Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-05-17
HARD GOAL PRICES ID
The Strike in the Mine Districts
Has Already Affected the
Consumer.
Wholesale Price Is Increased 40
Cents Ton at Chicago
Today.
Only Emergency Orders Filled
Only Emergency Orders Filled
and no Contracts for Future
Delivery Taken.

/ Chicago, May 17.-As 4 result OF the
miners strike an advance of 40 cen IS
a ton in the Wholesale price of hard
coal will be made in Chicago today.
only emergency orders viii be filed,
and no contracts for future delivery
| wilt be made with retail dealers. The
| total stock of hard coal here now is
Only 10000 tons, enough to last apout
six weeks under normal conditions at
/ this season of the year. The amount
of coal en- route here from the east-
| tons, including lake and rail shipments.
Unless there is an early settlement of
| the strike in the anthracite fields coal
famine in Chicago is inevitable. In
| New York yesterday the retail price OF
coal WAS advanced 81 per ton, and a
similar advance probably Will be made
| here.
The orders to advance coal prices to-
| day to So per ton, the highest basis OF
Hast winter were received here late
yesterday afternoon by the representa-
tives of the eastern railroads which
form the hard coal trust The orders
also prohibited the sale of coal except
! in small lots to regular patrons of the
Various agencies, and forbid making
any contracts with retail dealers Tor
future deliveries of coal at any price.
AS a result of conference here yes
terday between the representatives oil
the coal trust and traffic officials of the
railroads from here to the missouri!
river, everybody west of Chicago using
eastern anthracite will pay higher
prices for q year to come thanih any
previous year. The meeting yesterday
VA SHIELD aplsthe request of the coz:
men, and they made two demands on
the western railroads. One was for
reduction of SO cents per ton IN the
freight rate from here TO the Mlssoui!
river, in order to enable eastern coai
to be sold in competition IN western
and southwestern territory with ulat
from Arkansas. This demand the ram
reads refused to grant, polnttlns GUY
that II they reduced rates the tpies
from Arkansas would Immediately 90
so hence no advantage would pe
gained for the eastern coal, While an
the railroads would lose bo Genus, on
every ton transported.
Tben the coal men demanded assuf
ances from the railroads that an "a
thcrn would strictly maintain LOT
wear the rate of $3.50 per ton fFoill
Chicago to Missouri river poln,s Nii,a
as strictly maintain rates TO lll1erii'eu,
late points This the railroads asreeo
ia do. They declared that as thes
We're enioined from secretly cutting
rates there was no reason why .hes
should do SO openly; that there is NO
advantage to any railroad IN an open
rate reduction. In time past the raj
roads have entered into agreements 10
maintain certain rates on coal, pul IN
variahly the agreement was broken
and the rates from here TO missouri
river points have ranged from s1.oo
down to ST per ton, the average rate
ON the bulk of the traffic being abous
SITS per ton.
The representatives of the various
railroads in the coal trust at yester-
DAYS meeting were j. w. Lowe, Penn
sylvania company J. Nj. Ciasget.
Reading company: f. n. Pease, Erie
lines. Edward Scott, chief clerk Tor T.
M. Platt, Lehigh Valley railroad. Those
present were CHOSEN as u SoiHhiiesSS
to represent all the members of the
trust. The western railroads repre-
scented at the meeting We're the Santa
Fe. Burlington, Alton, st. Paul, Great
Western, Illionis Central, Rock Island
and Northwestern.
After the meeting the coal men who
attended 1t refused to say anything
about It, j. w. Lowe, of the Pennsyl-
vania company. who was chairman OF
the coal mems committee, when asked
about the meeting said: Il don't know
anything about it; I didn't attend any
meeting with railroad men"
What have you to say about the
strike?" Mr.. Lowe was asked.
Il don't think it will last long. Per-
sonally i believe the miners are en-
titled to- fair wages. the railroads &c
reasonable rates for transportation
and the coal dealers to reasonable
profits"
History of the Combination.