Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-12
LOCAL COAL INQUIRY.
Investigation Resumed by
Senator Stewart.
v. B. JOHNSON HEARD
DECLINED TO ANSWER CERTAIN
QUESTIONS.
Submitted an Opinion Regarding His
Right-Says Soft Coal Cost
Him - Ton.
v. B. JOHNSON HEARD

| The Senate committee on the District of
Columbia resumed the Investigation of the
local coal situation this afternoon. Mr.. v.
Baldwin Johnson. wasthe frst witness be-
fore;-the committee. He was shown by
] Chairman Stewart two receipts of his firm
| Of money paid by a customer for coal, one
| at SIS q, ION and one at $2O-a ton.
Mr.. Johnson said 1t was true that he had
! sold as high as $50 ton up to the time the
( strike was declared Off That coal was en-
gagged, however. and he had not sold ton
Of coal on any day at that period at price
! higher than he could have replaced it for
| on that day.
| Mr. johnson objected to answering ques-
tons which he said would inquire into his
| private business, and submitted opinion
from his attorney as to his rights in the
premises The opinion was not read to the
| committee
Chairman Stewart asked him If he would
permit himself to be sworn. He replied
| that he would, but not obligate himself to
| answer all questions. He accordingly was
| sworn and Senator Stewart asked him:
How much coal have you received from
| the Reading and what have you done with
it?'
Declined to Answer.
Mr.. Johnson declined to answer that
| question today. He would not say that
he would refuse to answer 1t tomorrow,
| however ~
I'VE will give you until tomorrow to think
it over" said Chairman Stewart
| He was then asked whether there was a
coal association in this city Mr.. Johnson
! replied that there used to be. but that there
had been no meeting Of the association
q Y,no fho anti NJ 3nfn harn
| no need Of a meeting. as the situation was
| away beyond the association.
In answer to a question he said he did
| not believe the association had set Of by
| laws The purpose Of the organization was
| to secure harmony in prices, and to get fair
| sumner.
| I'm other words" said the chairman. ito
| fix the price,
IT would not say that" replied Mr. john
| son. There is nothing obligatory in the
| regulations"
Declined to Give Names.
| Chairman Stewart then repeated the
question at previous meeting as to what
| Independent operators Mr.. Johnson had
bought coal from since the strike was de-
clared off,
Mr.. Johnson replied that he had COM
| municated with these operators out of a
sense OF commercial honor to see whether
/ they cared to have him disclose dealings
| with them.
| Some Of them had signifled that they had
no objection. others had said that they did
| object. He asked the chairman whether the
names OF an the persons were desired, and
Chairman Stewart said that the committee
| wanted them all.
| 'In the opinion Of my attorney" said Mr.
johnson, Il am not obliged to answer that
question. but in order to put myself right
| before the public will do So"
II think you will find that your attorney
| Is mistaken on that point" remarked the
chairman.
| Soft Coal Cost Him 81 a Ton.
| Mr. Johnson began by saying that al
| though Meredith & Winship had sold soft
| coal at SO. 10 a ton, he was able to purchase
| from them during the month of December
| only seventeen tons. He is now selling the
run-of-mine soft coal at s. ton and picked
| lump soft coal at $40 ton.
| He showed a bill for ffty-seven tons Of
| run-of-mine coal at the mine for 1925
The freight brought it up to 81 a ton in the
| railroad yards here.
Chairman Stewart produced advertise
ments in Baltimore papers showing that
soft coal was retailing in Baltimore from
$3.50 to S. ton.
Mr.. johnson said that he had no knowl-
edge about that, that he could not get it
| at any such price.
Mr.. johnson testified that he bought coal
from Charles D. Norton & Co.. Philadel-
4
| November T. at 1915 at the mine; from
Howell Bros. & Co.. Baltimore. October IT,
Pittsburg lump. S. November II. from
Howell Bros. & Co., 81 at the mine; Novem-
Der %. 1925. To each of these prices 81
| should be added to show the cost in this
| city before he touched the coal.
Charles D. Norton & Co. sold him anthra-
| cite at Sc at the mines on November IL.
| The Upper Lehigh Coal Company on the
| 9th of December sold coal at Sc at the
| mines.
|
| resumed, sold at 81 and gradually worked
| the price up with the demand until 1t was
| IS and SO at the mines. The prices during
! the present month of January at the mines
| are more than So ton.
He had one price of 1925. The great ma
| jorlty of cases at the mines now make the
| price s.. which makes 1t $40 in Washington
! before the dealer touches it.
| Sold According to Cost.
Mr.. Johnson said that he sold coal from
$3.50 to So, according to its cost to him.
| He was not sure that he made 81 ton on
the COAL He would be very glad to find
| that he had done so.
| He did not think he had made that much.
| At the present time he said that s. a ton
to the dealer for handling the coal would
| not be as desirable 1.5O ton during
| ordinary times. because of difficulties In
handling.
| Mr.. Stewart referred to the general COM
| plant against dealers everywhere, to which
Mr.. johnson replied that he did not be-
lieve that municipal coal yards would be
able TO handle coal any cheaper than the
| regular dealers.
Coal Of the Independents.
! A line Of questions was then asked by
| Chairman Stewart as to how it was that the
| Independent operators were now furnishing
so much more coal than they did under
| normal conditions. :
To this Mr.. Johnson replied that while he
did not know. from his own personal lrnowa-
edge, his belief was that formerly they sold
| largely to the coal carrying roads. and that
| they did not make profit enough to keep
/ tn hoi ff111