The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-21
COAL PRICE IS up
Raise of Ten to Fifteen Cents
on Slack Ordered.
Weakness in Natural Gas Given
as the Cause.

Believing that the natural gas COM
panies have a weak spot and that
Tuesdays order which emanated from
the gas Office cutting off some of the
manufacturers. large users of natural
gas, in the city developed this weak
ness, an order has gone out to the
mines in southern Kansas to raise the
price of slack from ten to fifteen cents
per ton.
The same order concerning gas that
affected Topeka manufa cturers was
promulgated in Kansas City and this
encouraged the coal operators into the
belief that the natural gas companies
were scared. had weakened and had
doubts of the life of the gas wells in
southern Kansas from which they
draw for their product.
4 think that they have simply come
to their senses said Cyrus Leland.
one of the Devlin trustees who are IL
charge of the mine properties part and
parcel of the estate
They reason rightly. They say
Why should we sell this gas for ten
cents when we can get twenty-five
cents for it They don't know how
long those wells are going to last. VI
in Chicago they piped the gas from
Indiana, sold it cheap and tnen wheE
the field was about exhausted they
wondered why they hadn't thought to
charge more for the gas
An order W1s sent down to the
mines operated by the Devlin trustee5
calling for an increase at the mines
for slack The order was filed this
morning.
A general increase in the price of coal
has been made since the first of No
vember and coal dealers in Topeka look
for further advances especially with
reference to BurIingame and Osdge
City shaft These advances have nor
been charged to limited supply of gas,
but to a failure 10 secure sufficient
number of cars and a demand which
has been made manifest late in the
season. 1t Is stated that the mines III
the Buriingame and Usage City dis
tricts have only one-half the supply of
coal mined at this time as compared
with this time last year
Even if the supply had been mined it
could not be shipped fast enough to the
markets where demand exists to bring
haven't enough cars to handle their
output The other explanation for the
increase in price the failure of con-
sumeis to put in orders for coal this
have been placed but it is so light that
it can bear no comparison with former
years. Mild weather and indecision
whether to use coal or gas are offered
for this hesitancy in placing orders.
All of these advances touch the
pocketbOok of the consumer, they don't
have much to do with the large user
the manufacturer, who is protected
with contract.
Burlingame is now priced at 81 25 and
Usage City $3.50. local dealers are look
ing to see these quotations at $3.50 and
$4.75 respectively. Southern Kansas
nut is 1925 al the mines and 1885 deliv
cred to the consumer, the lump is 81. SO
at the mine and S4.30 placed in your
bin. The prices on the Southern Kan
sas coal have stiffened within the last
four or five days and the increase
amounts to 25 cents a ton on these two
IoS in nj
prices are now quoted a the same fig
ure that they were during November
Of 1905, but if the increase goes on, the
maximum will have been reached earli-
er this year than ever before Slack
coal is selling at about 81 a ton, an ad-
vance of % cents