The evening world., 1894-04-12
$3.50 A TON Is ALL YOU NEED PAY
Retailers DiSClaim Responsibility for
Squeezing the Public, but Facts
Are Against Them.
HOW TO BEAT The TRIPLE ALLIANCE.
At Any Office Of Tho World Coal May Be
Ordered at Saving Of Seventy
FIVE Conts o Ton

The Worlds offer to furnish anthracite
coal at $3.50 a ton to the people OF New
York and brooklyn, and thus crush the
triple alliance of mine-owners, carriers
and retailers, which has been squeezing
the public. attracted increased attention
yesterday. Consumers are taking alvan-
tage of this offer, for they see the great
saving It insures to them.
The effect of this offer Is already felt.
The World is receiving letters of thanks
from many people whom 1t Will rescue
from the power of the triple alliance.
They point to the excessive prices they
have been paying, and call attention to
the good this reduction Will do for others
as we'll as themselves.
The number of tons of coal ordered
yesterday at The World offices was l5O
and the amount of money paid s6s3. ON
Tuesday. the first day Of the service, G7
tons We're sold for S3O6.7b.
This movement. 1t should be under
stood, is not charity. 1t Is to help the
public, which is in the grip of the com
bnc. 1t appeals especially to the great
middle class, which embraces SO large
percentage of the coal consumers.
In order that there may be no misun-
derstanding. the conditions under which
The World makes these sales are re-
peated. Until May this paper Will sup
ply to any one living IN New York city,
south of one Hundred and Thirtieth
street, or within the city limits of Brook
lyn, anthracite coal at $3.50 per ton of
1900 pounds. This must be in quantities
OF one ton or more and when dumped on
the sidewalk or in cellar. An extra
charge of % cents will be made when 1t
is slowed in the cellar. Extra labor in
carrying will be charged for at current
trade rates.
Each and every ton of coal delivered
shall be white ash, broken, egg, stove or
chestnut of the best quality, thoroughly
prepared and screened and free from
dirt slate or other impurities.
The coal shall be full weight. With
every ton deliveredfthe dealer shan send
to the consumer a ticket stating the
weight of the coal. To test this weight
the coal must be weighed before leaving
the cart in the presence of representa-
tive of The World. The purchaser desir-
ing to test the weight must pay in ad-
vance 80 cents per hour for the time con-
sumed in weighing the coal.
Orders placed with The World will be
filled in their turn. These orders can be
left at the main office of The World.
Pulitzer Building; The Worlds uptown
office. No. 1861 Broadway. between
Thirty-first and Thirty-second streets;
The Worlds Harlem office. at one Hun
dred and Twenty fifth street and Madi-
son avenue, or The Worlds Brooklyn
office. at No 800 Washington street.
The retail dealers are still disclaiming
responsibility for the high price of s5,25
they have, fixed for anthracite. They
reiterate that they are compelled TO do
II by the wholesale dealers. But The
World showed yesterday how the law
got after the retail dealers at Lockport
of them. 1t may be added that "a simi-
lar organization was attempted at
Rochester. The dealers were indicted
by the Grand Jury. The jury failed to
But the warning was sufficient, and the
organization for mutual protection"
was abandoned.
The New York Exchange became
alarmed at these proceedings and modi-
fed some of its bylaws. The Legisla-
ture last year passed bill intended cs-
pecially for coal lcombinations-that Is,
1t was suggested by the complaints
against the leagues OF coal dealers.
This act is as follows:
prevent monopolies In articles OF general neces-
sity;
and Assembly do enact as follows:
Section !. Every contract or combination In the
form OF trust or otherwise made efer the passage
OF this act. whereby competition in the State of
New York in the supply or the price OF any
article or commodity Of common use In said State
for the support Of life and health may be re-
strained or prevented for the purpose Of advancing
prices. is hereby declared illegal,
Sec. ., Every person. who shall, after the
mass Df make such
engage In any such combination shall he de-
cared guilty OF misdemeanor, and on conviction
hve thousand dollars or by Imprisonment not
longer than one year. or by both such nne and
imprisonment
This act to some extent resembles the
ever, in the following important re-
SpectS:
1t is not confined in its application to
combinations to which a stock corpora
tiOn is Il party.
Its effectiveness does not depend upon
the PURPOSE for which combination may
be formed. but upon the results naturally
or necessarily growing out OF such com
ii does not involve the definition OF a
"neCcsslTy Of life" but substantially
supplies II by the language amy article
support ~ life or health This would
seem to reach the retail dealers, "h,u
they meet and fix the price OF coal an!
thereby prevent competition,
The report made last ear by the Con
grvssional committee which Investigated
the anthracite coal combination Is full
Of suggestions. This hits AT the mine
owners and carriers, II was signed by
William j. COomhs, Chairman, George
D. Wise, Josiah Patterson BcllImy
Storer and John Lind. 1t shows how the
railroads have muuopolL2ci the coal
fields, Here are some extracts.
''rhc coal fields being definitely nsceT-
tanned to lie within a limited territory II
small extent, the tendency has been for
years past for thu transportation COM
panius Ia me way or another To- acquire
tho ownership Of the coal ianis This
was done originally by direct purchase,
but subsequently by the acquisition of
stock IA coal Producing corporations
which are termed companies. Thlro IS
not "A rnilroa company now pcn"tTatiur
the anthracite T,E!uH that does Nrt own
Goa! produC!ng Lands directly, ur does
not absolutely control coal producing
LANDS thruurh the ownership NJ pFar.
tlrally the entire stock OF the affiliated
company.
$50 /, lg that the process Of absorp-
t!om has continued until tho great bulk
o: nc al output, as appears IN tes-
timony, fully IS per, cent, directly ana
Indirectly, is controlled by the rai'rold
companies, and whatever loss or proht