman Ehronreich gave the
best outline of the situation. He
said: cit means Just this-that as
there has been no reduction in price
this year tho hous eholder who usually
fills up his cellar about this time to
save the fall price has no inducement
now. He cannot buy coal any cheap
eli now than he could at the begin
ming Of the cold season, and if he
does buy all his coal at this tims, il
will only be because he is afraid that
the combine will raise rates again IL
the fall.
sThe chestnut size has been sell
|; ingvery slowly of late, and is the
reason q little cut was made thil
: year to work of, and that they art
| putting back the rate while they still
have large amount on hand shows
t the grasp the combine has secured OF
{ the trade"
Retailers generally predicted tina
f the consumer would have to pay a
4 least % per cent more per ton for hi
:. coal of all grades this coming winter
Y "That means" said dealer, .'tha
q the combine will pull in on the 40,
c 100000 tons yearly produced tn
3 neat sum of $1O.00O,0OO, to whicl
SUN the householders of New Yorl
a city will contribute a generous share
Y A so cent advance, which is not a
il all improbable, would double tina
V sum. OF course. 1 make ju1t a
d much money, so 1 can't complain
o and the deal will be legalized, so tn