The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-01-18
Unusual Quantity OF Read
ing Received and Premium
Anthracite Shows Slump
Of s. a Ton.
The BituminouS Variety,
WhIleNOt So Plentiful, Also
Disp ays Downward Ten
dency-QuOted at s..
New Condition Due to Com
mittee WOk - Highest
Quotations of Year Believ-
ed to Have Been Reached.

N'S' - ~ 4 80 - -
t ed to Have Been Reached.
At last ray Of hope pferces the
coal shortage cloud. That the top OF
/ the market has been reached is the con
ident belief Of those who have been
striving 20 relieve the situation
/ The fight which the several citizens
committees, and those Of Congress. have
|been making tor some weeks past against
! the spectators eliminated yesterday in
I the first break in prices that has been
! recorded in the retail trade. For sew
! eral days past the quotations Of the
! shippers and miners OF coal have been
i somewhat lower than they had been for
/ several months. but it was not until yes
/ terday that local dealers reduced their
prices.
Drop IN Premium Coal.
/ An unusual quantity OF Reading coal
was handled at the usual price Of 8
and s7.25 ton. but the great bulk Of
| the movement was in premium coal.
which. in several instances. was sold
in quantities at SO. d drop OF 3 a ton
in the price. There was an abundance
/ Of anthracite on the market and several
+ o. the dealers are storing a quantity OF
It in their yards, TO provide against
! temporary shortage that may be caused
at any time IN the next two months by
/ storms that may impede railway trafe.
+ Bituminous coal was not as plentiful
! as heretofore. but the price Of that also
3
I sonabIe amount Of it could be secured u
/ s. a ton, delivered in the consumers
+ cellar. There were practically no So
/ quotations. such as have prevailed in the
past week.
Highest Price Reached.
The changed conditions are looked
upon with the utmost satisfaction bx
/ those who have been fighting for cheap
! coal throughout the winter, as they De
Heve that the highest price has been
/ reached for coal this year. WHile No
material reduction in the price OF coal
. is looked for, there Is little question bur
that tIe contemplated forcing up of
+ prices has been pre~,ated- II coal
should 90 any higher It viii be because
/ Of an emergency. such zs the suspension
/ OF traffic. or an extended season OF Bit
+ ter cold weather
! This is likely an any time up in the ems
/ OF March. but the large dealers who
/ have been working for the protection of
their customers are making provisions to
guard against such a contingency, and Il
/ the good weather lasts a week OF ter
days longer they believe that all DANCES
/ OF serious suffering VIII be past
A Bit Of History.
The efforts that have resulted in thIs
most improved condition form an inter
lestug chapter in the history of the coal
strike As early as last July it beeams
evident that a shortage of coal would be
inevitable this winter Most of the local
+ dealers did everything in their power ts
quiet the fears Of their customers ans
husband the small stocks Of coal that
they had been able to secure. after &
was learned that there was TO be 5
strike.
". Il. Baum. secretary Of the coal ez-
change. and vice president of the J.
Maury Dove Company. personally appeal
ed 10 the press of the city 10 refraia
from any publication that might alarm
the people. Largely through his efforts
and those OF the gentlemen associated
with him practically the entire suppEy
/ OF coal in the city was doIed out at tbs
regular rate Of 1915 ton. although a.
the time II was impossible to repIenisa
I the stocks at any price There were but
four dealers in the city who hoardsa
their supply until that of the othsa
dealers was exhausted. aaa then Iorcea
the price up to $40 the highest figure
that cCai ever reached in Washington.
Hope for Relief,
Following the return OF the miners 10
work there was popular feeling that
relief would be afforded by the first e
/ December at the farthest. and the prics
+ Of coal tell eff 10 about IS q ton under
/ the pressure cf tAe Reading coai al S725.
The very fact that this coal was sold
al This price. ana the uncertainty as -
the amount cf coaI that tho Reading
company proposed to furnish the cts
had most damaging effect. however.
as local ccaI dealers feared To buy pre-
miuu caaI for rear chat sthe mari-ets
would be supplied n5lh tle cheaper coaI
OF the line companies asId the hlgE-
priced article would Do vi hou5 NAP
[ ket
Early IN December the &c rmissioaera
/ CT the District appointed a ccmujttce Of
citizens, with Thomas W. smith a.
chairman. to inyesti gate the subject CT
all alleged embargo hat had been placed
upon The city by the railroads and 20 af-
o.. -r -T-f.s
LC..ntinn.a .n s--a-d p-r.A