Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-06-04
OKLAHOMA COAL,
HEAD IS HEARD
PRESIDENT PUTERBAUGH, TOO.
GETS FRANK IN ADMISSIONS.
WEATHER CONTROLS Sales
Declared Coal Companies Are Not
Making Reasonable Profit
No Price Combination.

Special a. the World.
Oklahoma city, okla. June g.
D. G. Puterhaugh OF McAlestcr press
idcnt Of the McAlestcr Fuel Company.
the reputed head Of the alleged ok
lahoma coal trust admitted 20 tne
corporation commission Saturday
that his company sold more Chan 40
per cent Of the coal mined in Okla
hDma that II sold the output Of mines
In all but one Of the five mine groups
Of ,hc state, that the prices Of tho
same class OF coal from different
mines was always the same; that he
always fixed the price
Puterbaugh was under cross ex-
animation 10y Attorney 5. \. Bledsoe
of the Santa l'e Railroad at the COM
missions coal rate hearing TO deter
mine the feasibility of a new scned-
ulc Of coal freight rates proposed to
'superscde the rates cnjoinod by Fed
eral Judge Wood,
The coal man asserted that the coal
| Industry in Oklahoma is being chop
/ ped to pieces by the uncertainty OF
rates In conclusion, he said he wish
D
seemed to have spread abroad that
any selling company was handling all
the coal in oklahoma. He said there
was as free and unrestricted competi-
tion in the Oklahoma coal business as
in the sale of any commodity in the
commercial world.
In answer to "a query by Commis-
sioner Watson, Puterbaugh said there
was no agreement as to what profit
the wholesaler or retailer should
make on coal. He said there was no
statewide organization of coal deal
ers.
When freightrates are reduced our
customers at least" said Puterbaugh
| get the benefit. The coal market is
( governed by seasons and has little
bearing on rates"
Commissioner Watson indicated
that the commission would be called
should be sold In Oklahoma, as well
as the lumber rates.
Puterbaugh vouchsafed the informa
yIon that SE35, over the mine price
and the freight should be the total
cost to the retailer Of doing business
with coal. When Puterbaugh, In an
enthusiastic moment declared that
the coal companies were not making
a reasonable profit, Attorney Bledsoe
for the Santa Fe objected and the
commission sustained his objection.
Bledsoe observed that he would have
to see the figures,
Under cross examination. Puter-
baugh said that the McAlester Fuel
Company handled 100000 tons OF
coal annually and that It's earnings
at 10 cents ton amounted to $780,
600 He admitted that he owned n
controlling interest in the company,
which was. capitalized at $4,000.
Questioned as 10 the cos OF mining
coal, Puter6augh said that problem
had driven coal operators and accoun-
tants gray headed" He gave Bled-
soc little satisfaction on that point.
Bledsoe drew from the coal man
the admission tha, the some selling
price was maintained for an the mines
represented by the McAlcster Fuel
Company Some time, the mines
quoted him different prices as what
they believed the coal should bring,
but h. never put It on the market eY-
cept at the same scale. He admitted
that the price represented the COM
bincd viii Of all the mines in the dis
trict from which the output comes.