The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1903-07-10
Problem Of Chap Coal
COnfrOnts Oklahoma


City Star says:
'rhe coal shortage last winter caused
an extortionate advance in the price
Of coal in Oklahoma, Notwithstanding
the fact that Kansas and Indian ter
ritory with their coal fields, are next
door neighbors. McAlester and Weir
city domestic Goals sold in Guthrie at
81 a ton. end often contained quanti-
ties of dirt and slate The McAlester
mines are scarcely more than $50
miles from Guth-je. but distance did
not seem to be factor in prices. Colo
rado coal. from Canyon City, sold at
tho same rate IS a ton. Consumers
in Oklahoma hoped that summer would
bring a decline In prices, at least In
McAiester coal. and that they could
economic by purchasing next winters
supply during the summer months.
Prices remein the same. however, for
coal in quantities OF less than three
tons. The only concession Is q rate
OF 81 a ton for McAlester and Canyon
City Goals end Sc for Kansas coal,
wien the purchase is not less than
three tons. MiRe operators in Indian
territory have advanced prices in this
manner year after year.
short Weights In Coal.
An attempt was made in the last
legislature to oppose in weak way
the coal monopoly. but the feet that a
railroad attorney prepared the bill
caused several rural members to sus-
pect that the measure was a railroad
scheme and 81 was promptly killei.
The bill made the theft Of merchan.
disc from cars in transit felony and
was Intended to protect both dealers
and consumers in coal The loss of
coal In tr,nsit Is great. y the weights
given when the cars leave the mines
are correct IT is suspected. however.
that mine weights are not always hon
estly recorded One dealer here re-
ceiyed three cars from Indian terri
tory that returned loaded to their full
capacity. the coal being rounded and
heaped high in each car. The total
difference between local weights and
mine weights was fourteen tons. The
dealer knew that a claim for shortage
would never be allowed and refused
to receive the cars The mine oper
ators protested for several weeks and
finally accepted the destination
weights The loads in the cars we're
reasonable evidence that the fourteen
tons had not been stolen in transit
Have TO Take Short Weights.
In many instances the demand for
coal Is 50 pressing that dealers are
compelled 70 accept short weights,
which arc seldom if ever. adjusted
The company IS paid full weight and
the loss taxed to the consumer When
tho bill was pending in the Oklahoma
legislature last winter II T. Nudge
Of the Santa Fe railroad as here and
said that his company contemplated
sending inspectors to Indian territory
TO see iha' fun weights were given az
the mines This was not done II is
hardly believed that mine operators
would permit such Interference in
their business affairs ln long hauls
coal sometimes is shipped in sealed
box cars Colorado coal shipped in
this way does not show a shortage.
Railroads are opposed to box car
shipments. as their coal cars lie idle
and their supply Of merchandise cars
is decreased.
Oklahoma has no coal deposits Of
commercial value, and this lack OF fuel
supply has heen urged as a strong ar.
gument in support Of statehood with
Indian territory, whose fuel resources
are almos, inexhausfiole Single
statehood would enable the legislature
70 control freight rates which the in.
terstaie commerce law now forblds
Freight rates have always been extor
Tomato The haul from the McAles
ter mines 20 Guthrie is about ons
hundred and sixty miles; the freight
on a ton ~ coal is $3.50, more than a
cent and half a mile The rate is
the same porportionately to all points
j in Oklahoma
w. The Price at the Mines.
McAlestec coal for domestic use
sells az So 25 a ton az the mines an'
probably never will be less Bl
merger q number Of the most impor
tant nines were consolidated unde
one mansgt tment several months age
This gives protection from possibl
raran LItion among DDpratOrs and cf