New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-02-27
nury MAY RECEIVE A SHOCK.
,,,ppRIsES FOR RETAIL COAL DEALERS.
xs TO FORCE DOWN THE PRICE OF COAL
BEFORE APRIL.

,c IN FORCE DOWN THE PRICE oF 'OAh
BEFORE APRIL.
-,. complacency Of the coal dealers may receive a
- tom, an unguardcd quarter The excuse which
s' ~nstained them so long, that they are dependent
w. ,se wholesale dealers has been strained 100 lar.
.,n,oed during the many days OF the reign OF a
.nnsnicnuls combination 1t was hidden be-
u" A.. Mg proportions OF the coal carriers trust.
m' .., tho crash has come and the atmosphere Is
NV ,he retailers are forced ont into tho light and
. tImsv pretexts assume their true value II Is
Wv oucb for them TO expect both u anticipate by
"" W. xaeks the beginning of the organized eXtorton
~ "a, and then 10 survive by weeks again Its fall.
W have had far than their share CT the plum
iD nsld for in thousands Of cases by the food and
',irg NJ the helpless victims Their store Of ex-
.ysrant gains is secure. The citys poor are simply
- Tor quarter that the imposition may al last
" and The remainder OF The people are beginning
y asv,se plans for forcing the hnnl break.
~. saalers are uniting at this time. they have
,broghout in statements that the prices will not
" ,orsred until April, the month in which a Tduc-
W e annually nrnde. They offer no suggestion as
w. NJ, that reduction will be. The few more out
,ssn saw tina, It will probably be the usual reduc-
,rhich would leave the comparative price OF coal
80. same figure as al the present time. II appears
~, they are counting on satisfying the people with
~, rduction. believing that the only comparison that
~ 80 canerslv made will lie those with the prices
ha obtain to-day ...,...,..o,. 49,.
A.. action Of the Coal Exchange. Of which most of
w ,.,cer dealers are members. In this respect they
s.n a combination clearly defined In character
an, other more pretentous trust. Many say that
-. action of the exchange is not binding and seek
. s,nh its importance detcrmnRtive factor in
Axs The power Of the Exchange is not particularly
,.vant IN itself The perfection OF the combination
That II stands In the way of reduction in the price
- coal and it can. therefore he made to answer TO
n..v The law that sought 10 call the larger ccnl-
sIns,,ous 10 account embraces this one, us we'll
TA.,s IA no longer a business necessity for the con
usnee OF the exorbtant rates for this necessary OF
M. The crisis seems To warrant the most extreme
AMT for an abatement of the eXtorion.
rbare have been effects, minor In point OF I'm
,.tsnee but large In themselves, born Of this 0cca
ao. which have hitherto been lost sight OF. Thou
,,pls Of people who could possibly easily afford TO
nav the advanced rates for all the coal they would
rssd but who were too much incensed to yield with
an, A struggle, have found substitute that may
,., nm an avenue of economical escape to others.
y. remedy they have applied is the gas stove 1t is
impossible TO find out exactly how many people have
mad these stoves because Of the increased cost OF
,os The ONLY basis for reasoning comes from the
testimony Of the business houses wholesale and re-
,a, that sell them To Tribune reporter who visited
, number Of them they said that the increase In the
output this winter enormous.
with the first touch Of cold weather." said one.
she increase in sales became noticeable.
We had not prepared for unusual amount Of
business not having considered the effect Of the ad
vance In coal. 1t came with rush, and has been
sustained throughout the winter 20 an extent wholly
unprecedented. The people who have made up the
buk Of the purchasers residents in fats and the
better class Of tcnements. They use them In bed
rooms and other rooms where IT is not necessary to
keep sustained heat. The stoves affect the TEN
prsture Of room very quickly, and In the case Of
lie small rooms In these houses few minutes only
IRE required to make comfortable. Tie cost
nominal and the saving in coal must be quite an
ten"
There could be other reason 10 account for tho
pest increase. our business in normally pretty steady
throughout the year This year II has bounded out vi
oil U0pOrtiUns. The effect coal dealers has prob
ally not been much felt during the winter. The cX-
bssHes up 10 a normal winters pitch. despite the
nxneed prices. The effect will come later on how
es0. Thousands Of people have bought these stoves.
Try will use them again even II coal be cheap. simply
lrsse they have them and also possibly 10 AVOID the
trouble Of building fires
This increased Of gas stoves opened up nov
field OF possibility IN the way Of opposi ion TO the
coal dealers One gas stove man suggested thai II the
gas companies could be induced 10 put in separate
meters and possibly lower tn" price OF gas for heating
come more general. Tbo question was preached 10 thu
Nperntendens Of the Consolidated and standard Com
pIie lhey said tina, the cost II the s'para" meters
and distinct pdng that would be necessary would at
the present time, be an objection 10 the project. II
had been talked Of however, and was thought TO b.
COMMERCIALLY feasible