New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-05-05
WINTER COAL PRICES
TO Be MAINTAINED
Retail Dealers Recall Regular
Spring Reduction in Fear
of Famine.
ARGE CONSUMERS SUPPLIED
Present Stock Will Last Only a
Month and Resumption of
Active Mining Depends on
convention of May IA.

The recall in the anthracite coal trade
vent into effect yesterday, the retail coal
dealers deciding that their regular spring
reduction of prices on April 30 was prema-
tYre So, from yesterday on. unless the
famine becomes acute, until more anthra-
cite is mined and brought to tidewater the
Consumer will have to pay the regular win
tor. rates Sc 20 a ton for domestic, s. ton
FOR. pea coal 81 80 a ton for buckwheat No
, 81 for buckwheat No. and SO 50 for buck
wheat No. 5.
For three days the consumer had been
,ble 10 get his fuel at a reduction from
these prices of from % to 70 cents. That
WAS because there seemed no doubt that
the conference committee of miners would
latify The compromise agreement negotiated
with a committee OF the operators. AS one
big coal merchant said
Everybody knew the details of the ar
rsngement. and nobody dreamed that the
miners committee would refuse TO ratify It.
We all thought their action would be pure
" perfunctory in this regard and backed
M our bet with the usual spring cut, since
ratification meant resumption OF WORN
Now there's nothing certain in the stua'
ton. and we've got TO protect ourselves
against a famine"
Hence the beneficent recall. Another
months suspension of active mining seems
inevitable 10 all the dealers. They pointed
ont Yesterday that even In case the nilhers
at their convention in Wilkes Barre OF
Nav a ratified the proposed compromise
.greed TO nv the subcommittee of the con-
fsrence committee and resumed work the
next day. the coal they mined could not DC
conveyed 10 tidewater In less than ten Gays
thereafter. Under the most 1aVoraOio Gil
cumstances, therefore. the present supply
Of coal cannot be augmented petore the
end of May.
And the present supply is only big enough
IA last q month, so that II the Suspension
~ mining continues beyond the end OF May
q coal famine will probably result. inns
will not hit the householder, OF course ou'
!, will fall pretty hard on the manutact'
urers and others who use the pea ahO
huckvheat sizes of anthracite throughout
the summer.
The possibility Of a delay In the resump
ton Of mining after the miners convention
has acted is considered good, for the reason
that I'm all probability the union majority
will object TO some provision OF the pro
nosed agreement and demand another con
ference between their committee and tn
operators. An effort will undoubtedly b'
made to persuade them to resume wor'
pending negotiations. but the operators ar
not oversanguine OF success.
Union politics is expected TO play
large part in the convention. Some unioi
men predict that the convention will re
solve itself into q fight for control between
the faction led by Lewis, former presiden
OF the union. and the followers Of John T
White. his successor. In this event TN
favor with which the miners look upon the
compromise agreement negotiated with th'
operators in New York will depend upor
whites strength. for White stands for tina
agreement and Lewis against it.
number of spectators who bought
iarge quantities Of anthracite when the
talk of q strike was loudest are now ask
ing from 81 to 81 50 ton more for 1t thar
the regular winter prices SO far. how
sver, they have enticed no buyers.
.Ahvices from the regions indicate a
favora BILE adoption Of the proposed agree
menL" said Mr.. Parker, OF Parker &
Bridge, agents for the operators. yester-
where are we'll pleased with the patience
and care that have been exhibited on both
sides We look for the final acceptance OF
aPreement"