The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-09-30
PRICE Of COAL IN
ZION IS too HIGH
Little Question but What the
Figure in Salt Lake Is
EXOrbitant.
RAILROADS EXACT TOO
MUCH FOR TRANSPORTATION
Sum and Total Of Matter Is
That Railroads Want
1t All.

With few exceptions there is
unanimous agreement that the price Of
coal IN this community is exorbitant
and should be reduced To charge
S5.25 per ton for fuel which costs at
the mine an average of 81 per ton
and $l.13 freight rate, leaving mar
GIN of SO, is an altogether too n5eral
allowance on such a commodity, or any
commodity. Out of this margin the
railroad companies take 81. and the
tact must not be lost sight Of that the
freight rate is out Of all proportion,
and this sum, $l.75 per ton. goes en-
tlrely TO swell the Golfers Of the rail
road companies. This leaves 81 so,
which goes to the retail merchant, and
out OF this sum he pays from 90 cents
TO 90 cents for. delivery, according to
the length of the haul.
At Mercy of Railroads.
The sum and total Of the matter APP
pears to be that this and other cities
arc entirely at the mercy of the two
railroads transporting coal, the Oregon
Short Line, which includes the Union
Pacific, and the Rio Grande Western.
They own and operate the mines, if
not exclusively, in such measure that
they control the market, and Of course
own entirely the means of transporta-
tion.
This being The condition it lies with
the railroads TO remedy the matter. it
would work no hardship on the trans
portatlon companies to reduce the price
OF coal, say 81 per ton. This could
be accomplished by removing 80 cents
from the price of the fuel at the mine
and 30 cents from the tariff, admittedly
already too high, aud no injury would
be inflicted, but this and other com,
munities would be receiving that TO
which they are justly entitled, a re
ductlon in the, price of fuel.
Reduction Would Be Appreciated.
The above is merely q suggestion.
and reasonable and feasible one, A
larger reduction would be the more
appreciated, and no one cares in what
manner 1T is effected by the railroad
companies, Just so long as the desired
end is attained. But certain it is that
the remedy IS necessary, urgent, and
VIII be insisted upon, and now at the
beginning of the cold weather is the
time to apply the remedy.
The fact there may be a shortage Of
fuel this winter In no way affects the
price, so 4 scarcity of coal is no argu-
ment to advance In support of main
tenance of the present exorbitant price
Coal at SIS Per Ton.
A plea comes from many consumers
for So per ton coal This can be
supplied by the Utah Fuel company
and handsome profit made. The cost
OF production, transportation and a
margin Of profit has been computed,
and still a balance is left on the side Of
the producer with coal selling at SO per
ton.
Commercial lump and nut coal from
the Clear Creek mines, taken from a
vein from seven TO fourteen feet thick.
with no dirt or slack, costs per ton for
management and marketing
+. o. b. cars at Clear Creek, 50 cents:
add to this profit 20 per cent, II cents
freight, 100 miles, at y cent per
ton mile, 60 cents; plus 81 retail
rroft, and haulage brings out total
the dealer.
For Castle Gate coal, vein five feet
thick, Of better quality than other coal,
no dirt and the slack used in making
coke, the cost figures out as follows:
Mining, management and marketing
ST.; profit, 20 per cent, 20 cents;
freight, go cents; retail profit and
haulage, 81; total. $3.50.
The coal from the Sunnyside mine is
all made into coke. The figures given
above have no reference TO the profit
derived by the Wasatch Store com
pany, owned by the Utah Fuel com
pany. The statistics prove, however,
that coal can be sold to the consumer
in Salt Lake City at So rer ton and
the mine owner and retail dealer will
still reap handsome reward,