Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-03
JOHN JOY EDISON,
JOHN DOYLE CARMODY,
LOUIS P. SHOEMAKER"
Lighthouse Authorities Perturbed.


The shortage in the hard-coal supply is
becoming serious with the lighthouse au-
thorities of this district, as they have but
a small portion of the normal supply on
hand. and the time for giving the light sta
tons their winter fuel is long past
The lighthouses are on the bleakest
points on the bay and rivers, and about
them the coolest storms of winter rage. To
keep them comfortable large quantities of
fuel must be used, and wood will not do
the work.
The lighthouse tender Maple, Capt. Miles.
is now at Baltimore, and as fast as the coal
can be obtained it is being delivered at the
light stations in small quantities
1t is understood good supply has been
promised the lighthouse beard and the
stations will have full stocks on hand be-
fore the extremely cold weather sets in.
Dealer Receives Two Car Loads.
Mr.. John Kennedy. local coal dealer, told
a Star reporter that he had received two car
loads of anthracite coal today, for which he
paid 1915 per ton on the tracks here. This
coal, he states, he is selling at $40 ton. 1t
was purchased through brokers from the
mines of Independent operators Mr. Ken
nedy received seven carloads of hard coal
Monday morning FROM independent opera
tors, but was obliged to pay $1O5O per ton
on the tracks here for the shipment The
system OF the individual operators In selling
through brokers to the highest bidder, said
Mr. Kennedy, prevents uniform price, for
one shipment will cost more than another
as will be seen by comparing the cost per
ton of the seven cars received Monday and
the two car loads received TODAY
In speaking of the agreement which II Is
claimed exists between the Reading Com
pany and number of the local dealers. in
which 1t is specified that the consumer shall
not be chargeds more than SIPS per ton for
coal furnished by the Reading company.
Mr. Kennedy said:
Reading Advances Price.
1.-THE Reading company. In order to re-
cover loss oeeasioned by the strike, has
added 80 cents per ton to the cost of coal to
the dealer. l hardly see how the company
can expect the local dealers to maintain
the price agreed upon at the opening of the
season-S7.25 per ton-wlth this added cost.
This company, however, Is not able to fur
nish enotigh coal to the dealers to supply
the demand, and as result the dealers are
obliged to- bus, from the individual opera
tors. The Pennsylvania company from
whom have bought coal in the past, and
from whem / expect to buy In the future,
asks no ssich agreement as to price charged
by the dealer
within the past few days. as I have
stated, 1 have received nine car loads Of
hard coal. but am still obliged to deal 1t
out IN loads Of quarter and half tons to my
customers. No orders are filed for more
than one ton at a time
Mr.. Kennedy stated that a number of coal
dealers, himself among the number. had
bought soft coal at % per ton and sold it to
customers at $ ton. 1t is safe to say, he
declared. that all the dealers have been
obliged TO lose money on their business this
year.
One Firms Explanation.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Your editorial OF yesterday headed 1.-The
Coal Inquirer Ia too much of an arrange
ment OF the coal dealers and Is SO broad
that we think IT necessary that we notice
same.