The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-14
FIRST RAISE IN COAL PRICES.
INDEPENDENTS MARK STEAM
SIZES UP 80 CENTS 4 TON.

Increase Only Meets the Prices OF the
RaiIr Oads-Dealers Flooded With Let.
tiers Asking Advice on whether 10
Buy Coal Now or Chance n Strike.
The first Indication in this city OF any
PREPARATION for a strike of the anthracite
mine workers was a raise of so cents a ton
in the prices Of the small size steam coal
announced yesterday by the ceiling agents
of a number Of the independent ant hracite
OPERATORS. All the independent operators
will make this increase, which simply
trings up the price to the level charged by
the coal carrying companies. The circu-
lar price of the companies was 90 a ton
for pea coal and $3.50 for b~uckwheat. The
independent operators had scaled these
prices so cents a ton.
President George +. Baer Of the Phil
edelphia and Reading Railroad was in
town yesterday, but at his New York office
Il was said that there had been no regular
meeting of the anthracite coal presidents.
1t was admitted, however, that the coal
Presidents had met informally.
The anxiety of the coal dealers as to the
ttrike out look is increasing. Members ofthe
Coal Merchants Association have received
letters by the gross from their customers
asking advice as to whether they should
buy their coal for the winter no. IN anticipa-
ton of a strike. The coal merchants will
not take the responsibility of advising them
and will not call any special meeting at
present. .,
j. Samuel Smoot, president Of the Coal
Merchants Association, said yesterday;
This association was formed for the pur-
pose principally Of having a uniform idea OF
prices. We cannot arbitrarily fix prices il
we should want to do 90, because Of the COM
petition in the trade, but ordinarily we can
arrive at an intelligent idea Of the con-
ditiops so as to agree on something hke a
uniform scale of prices. At present we are
altogether in the air. 1t Is a gamble
whether our customers should lay 10 their
winter supplies Of coal now or not.
I'VE have absolutely nothing to go on
as to whether there will be a strike or not.
Two hours before the last anthracite strike
John Mitchell, president Of the United
Mine Workers, told me there would be 10
strike. He probably told me what he
thought was the truth, as he then knew
matters, but the strike took place. None OF
the coal merchants wants q strike. We hope
there will be no strike.
sWc do not know how to advise our GUS
tomer,. II we advised them to lay in large
stocks of coal in anticipation Of a strike. of
course they would save money in case there
was q strike. II there was no strike they
would lose money, because OF the summer
reduction in the price Of coal which ordi-
narily takes place
Mr.. Smoot said ut present there were
400, 900 tons of anthracite in the metropolitan
distnct-about a weeks supply. In case
of a strike many would stop buying alto
eether for a month OF more. 1t was true
that the anthracite operators had from six
to eight million ton in reserve, blu this
would not all cone to New York in case OF
O stoppage OF work.
INpIASApoL1s, March ls.-The presidents
of the anthracite districts. who constitute
the Shamokin scale COMMITTEES that sub
mitted the demands to the anthracite opera
tors, arrived here to-day and are in com
ference with President Mitchell tonight.
One Of the questions is whether the re-
ilsll of the anthracite operators shall be
considered at the convention here or at a
s,parate convention of anthracite miners
in Peunsylv ania. The district presidents
favor the former, as they contend that the
matter is now one for all the miners OF the
country to consider, and that the anthracite
miners nave a right to know to what ex-
tent they are to be supported by the BIZ
luminous men in their demands. The
operators are coming to the meeting with
a determine ton to depose F. l.. Robbins
Of the Pittsburg Coal Company from leader
shin. and also to stand firmly against an
increase in wages.
MAucH CHUNK, Pa, March 13.-Stanch
union men admit that the situation In the
anthracite region to-day is quite the OPP
posite OF what it was just previous to the
strike of 1902. Then the majority wore
clamoring for a strike; now ten are raising
their voices against a strike to every one
who favors closing the mine April l.
The proposition of the operators to con-
tinue the present wage agreement meets
with almost universal approval Of the men.
The union ~ohacials are e~ndeavorng 10
conceal this fact from the public, but 1t is
expected that it will crop out at the In
dianapolis convention which opens to-
morrow.
WnKEsBARRE, March 1s.-Delegates rep
resenting o., 900 anthracite mine workers
left this afternoon for Indianapolis to at
tend the convention called In response to
President Roosev elt's request. Most OF
them are hopeful hat the soft coal opera
tors will grant a satisfactory increase in
wages. They have no such confidence re-
garding the anthracite situation, and many
of them say they fear a strike.
Coal companies continue to get out all the
coal they can. HOUSEHOLDER throughout
the region ale storing what coal their eel
lars will huld.