The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-09-16
Mine Operators In Usage Dis
trict Have Combined.
Western Fuel company Controls
Practically All the Output.
PRICES ARE RAISED.
Consumers Are Now Charged
1915 Per Ton.
Further Advances in Retail
Price Are Expected Soon.

ELt8 OS8Xe lily SSE8nI0u AAa Dur
lineame coal mines have been pooled or
formed into a trust and Topeka is
threatened with corner on the soft
COAL All the principal mining compa-
nies and operators lof Usage City have
combined and the coal dealers are al
ready finding the price of coal un-
steady.
City, of which Gust johnson is president
and treasurer and A. v. Lindell is Sec
retary, controls the output of nine
large operators and companies at Usage
| City. Thomas ChappeIl controls the
output of the Burlingame and Scranton
mines with the exception of the Santa
Fe railroad shafts.
Local dealers find it difficult to secure
tracts for future delivery. The price of
Usage City coal quoted by local deal
ers is as high as 1915 q ton where the
dealer makes any profit. The Western
Fuel company has made price OF
| $2-25 per ton on the cars at Usage City.
The freight is 60 cents. which makes the
| cents for hauling. which brings the
tual cost delivered to $315, and with the
dealers profits added $3.50 ton for ten
! tons or over, and $S.75 for single tons.
| Dealers are charging 81 for half ton,
| Anthracite coal is quoted at SIS and
| up, but can not be had for that price
Semi from Arkansas costs
$500 a ton laid down in Topeka and
the supply is limited. With the condi-
tions of the coal market trust will
have Topeka at its mercy and will be
able to send the price of Usage City coal
/ up to double the usual price. Some:
dealers expect Usage City coal to reach
81 and $3.50 a ton in a short time.
Local. dealers have been advised. of
the situation at Usage City by the fol-
lowing circular letter printed on the
letter head of The Western Fuel COM
pany OF Usage City:
Dear Sir: In connection with our
own products Of Usage City shaft coal,
we have this date bought, or contracted
to buy, for a number of years. the en-
| tire product from the following COM
City. namely: The A. w. Granstrom
Coal company, the Black Diamond Coal
company &c. Nettelblad, proprietor) !:
The Sunfiower Coal company (John Sea-
| company (Coughlfn Brothers, proprie-
tors); T. c. Harvey, John A. Johnson L.
Jones, Charles ]. Anderson and 8. J..
Carlson, the coal mined by all these
coal mined by the Western Fuel
company are all the best Usage City
shaft coal, and are all so well known to
the trade in the territory where Usage
City shaft coal is used, that it should
be useless to try making any comments
in its favor. Our supply will be the
largest in Usage county and consequent
| 1y we will be in the best shape to fill
in the future, as in the past, endeavor
to treat our customers in the best pos
sible way and our aim shall be to have
the continuance of your trade Our
mines are located on the A. T. & S. F.
railway, and on the Missouri Pacific
railway, SO we can ship on either road.
In case Of scarcity of cars this will
enable US to make prompt shipments.
lowing to the fact that we are COM
PEELED by law to pay our miners and
mine workers semi-monthly, we are
obliged to sell our coal on the following
terms: All coal sold from the 1st to the
18th of each month to be paid for by the
25th of the same month and coal sold
between tie 18th and last day of the
month to be paid not later than the 10th
of the following month We do not sell
to any one except to regular established
dealers in places where there is dealer
who will handle our coal. Our belief
is that the retail dealers should be pro-
tected and sell the coal at living
profit. Our aim is to live and let live
TN conclusion we will say that we
shall be pleased to receive your order
and solicit your patronage. Our travel
ing sales agent is now out on the road
and will call on YOU shortly. In the
meantime IL he should not call on you
right away, drop US line and let US
know what you need.
I'VE quote you for the month of Sep
tember our best Usage City shaft coal
| at S2.25 per ton F. 0. B. Usage City.
Every truly yours.
(Signed GUST JOHNSON"
The contract of between johnson and
a the operators was to have gone into
effect Monday but as he had not COM
pleted his bond for $4,000. which Inc
furnishes the operators, the contract
was not in force but Is expected to be-
gin today,
Several local dealers have contracts
.. | with the operators who are in the com
bine for coal to be forwarded. As John
|; | son has secured the output of the mines
, | the contracts will not be filled and
several local dealers have threatened
| to bring suit against the operators fol-
failure to fulfll contracts
/ At present local dealers have to take
orders several davs in advance and
| they give no assurance when they will
] be filed There is a scarcitv of Goa
caused by the laying OF Of the miners
| in the Usage City district on account o
| the Burlingame fair and on account o
two deaths in miners union In Sep
tember the price per ton for mining Goa
| is increased 10 cents so the miners 1eav'
| what they dig IN the mines and do no
q raise" 1t until the next week when tn
e price goes up. These conditions hav
9 made the supply short.
To Prevent Prize Fight.
ia