Evening journal., 1916-09-18
40 CENTS A TON ON
NEW YORK COAL Bills
Further A vance Over Last
Years Quotations Ex-
pected by Dealers
LABOR CONDITIONS
AT MINES BLAMMED

NEW YORK. Sent. 15.-With the
American coal production for August
three-quarters of a million tons less
than normal, the retail price Of stove
coal, the standard Of grade, today
shows an advance of forty cents a ton
over the price last year at this time.
Prominent coal dealers here said yes
terday that further advances this year
are probable. The price of coal will
depend upon the necessities of dealers
and labor conditions al the mines.
These labor conditions we're described
as unsatisfactory" Stove coal was
quoted yesterday at s575 a ton whole
sale. Retail dealers quoted il at
s7.45 a ton.
s. w. Saward editor Of the Coal
Trade Journal. attributed the advance in
the price of coal 10 the union situation.
"The negotiations between the repre-
sentatives Of the mine owners and the
representatives of the miners last spring
resulted in a material advance in wages
and shorter working hours. he said "a
working dav in the mines was reduced
from nine 10 eight hours While these
would not quote prices for future de-
livery Thev did not know what it
would cost them to produce coal and
could not fx a price at which they
could sell 70 the trade This caused late
buying by dealers.
Forty Cents q Ton Increase.
THE increased cost Of production
that resulted from the spring confer
ence between producers and miners
was Immediately reflected in quota
tions. and when buying commenced
higher prices. Of course, had TO be
paid for coal az the mines The quo
tations today show an increase Of 40
cents a ton in the price of stove coal
over the quotations last year"
Mr. Saward said there was not
large supply Of coal on hand in New
York city.
This is not a disturbing factor in
the situation, he said. New York
city is so close to the large shipping
points Of New Jersey that unless there
is q serious coal shortage there should
be no difficulty in getting coal into
this city. The price Of ground in
Manhattan is so great that large plots
for storing coal here are impossible.
As long as Il is possible to get neces-
sary supplies from New jersey ship
ping Joints II is more profitable TO
the dealers and more economical for
consumers to have shipments for this
city handled in the usual way from
New Jersey distributing points.
II think that there is going 10 be a
very active demand for coal from now
on throughout this winter As q mat
ter Of fact, the demand IS very active
right now.
with the curtailed production OF
coal the scarcity probably will be felt
to a greater degree later on unless
the labor situation changes material
" Everything depends on this labor
situation. Strikes mean shortage.
General strikes mean famine"
Welcome Larger Production.
Mr.. Saward said coal mine compan-
les would welcome larger production
with the attending larger stocks of
coal on hand
The miners are paid by the ton"
he said THE wages which they re-
ceive depends on the difficulties of
operation Mine owners would like
to see the mine workers take fewer
days off, stick to wage agreements
and produce more coal. This, Of
course, would greatly relieve the sit
ustion"
The August output of the United
States mines. he said, amounted to
about 5500,000 tons of coal. a short
age of $50. 900 tons.