Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-28
COAL RUNS INTO BIG MONEY
Advisory Beard Opens Bids en- Oity's Sup
ply Of Black Diamonds.
ANTHRACITE At TWELVE DOLLARS A TON
City Comptroller Thinks All aids
ought TO ne Rejected, hut Mayor
says Prices May Go
Higher.

At the meeting OF the advisory board
yesterday afternoon bids for the city fuel
supply were opened. and although the
members were all aware in a general way
that the price OF coal was high. the fig
ures presented were such as to cause gem
eral surprise. There were Ave bidders for
the fuel contract-T. G. Ravens, c. b.
Havens & Co.. the Nebraska Fuel COM
pany, the Coal Hill Coal company and
Coutant & Sauires. but only three Of them
quoted any figures on anthracite coal, T.
c. Havens Offering to furnish II for Si2
per ton. the Nebraska Fuel company for
S1i,65 and Coutant a squires for s1l.50. ON
the various kinds OF soft coal the prices
ranged from S2.25 to 81 per ten, according
TO the quality or the locality in which II
Is mined, and s~emi-anthracite was quoted
from 80 upward.
1t is estimated that the city will not use
a greater quantity Of hard coal than
twenty-five tons, its principal need in the
fuel line being for various kinds Of soft
coal for use at the city hail in making
steam, at the city Jail and at the election
booths and other places where only small
quantities are required. There will be re-
quired. however, about 1900 tons Of steam
coal, and in all perhaps as much as 1000
tons Of the various kinds Of soft coal during
ing the winter.
Bida on BitumInOus.
In the bids so many different kinds OF
bituminous coal were mentioned as to
make any comparison OF the figures almost
impossible to one not thoroughly ac-
q~uainted with the coal business.
T. c. Ravens quoted Cherokee steam
coal at s2.s7, Rock Springs lump at 1855
and Southern Illinois lump at $40.
q n IIawNao n r. q. III --nu D. nN---
kee steam coal. Sass; Danforth, s2.i7 per
half ton; Trenton, $500 per ton; jackson
Hill, 1920 per ton.
The Nebraska Fuel company offered
Weir City at S2.75 per ton; Cleveland, S2.25
per ton; Cleveland lump. 50 per half ton;
Cleveland lump, 1915 per ton; Canon City
lump, 81 per ton.
The Coal Hill Coal company's figures
were: For pea mixture, $3.50 per ton;
Cherokee stack, $2.s3; Walnut block, s4.21;
De Vernon, ILL.,, $4.75.
Coutant & squires made only one price
on soft coal. sass for either Iowa or Mis-
souri, nut mixture.
On semi-anthracite coal T. c. Havens
bid $3.50 per ton; C. b. Havens & Co., 50
per tom the Coal Hill Coal company. 49, 10
per ton, and Coutant q squires, 1925 per
ton.
Suggests Rejection of Bids.
ccrnrt-o!!c- |sstSsTs suggested the re-
lection Of all bids, in the belief that the
city would do better in the open market
after the end of the present strike. Mayor
Moores said that from what he had been
able to learn Of the coal situation he felt
convinced that the prices would not be
W at any time during the winter, even
IL the strike should be brought to a close
at once, and that they would probably 20
higher. The eastern market, he said,
would be first supplied and the western
consumers would get no relief for some
time to come. f
The bids were all referred to secre-
tary Coburn for tabulation and will be
presented at a future meeting for further
consideration.