Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-01-13
Iowa Coal Operators Take Ac-
ton to Prevent Dealers
Boosting Prices
THE RETAIL RATES ARE FIXED
Dealers Who Take Advantage Of the
Shortage of Coal to Charge Elk.
horbitant Rates Are Placed on Black
list and Are Charged Wholesale Rates
That Are Prohibitive.

1
| of the local situation to advance the
price of coal and are cut with guar.
antee that prices in Des Moines for the
present winter season will be main.
tanned at So a ton for lump coal.
The association has started a black
list to assist it in keeping the price a
SO, and this black list, unlike most in
struments OF it's kind, bids fair to be-
come extremely popular. On it appea,
the names of at least one Des Moines
dealer and several scalper teamsters
who have endeavored to charge more
than So per ton for Polk county coal
and additions to it will be made as fast
as persons who are held up for more
than SO will report The circumstances
to the association.
Copies of 1t have been furnished to
every coal operator IL the county. and
the operators will refuse to sell coal TIC
persons whose names appear upon II
during the balance Of the present sea-
son.
Coal Operators Association, last even
ing said:
..rhe association has a dual purpose
One purpose is to maintain the price al
a living rate, and the other is to pre-
vent the charging by dealers or extor-
tionate prices. There is no secret aoout
this organization. It exists and we have
an understanding that lump coal is 70
sell at SO a ton delivered in Des Moines
this season. We have also an under
standing that 1t is not to sell for more
and we have provided way for the
of those who sell for more
than So a ton. 1t is IN effective way
and a guarantee 10 consumers In Des
Moines that they will not be required
to nav over So ton for coal TINS sea-
son.
1--WE have what is called a black list.
ON this list we place the names of per-
sons who sell coal at 4 price IN excess
of So a ton just as soon as we are con
WINGED they have Offended. 1t does not
matter whether they are operators
dealers or teamsters. This list is 1ur-
nished to the operators In the county
and when those persons whose names
annear on the list make application Ior
coal WHY they are quoted q price lRa1
nuts them out of business. So faf we
have had but few occasions to resort 70
this method to prevent the unprincipied
ones from taking advantage OF tne IN
fortunate situation prevailing, but III
the few instances where we nave re-
sorted 10 the list it has worked. we are
determined that the people OF Des
Moines shall not be held up, ana Wahe
narsons who are imposed upon 10 re-
,,ort cases to us that we may take the
proper steps. ;.
.Every operator OF consequence in
poll county is a member of this assocl-
alton. and all the dealers are parties TO
n and understand the terms. So far not
a dealer of good standing in Des Moines
hos endeayored to profit by the coal
scarcity. A number of complaints nave
been made to us that this deaier or ei,a'
one has asked $3.50 or "a or s4.oo Tor
coal. Upon investigation we nave Iouno
that the price asked was for shlppea n
coal. Centerville block, Illinois coal,
Kentucky camel, etc. always nave
sold for more than So and we do not at
tempt to regulate the price OF this coal
Coal dealers still claim that they have
the situation we'll in hand and that they
will be able to supply coal when needed
if the consumers will cooperate with
them and not make demands for coal In
excess of their needs. They continue TO
complain of the attitude of the railroad
companies in Selling coal in transit for
private consumption, and say that this
is the worst feature of the situation. 1t
was claimed by one operator yesterday
that the railroads are appropriating
fully so per cent of the coal loaded at
railroad mines to supply shipping trade,
and say that there does not appear to
be any remedy for it.
AT Colfax, Gen. Weaver, who.is may
or OF the town, to relieve the situation,
held up a train there on which were
several loads of coal, and compelled its
delivery to supply the local demand.
Local dealers justify his action and
say that it seems to be about the only
way to deal with the high-handed
methods adopted by the railroads. They
say that the residents of any number of
Iowa towns who are short of fuel be-
cause of the action of the railroads in
confiscating shipments would be justi-
fed in following the Colfax plan In get
ting a supply.
The operators are at a loss to know
how to deal with the railroads. They
say that they have legal right to con-
fiscate the coal, but think there should
be some limit to this right. The prob
abilities are that some of the Des
Moines roads, when the situation quiets
down, will be made defendants by local
dealers in cases to recover the differ
ence between the railroad and the re-
tail price of coal confiscated and dam
ages besides.
Representatives of the Team Drivers
union last evening claimed that their
organization is entitled to the credit of
keeping the price Of Polk county coal
at 50 in Des Moines They say that
they have contract with the coal COM
panies to haul coal at stated price
this year and which provides that the
price shall be maintained at So, the
teamsters to refuse to haul coal for OPP
orators or dealers who cut the price and
to receive the benefit of every cent In
advance of SO the dealers receive for
coal They say that inasmuch as the
teamsters would get every dollar Of adj
ditional profit the dealers would make
by advancing the price that there Is no
occasion for the advance.
Burlington butchers have organized