The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-09
WHAT COAL IS WORTH.
The Price Is Raised on ALI Grades
and Classes.
WHERE 1T WAS LAST WINTER
Dealers Enter Into an Agreement
Whereby his Throat Cutting
Business Must Cease
The War Is Over.

! Through the withdrawal of the bids
for furnishing the city with coal at the
council meeting on Wednesday night,
1t has leaked out that the coal dealers
have entered into a cast-iron agree
ment TO maintain prices and, while
coal will not cost any more this winter
than 1t did last, II win not be as cheap
as II has been for the last 10 months
by good-sized margin. The coal deal
ers have been hacking away at each
others throats ever since last February
with the natural result that the price
Of their stock in trade fell so low that
there was no money in IL. Last winter
there were only eight coal dealers in
the city, while this year there are 16 of
them, and with so many in the field 1t
was only a question of time and a very
short time at that. until some of them
would have been forced to the wall at
the rate at which prices have been cut
lately. Rather than to invite financial
troubles and take chances of becoming
better acquainted with the sheriff. the
coal men finally got together a few
days ago and entered into an agree
ment whereby the secret cutting will
cease and they will be maintained at
a standard that has been decided on and
satisfactory to all. r.4y -.---f
This agreement was reached by A ].
Darch, the agent for Gait coal, the
Union Pacific coal agent, the represen-
katives of the three other coal compa-
MES at Rock Springs and the agent of
the Rocky Fork coal company. These
six gentlemen handle practically all
the coal that comes to Butte and dis
tribute II to the other coal companies,
besides selling it themselves. Under
the terms OF their agreement. they will
refuse to sell coal TO any dealer who re-
fuses to live up to the scale of prices
which they have fixed, and by pursuing
this course, they are positive that there
will be no further cutting of prices.
Rock Springs coal has always sold in
Butte at $3.50 a ton up to last February
since which time the price has fallen to
$3.50 and probably lower in some in
stances. The price has now been fixed
at the old rate of $3.50. Calf coal sold
at $3.50 per ton for two years, but in
order 10 meet the cut, it has been sold
as low as 1915 and $3.50 until the last
few weeks. The dealers have now re-
stored it to $3.50. and 1t will be kept
there. The local agent for the Gait
coal had instructions to sell IL as low
as IS II IL became necessary to quote
that figure to get business. and IL the
war had continued much longer the
Rock Springs coal would have been
forced out of the Butte market. as ii
is claimed by the men who handle the
latter product that 1t cannot be laid
down here for less than $3.50 ton.
Pennsylvania hard coal has always
sold at $l6 a ton until the war COM
menced, but it sold as low as S14 and
s14.50 a month ago and the people who
were fortunate enough TO lay in their
winters supply at that price are con-
graduating themselves. 1t will cost SIG
ton hereafter. The Rocky Fork coal
sold at $3.50 a ton while the dealers
were at war. but 1t has now been re-
stored to the old price of Sc, 4. J.
Darch, manager Of the Consumers Fuel
company. said last evening: 1.-The deal
ers all bought their winter supply of
Pennsylvania hard coal last August.
Since then the price has gone up $3.50
ton in Duluth, but under our agree
ment, the Butte dealers will continue
to sell IL at SIG a ton as long as our
stocks hold out. We will give the peo-
pie the benefit of the lowest notch
which the price of hard coal has reach
ed at Duluth. The price of coal will
not average any higher this year than
1t was last. and there is no reason why
it should be any lower The coal deal
ers pay union wages and expect union
profits. We have simply quit cutting
each others throats-that is ALL"