New-York tribune., 1902-05-21
SOFT COAL PRICE GOES UP.
ADVANCED FIFTY CENTS Ton
EASLEY SEES PERKINS. AND
PEACE TALK RESULTS.

Ralph NJ Easily secretary Of the National
Civic Federation. had a secret conference yes
terday morning in the Drexel Building. with
George w. Perkins OF the firm of J. p. Morgan
& Co. with view TO arranging some new plan
settle the strike of the anthracite miners.
Mr.. Easey then went uptown to his headquar-
ters, in The Mission House. Fourth-ave. and
Twenty -second-st., and had talk with Senator
Hanna over the long distance telephone.
Mr.. Easley declined to state what took place
between him and MI Perkins. All he would
say
There is really nothing to be said at present
On general principles. the Civic Federation Is
always ready bring about peace in case of
strikes other labor disputes if it can"
Mr.. Perkins admitted that he had a talk with
Mr. Easley, but said it had no special signiii-
cance
Il have talks with all sorts Of people" he con-
tnued. 1t is nothing remarkable that l should
have a talk with Mr. Easley."
There was i feeling downtown generally that
a settlement OF the strike was near. This, now
ever was not borne out by the statements Of
the representatives of the coal carrying COM
panies. who said that the situation was un-
changed Some of the operators also expressed
the opinion that the Civic Federation. though its
intentions were good had done more harm than
good in the matter. and said that the strike. in
all likelihood, would have taken place,
cept for the efforts of outside body 10 bring
about peace.
The presidents of the coal carrying companies
interested in the present struggle met yesterday
afternoon in the office of The Central Railroad
of New Jersey. and discussed the strike and the
situation generally. The representatives Of the
companies present included W. H. Truesdale
president Of the Delaware, Lackawanna and
Western Railroad, George F. Baer. president Of
4I,a md
p. Fowler, president OF the Ontario and West
ern Railroad: Robert NJ. Olyphant, president of
the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company, and
+. B. Thomas. chairman of the board of direc-
tors of the Erie Railroad. They all declared
that no regular meeting had been called. and
that they had talked only in an informal way
They also said that up to the present there was
no change in the situation.
About one hundred and fifty Independent coal
dealers and members Of the Retail Coal Dealers
Exchange held meeting late yesterday after
noon in Vienna Hall, Fifty -eighth-st and Lex
ington ave. in response TO special call to con
slider the advisa blity Of advancing the price Of
soft coal and OF putting a further advance on
the price Of hard coal =. II. Curtis of Curtis
& Biaisdel. wholesale and retail coal dealers
presided The first thing done was TO pass
resolution indorsing the action Of the committee
Of the Coal Dealers Exchange. which raised the
retail price Of anthracite II a ton after the
A resolution then submitted ~ raise the
price nf soft coal ~ cents ton. II was pointed
out that since the strike declared the
wholesale price of soft coal had been raised
frcm - 10 10 81 81 As in case the strike
lasts several weeks soft coal may have TO be
used in this city. the motion was carried. This
mskeE the retail price of soft coal - ~ ton
The manufacturers. il was said. in case anthra-
cite cannot be obtained will take the chances Of
paying fines for violating the ordinance against
burning soft coal rather than have THEN fac
tories idle
The question of raising anthracite % cents
q ton more than the present price caused long
discussion The present price is 81 30 ton
the schedule price before the strike being 81 -
The chairman opposed any further advance
and was supported ny number Of other deal
ers They said that IL was unnecessary to raise
the price there was no anthracite offered
for sale and little in the market The motion
TO advance the price lost
ON the subJect of the supply of anthracite. Il
VAS the general opinion that forty thousand tons
was the extreme limit st present This would
under ordinary circumstances be sufficient for
one weeks consumption.
According to some of the dealers who were
seen after the meeting, there are seventy-ive