The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-01-22
THE COAL FAMINE
Mr.. De Hart Discusses tho Coal Famine In
New York-Attorney General Should
be Removed

New YOrk-Att0rnoy GencraA SnouI0
be Removed
Editor Independent: l started in
to write ON the value OF money" but
the coal famine has become SO acute
that | must turn aside and notice this.
The worst feature OF the whole mat
ter Is, that the senate does not pass
The bill giving the attorney general
$4,000 with which to prosecute the
trus' g. The house passed the bill be-
fore the holi0ays, but the senate wants
TO talk.
Thc attorney general, however. has
no excuse for not proceeding against
the coal trust because Mr.. William Il.
Hearst of the New York American
has offered to furnish the testimony.
This will relieve the government OF
any expense and the attorney general
cannot say that he is in need OF funds.
1t, therefore, begins to look as II we
ought To have new attorney general
The president, himself, seems to be
in earnest. but there Is a lack of spir-
it IN congress as well as In the at
turney generals cffice. There is alto
gether too much disagreement among
the nielL bers OF tie house of represen-
tatiypS.
That there is actually coal famine
in New York read the following from
the New York World Of January 8,
which is corroborated by all the other
papers.
Goal sold yesterday as high as SIT
:, +o,x within n uraa1y Tho rricn NAV
exceed $1S. The fuel famine that
marked the closing days OF the strike.
before the advent of cold weather,
will, it is feared, be duplicated in
form more dstl essing to the people.
because of the mid-winter season.
'"Tile independent operators have
formed an organization for the pur-
pose of squeezing the public to the
utmost limit They held meeting
Yesterday and fixed upon minimum
price of $40 alongside in Jersey City.
That means at least $12 to the con-
sumer In this city. No maximum
price was set.
'sThe one rule of the independent
operator from now on is to get the
highest price he possibly can.
Goal that ordinarily comes to New
York will be shipped elsewhere II
higher prices can be obtained. This
means that the supply of this city Is
to be diminished materially. New
England cities have suffered from a
fuel famine more severe than that
which has afflicted New York. IL
Doston is willing to pay $1S ton, and
New York but SIS, Boston will get the
coal. The place that bids the highest
will be the market of the indepen.
dents +, om now on.
Coke Brothers, which, next to Mar
kle T. Co., is the biggest firm of inde-
pendent operators, took instant adj
vantage of the no-maximum- price
rule and showed what the public must
expect now that the independents have
abrogated their agreement with the
combined coal-carrying roads. Though
most Of the independents sold coal
at the minimum price of $40, Coke
Brothers fixed an arbitrary price of
$12 a ton wholesale, freight across
the river from the Jersey side not in
cluded. To make only small profit
LHt IGLdllCl uo Illo pIiIC h1uot
charge his customers $14 or S14.50
ton.
mo change was or will be made in
price by the regular coal-carryirg
roads, S. ton in wholesale lots on
the Jersey side being the schedule.
Dealers, however, declared yesterday
that they get only about one-third Of
their supplies from the combined
companies, depending for the other
two-thirds upon the independents.
Some of the larger dealers get
greater percentage than this from the
regular operators. One of these said
he would have to average his prices
to his customers. If he got half Of
his supply at $40 ton wholesale and
the other half at S. he would base his
retail price upon the wholesale price
of $3.50. He said that as the sources
of his supply would vary each day,
his price to customers would be con-
stantly changing.
Relative to President Baer's state
ment that he would blacklist any
dealer who was found selling railroad
coal at Independent prices, railroad
official said yesterday:
" President Baer is talking through
/ "A 4 - ~