The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-10-20
COAL SITUATION
BECOMES SERIOUS
impending Shortage May APP
proach Famine Unless Rem
edy IS Shortly Found.
HIGHER PRICES LIKELY
Dealers Are Already Drawing
Largely on Reserve Sup
plies in Storage.
HIGHER PRICES LIKELY

That tho coal situation has again be-
come serious. with an impending short
age tina; may closely approach n IA
min> unless the railroads furnish more
cars and motive power. is declared 10y
local fuel dealers 1t is also stated that
present conditions justify raise N
prices. and that this may become neces-
sary to all dealers in order TO keep then
business OH The safe side. unless the con-
:estion is relieved.
This question came up Two months
ago. when coal went ur 10 The rates
Nhich obtained al the close of the VIM
lcr season last year namely, so.Jo per
ton for nut, aud 500 per ton Tor lump
AZ that time IL was held that iack oil
ars and motive power made IL lmpos-
siblc for the producers TO supply tlte DC
mand OF local dealers. ana that AZ re
suit. the coal storage formed inc ON!
real reserve I'm case Of n sharp spcH anu
incidental SHARP demand. which. ~ WAS
said would eat mp tho reserve III inc
course ot fifty or sixty days
Tho railroad officials thcn dcnied illa'
Tic transportation lines were responsible
II WAS said that an increase In traffic'
peculiar 10 the season. had caused d
temporary shortage Of cars and pow1r.
but that i'm the course OF a few days the
situation would he relieved and norma !
conditions prevail. Tho hue and cry oi
ihc dealers and many ot the mine opera
Tors is now heard again, and the rail-
road officials again take the stand that
shortage of cars or monNc power Is ho'
Ia blame.
Drawing OIL Reserves.
Dealers arc now drawing on their re-
s'.vc supply. said promimcnt re-
,ailcr Yesterday. After tho agitation
of two months ago. tho situation became
hrIucr hut that only lasted . few
days. Now il has sunk back into q
hlacker outlook than before. When the
dealers openly complain in Tins manner
consumers generally think that NE are
PLAYING Tor Increased business and using
such tactics 10 secure more trade. INC
TACT is dat local dealers have demand
ihst would insure a most profitable fuel
business provided tho producers could
Land sufficient shipments on the local
market. II the railroads were able 10
fill all tho orders or even set to us Wit!
dlspatch those already taken. VIC would
dave no complaint To make.
Coal throughout tho country has gone
up. The same prices have prevailed
since spring In Salt Lake. II costs
dealers nearly - cents ton, and some
times more. to store in coal In the sum
mcr This would not he done at ali, cX-
ccp, that VIC have 10 prepare against a
sha,p winters demand. and can only do
so under tho local adverse conditions on
1lir transportation linc from the coal
field hy getting i'll a reserve supply dur
inc the months when people are not buy
ing heavily.
Justifies Increase.
VIC have 10 pay our money on stor-
age. Borrowed sums arc involved and
interest has 10 be paid Slack and de-
tcriorstio always come. and We really
lose Oh the storage plan under the cir
cumstances. This fact. coupled with the
present situation, which Us more serious
than IL credited places toll on each
ton of coal, and an increase in prices is
justified.
The mines have been forced In close
,repsa tcdly In the face OF splendid de-
maud from dealers, warranted by
splendid market to consumers. This
has been due To The lack Of ears and
facilities on tho railroad To the coal belt
of Utah. We arc friends OF the railroads.
They are friendly to us. We should pull
together but il seems almost impossible,
unless a change Is wrought. The strike
situation has affected the railroad ma
tcrially and has helped make the out
look so unfavornbc The storage sup
ply OF the retailers cannot last forever.
Tho demand Is stronger Than the
rival Of shipments, and The result can
plainly be sccii.