The evening world., 1894-04-26
HIGH WATER MARK.
1.-THE Worlds" Cheap Coal Sales
for One Day Are 346 Tons.
Anthracite Barons Count Profits
While Miners Suffer.
Figures Showing Cost of Production
and Selling Price.

The large increase in the sales this
week of $40 coa tcstifics to the grow
ing interest which is being taken In
The Worlds light against the coal ON
hination.
The sales yesterday reached $40 tons,
which is tn" high-watcr mark. bringing
tin" total up to 3,22i tons. and largely
Increasing the daily average. This rep
resents IA saving TO consumers who
have purchased their coal through The
World. of nearly $3.50. The offer holds
good onIy until May J..
1t Is gratifying to note that IA
large proportion OF the orders which
have recently been placed call for coal
in considerable bulk, orders for five and
ten tons or more being numerous. This
Indicates that the larger consumers are
approaching THE Worlds" enterprise
In supplying coal at low prices. and
have Joined the campaign against the
m%onupolists.
1t was in 1879 that the anthracite
combination first began to affect prices
seriously. Since that time the retail
price of the domestic grades Of coal
has advanced as much as $3.50 a ton,
although at the same time tht cost OF
producing and distributing the commod-
ity has been materially reduced.
When the pool began its operations
in 1879 the price of coal per ton was
$50. In the Following year. without
rhyme or reason, he price was put up
to s. IA ton. and the record of succeed
1852. S5.75: 1883. So: lsSi. $40; 1881. Sj.dO;
1856. 81. 1857. $500; 1888, 81; 1882, $40: 1879.
500; 1891, $3.50; 1882, 49,, 1873. 81; 1884,
$j.75. This shows very clearly what the
,,p,iinnt lion tnn urppnnIign when IT
sets out to keep up the price of coal
and squeeze the public. Up to the pres
ent time Nc amount of protest on N"
part Of the consumers has had he
slightest effect upon the graspins
~monopoiists. They have simply bought
up courts and Legislatures, and with
the law on their side have bid defiance
to public sentiment.
Looking al the other side Of the ques-
ton, the cost Of production n, the mines,
i, Will be seen that the descending
. ries Of values is even more remarka,
BILE than the ascending scale OF REAL
In 1873. the average cost of anthracite
coal at the mines was SOL a ton Ia 1911
II was s2.75; 1915, klS7; lS7s. $l35; is75,
1887. Sl.ia. aud 1852. $l.47. Since that time
II has remained nj about the same fig
urc. The difference between this price
and $j.2j, al which coal Is sold In the
market to-day, represents the enormous
urofit which IL squeezed out of the pub
lie by the constituencies coal barons.
The anthracite coal fields are capable
# producing more than 10000 tons II
year, but they are only being worked
half time. and the output is less than
a., 1000, 900 tons. This suffering and dis
trcss among the miners, because OF the
lack of employment during the past
year, have been intense, and all because
of the greed of the great corporations
which control the entire industry.
If sixty millions tons OF coal were
mined and sold at lower prices every
miner would be employed the yenr
round. the public would get Its coal ut
something Ike its actual value. and the
profits to the producers, while they
might not be as great as they now are
in consequence of the eXtortion which is
being practisel. would at least be as
much as could reasonably he expected
to be secured In any legitimate business.
As only three days more remain within
which consumers in this city and Brook
lyn will have the benefit of the present
offer of "rhc World to sell coal at $3.50
u ton. they should come forward with
their orders at once. Remember, that
every ton of coal that Is purchased now
unicr the conditions off red means a
blow At the combine.
Careful estimates show that "The
World is now selling IL per cent. of all
the domestic sizes of anthracite now be-
ing sold in New York CITY. This Is n
most gratifying showing, but there Is no
reason why the percentage should not
he increased, If consumers would care
fully consider their interests in the mat
ter,