The evening world., 1894-04-11
WOE TO COAL BARONS
"The Worlds" Plan Cuts Off One
of Their Little Games.
You Can Save rs Cents a Ton and
Teach Them a Lesson.
They Are Limiting the Output and
Boosting the Prices.

judging from present Indications, III
will not be long before the people Of New
York and Brooklyn will be thoroughly
aroused to the great opportunity offered
to them by The World" of getting even
with the extortionate coal dealers who
have SO long had things all their own
way.
They have found that they can get
their coal at the rate of $3.50 a ton by
leaving their orders at any of the offices
of 1.-The World" either in this city or
Brooklyn. whereas IL they trade with
the dealers they will have to pay s5.25
q ton or 10 cents more.
Not only are they getting their coal
very much cheaper. but they are getting
the best quality of fuel the market can
afford. 1t is delivered at their houses
and shovelled into the cellars without
any extra charge. The only extra charge
that is made is when it is necessary to
carry the coal into the house in baskets
and stow it in bins.
For this labor the usual extra rate is
charged but where the coal can be
dumped upon the sidewalk and shovelled
directly into the cellar 1t all comes
within the $3.50.
AS has already been explained THE
World has not the slightest pecuniary
interest In the scheme which 1t has in
augurated. and so far from receiving
a cent of profit directly or indirectly, it
has assumed all the, trouble and ex-
pense Of receiving and filling the orders
which are placed with it by consumers.
The, only purpose sought to be, ac-
complished is the breaking down OF the
great monopoly that has existed for SO
many. years in the coal trade and which
is upheld not only by the mining and
transportation companies. but by the
retail dealers as we'll The World
means to have the consumer get his coal
at something like fair and reasonable
price.
The railroad companies which own
most of the coal mines have always been
able to pay very large dividends out of
their earnings, very much larger than
those of other transportation companies,
no matter whether the times were good
or bad. The people must always have
fuel and the combine has always been
able to take advantage of their neces-
sity and secure the very highest prices
that the market could stand.
1t Is not question of the cost of pro-
ductiOn that governs the price of coal
but simply what can the consumers be
made to pay. How much can be
squeezed out of them without bringing
about a popular uprising?
The history of the coal monopoly
shows that the combine has always been
able to keep prices up to the very high
est notch. 1t does, not care for com
be. on the part of small consumers, be
cause 1t knows that singly they can do
nothing to throw off the burden of this
heavy taxation, and that individuals are
completely at their mercy.
What they are afraid Of, however. is a
ton and association of the consumers to
fight this imposition, and this Is just
what "The World' is trying to organize
In the present movement.
Nothing would cause greater conster-
nation in the ranks of the monopolists
than TO see the people fiocking to
standard which has been raised by THE
World" and supporting the movement
whose purpose is to smash monopoly.
Under this plan the consumers. of New
York and Brooklyn can take advantage
of what is practically cost price or at
least as nearly the cost price a3 the
charges Of the mining and railroad COM
paniss Will permit.
1t Is estimated that the railroad COM
panics make at least 81 a ton on al! coal
DEPOSITED By them at tide-water; that
ia, when the railroad company owns the
mines This Is true of almost every ton
Of coal that comes to this city.
80 ions as these COMPANIES are in COM
Where the retail! dealers come in. They
buy their coal from the companies at
S $40 ionF ton which means 22l9
ton Of 1000 pounds to the small con-
sumner. making a difference of S237 ton
between the buying and selling price.
Now, at tho very most, it does not
cost retail dealer more than 90 cents
q ton to handle this coal in passing from
the companies yards to tho houses of
the consumers, which. as will readily
be seen, leaves clear profit OF nearly
$3.50 per ton to the retail dealer. or near
~ 81 per cent
1t Is by this excessive profit which is Sc
cured by combinations that The World"
ls seeking 10 cut down, and thus enable
The consumer 10 buy his coal at a price
that more nearly represents that which
would prevail under conditions of healthy
competition.
w With regard to its resonr'Ss q, The
OF coal day to the people OF this city
and Brooklyn at least until May l; only
three weeks yet remain to take adj
readers OF The Wor!d' vii! carefully
look into the subject, they will see Is not
one to be cast lightly aside.
As Indicating in what manner the coal
barons" are starving the market in order
that they may compel consumers to pay
them the higher prices which have been
or anthracite coal for april shall be
limited to 2,25o,0OO tons. This Is decided
by the vote OF ten men representing the
railroad and mining corporations which
control the entire anthracite coal pro-
duCtion of the country.
The actual production for April IN
2,S6,59s; isS9. 227ll99 1890, 2.579si7 1891,
2Si3, 500: 1899, 2,9i4.50y 1893, %,2S4. hiH
IT. VIII be noticed that In no previous
been as low production as these coal
ConSpratOrS have determined to fix for
Inc present month.
Hcre is a list of the ten companies that
combine to tax the industries OF the
country by enhancing the price OF coal.
The percentage of the total ~ l4uct.)n BY
each company is given:
Pc;-
CentaEo,
PHILADELPHIA and R.adr-. ....,......,.....,. 70 "a
L'high Valley Railroad ryu isrv ..-........ L. 30
Central Railroad COMPANY - N'w Jers2v.... 1871
road COMPANY ..-'''... .........,.... 1895
Delaware and Hudson Canal Company......., 10 =
Pennsylvania Railroad Company ...........,.. ~ 81
itnnSNlranl Coal Company. .........., r..... 4 80
road Company ~ ",' a.2
COMPANY ,,,, 200