Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-17
ADVANCED TN PRICE
COAL OIL JUMPS TO NINE CENTS
PER GALLON.
Reasons Assigned by Local Dealers
Manager Of Standard Oil Company
Gives an Opinion.

Coal oil is quoted today at nine cents per
gallon, wholesale. This marked advance in
the price Of the fluid was stated at the
local office of the Standard Oil Company to
be due in part to the increase In the cost
of the crude petroleum. Washington, how
ever. it is stated is faring better than a
number of other large cities, where the
quotations are considerably above the local
figures. -
The price prevailing here is said to be
below the general average, owing to the
capital city's proximity to the refineries,
some of which are located in Baltimore
Md, a big saving being thus made In the
matter of freight. Just why the price OF
the crude material should advance could
not be explained by the local manager OF
the Standard Oil Company. but the opinion
was ventured that the high price OF coal
might have bearing on the oil market.
Several local dealers In coal oil. when seen
by a reporter for The Star today, stated
that within the past week the cost price
to them on the fluid has advanced one cent
per gallon. and that within the last re"
months the increase in the wholesale price
Of coal oil amounted to three cents on the
gallon. Various opinions were advanced to
explain the advance, but nearly all OF the
dealers were agreed that the enlarged de-
mand for oil as fuel. owing to the scarcity
of COAL has materially Influenced the in
crease in the cost of kerosene. The quality
of oil concerning which the inquiries or the
reporter were directed was that used gen
orally In the lamps and Oil stoves or the
residents. otherwise known as Aladdin OIL,
$50 test.
Always Higher in Winter Time.
Mr.. Moore Of the firm of Moore & Wood,
on 10th street. stated that the price of oil
always advances in the winter time, put
that this year the advance is greater than
"a ct 10 stated
the price Of oil has risen from II to II
cents, the price asked last winter being IL
cents. Coal oil, he said, is sold by the
retail dealer at an advance of cents per
gallon on the wholesale price.
He was Of the opinion that the scarcity
of coal had increased the demand for kero-
sene, and for that reason the Standard Oil
Company had raised the wholesale price
He stated however, that he did not think
the company had been arbitrary in the
matter, as it perhaps cost more now to sup
ply the increasing demands.
I'm the last thirty days. said Mr.. F. e.
Hopkins of 400 9th street, coal Oil has ad-
vanced 211 cents on the gallon to the dealer.
The wholesale price about month ago was
6 cents per gallon, and now 1t Is Sl2 cents.
1T is also rather difficult to get orders
filled and we have had to wait several days
on different occasions for oil from the COM
pany."
Mr. Hopkins said he thought the raise in
the price was due to grab" In the past
week, he said, oil has advanced l cent
II give the company credit for not rails
ing the price sooner than it did, said Mr..
Hopkins. There has been an increased de-
man for coal oil on account Of the residents
of Washington using it for fuel, and the
company could have advanced the price be-
fore had 1t so desired" ---j
Mr. Muddiman's Views.
Mr.. c. A. Muddiman, another dealer,
stated he thought it likely that the in
creased demand for coal oil had entailed
greater cost in supplying the trade, and
to this he attributed the raise in the whole
sale lrice. Mr.. Page Of the firm Of Little
& Page, expressed the opinion that the
scarcity of coal had strongly Influenced the
increase In the price OF coal oil. His opin-
ion as to the reasons for raising the price
corroJ GRATED that OF Mr.. Muddiman.
There was an agreement among the deal
ers interviewed to the amount Of the
advance. 1t was also stated that it had
been a difficult matter to secure a suff1-
cent supply Of oil stoves to meet the de-
mands of customers. There seemed to be
no doubt in the minds of the dealers that
the coal situation has Influenced the ad-
vance in the price of oil.
1t was learned from various sources that
a number of the out-of-town stations and
the small villages are experiencing some
difficulty in getting enough oil to supply the
demands,