New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-24
THE COAL SITUATION.
CONSCMERS WARNED AGAINST SHORT
WEIGHT AND poor; QUALITY.

soNt, VALUABLE uINTs BY \ Prominent Mem
REL: or THE RETAIL coal EXCHANGE
TRICKS OF THE TRADE EXPOSED
PRESENT pRICFs
'rt e. beneficial 10 honest coal-dealers. sad a
prominent member OF the Retail Coai rNchaiise
YESTERDAY 'as well a. to the public generally for
The newspapers 10 publish facts concerning the
prices OF coal and i,s qualities read with much
interest the article In this mornings Tribune on
the subject. IL - timely, and gives ru'hiu'
summary of the situation. Ny prices are the same
as those pubshed-A75 10 s. a ton for the Dest
stove-size white ash coal and s. to s. rs ton for
Plymouth red ash coal. according 10 the quantity
purchased for delivery the same time When
dealers speak OF coal without stating any particular
kind they mean white ash coal 1t is unfortunate
~ true, however that there are dishonest dealers
who send circulars from mousse 10 house ana ois-
tribute handblls IN the streets announcing thst
they will sell and deliver the best coal for - 3D.
and even less for full-weighi net ton OF -'wo
pounds. when 1t is we'll known in the trade mat
no could fulfil such offer except at an actuai
loss When a man offers to sell commodity at
a great discount from the ruling market rate he
lays himself open TO suspicion. Coal dealers VINO
do this must in order TO themselves from loss,
either sell inferior grade or give short weight
Il know of an instance N this city whore. within
the last six weeks, certain dealer dehVered wha'
purported % be three tons Of coal in wagon that
coal being heaped Up. For about four months o;
last fall and winter the Retail Coai Exchange haI
inspectors who went about weighing coai In order
10 break up the nefarious system OF giving short
weight. While this system was in operation II was
successful to a considerable extent, but Il was
given up. One reason that the system was not
properly supported by the public as consumers
would have their coal dumped into their cellars
without weighing ra her than have the bother or
having il weighed on their sidewalks. There is an
other way which the pubic is blind to IT'S own
ten tons of coal q year. When they wish 10 lay IN
their supply they Will yum about from dealer 10
dealer haggng about prices TO save 80 cents
ton, IS a year their annual supply Ihs real y
puts premium dishonesty. for II induces deal
ers 10 cut prices TO such extent tina they can
sorting 10 fraudulent practices.
"There standard wholesale prices for stand
ard grades OF coal and these regulate the retail
prices for such grades among honest dealers The
coal mined and marketed by the great railroad
companies IS standard coal OF different grades.
There individual mining concerns. however.
who mine inferior coal which they are compelled.
account of It's manifest nferorty to sell Tor
much less than the regular rates for standard coal
This coal may burn freely. but II is consumed much
quickly than the better grades, and is the
dearest that consumers can buy. INSCRIPTIONS
dealers get this coal for from 80 to 40 cents ton
less than the market price for standard coal and
sell IL best coal thereby cheating the consumer
and iniuring the business of legitimate and honest
dealers
Coal is selling at retail today for 10 cents less
ton than in the corresponding day Of last year
The wholesale prices 20 cents less ton than
on this date twelve months ago