The daily Republican., 1902-11-12
TO BOND THE
COAL DEALERS,
Reading Company Said to Re-
quire Security From Will !
mington Dealers.
REPORT DENIED, HOWEVER
Less Than rs Per Cent. Of An
thracite Needed An
nually.i is Being Re-
ceived.

1t was reported this morning tha
the Philadelphia aud Reading Goa
and Iron Company has issued anottc
t. Wilmington retail dealers requil
ing those buying coal FROM it to give
a bond with each order as a guaran
tee not to charge the consumers NOR
than $3.50 a ton above its clrcula
| prices.
One Of the dealers said the report
was not true, but he said the com.
pany has asked the dealers who buy
from it not to add more to what the
must pay than enough to cover all
their expenses aud IeAye a reasonabl c
profit. TO do that he thinks 81. 80 a
ton is sufficient. The dealers are
willing to handle the coal at a differ.
ence Of Sl.50 a ton between the
wholesale and retail price Is the COM
pany will only get it here.
The supply of newly mined an
thlacitc now coming to Wilmington
IS less tnan IS per cent. OF that re-
quired to meet the demands under
normal conditions. This asse rtlon
was made yesterday by Que OF the
leading retail dealers The serious
condition that confronts the people
here can readily be seen when com
pared with the statement made In
Philadelphia that Is per cent. of the
ncrmal supply will be received there
ana even at that coal famine is
likely to last all winter.
But the coal situation in Whining.
ton is more encouraging than for
several months The continuance
OF moderate weather has prevented
serious Inconvenience and suffering.
Relief is In sight now should the
weather man shove cold wave this
way. Large anthracite operators
are beginning to ship to Whining.
ton. In a week or SO every consumer
it is believed, will be able to keep
hot stoves.
Considering al! the circumstances
prices will be reasonable.
The stualioo In Philadel lphia ia
described by anewspaper as follows:
''Iomplalnts that ara being heard
daily from coal dealers IN all parts
OF Phlade phla, but more especially
in those sections not along the Read.
ing Railway, make it more obvious
daily than it will be impossible to
get into this market enough coal TO
meet the demand and that through
out the winter months the CITY will
be on very short ratons.
"Coal that Is being shipped to
dealers by the Reading sold at s6.75
a ton. The policy OF the company
that it will not deliver to dealers
who Will not adhere to this price
has not been changed, Along the
Pennsylvania lines prices are d fer
ent One dealer in West Phladel-
ph'a quoted 50 yesterday as his
price for Lehl.h coal.
MUST BUY OF INDEPENDENT DEALERS
"While dealers on the Reading
are sure of steady, if scant, supply |
at circular rates, those off the lines
are III a much more uncertain frame
Of mind, and many have been COM
PEELED to buy of independent oper-
ltors III the Lehigh region at fancy
prices, which, even at 50 a ton re-
tail figure, leaves but a scant margin
0f profit. !
The Pennsylvania Railroad has
adopted the policy Of supplying a
title coal to the small dealers be-
ore it listens to the demands of big
'nes. While the big dealers who
lave hitherto bought of the Penn
'ylvanla are getting more or less
'oal, they are not, as yet, getting
heir proportioDate share.
"As nearly as eau be estimated
cal is now coming into Phlladel-
mia at the rate OF 5000 tons
week. The average weekly con-
summer and winter, is
ully 50, 900 per week, and in winter
reaches nearly 1000 a week
10 that not more than Is per cent,
I the normal consumption at this
aason OF the year is coming into the
ity.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Com
any day opsncd Its store house
nd distributed its reserve coal sup.
ly. 1t had 200 tens Of hard coal aid
side In case OF an emergency In the
rlke. The coal was diStrlbut ed
mong the gate tenders and watch
leu who have been using soft coal.