The Detroit times., 1916-10-20
COAL DUE
FOR RISE
IN PRICE
substantial Advance Is
Imminent, Declare
Local Dealers
CAR SHORTAGE
is ONE REASON
Another Is Scarcity of
Labor Due to War

The coal stringcncy grows more
acute with advances in prices i'm
minent and little relief IN sight
Shortage OF cars, growing scarcity
of labor and increased Industrial &C
uvtty which means increased coal
consumption are the influencing fac-
tors In this situation. which. while
being nation wide in effect. Is hitting
Detroit a telling blow.
J. IL Johnson, coal sales man
ager for the United Fuel Il supply
company, quotes egg coal AZ $3.50.
ard chestnut a. Ss75 How long 10
Vtll remain that low, he cannot tell.
he says. The company has been
Fwamped with orders, As has every
other coal company In tho city. Con
Rumers are dghtins tor coal despite
tho high prices; retailer are press
ing the operators and tho operators
Rre cryng FOR labor and cars, as
scrts Mr Johnson.
one % the largest mines In The
Plusburgh fields Wcdu,s sday quoted
ts65 A. It's lowest price, Detroit de-
livery. for anthracite. which would
mean . cost OF nearly 81 a ton "a
the consumer here The United Fuel
& Supply company declined 20 take
~ AZ this fgure not wishing 20 81.
courage high prices. Mr Johnson
said
Mr Johnson foreca-t"d the pres
ent conditions as far back az April
when he sent out circular letter
urging consumers 20 place orders
FOR summer delivery lie explained
that labor was scarce because there
Vas utu, immigration, due 70 Tho
Nar. and that many ~ those in tho
aelds were deserving the mines 20
serve their country OLe OF the
chief troubles now is the independ.
cnce cf the minor, who quits work
Al 4 o'clock In the afternoon. having
made g. and 81 MIR Johnson said
Tie France Coal company, uf To.
ledo. advised The United Fu"l 4
supply company WedneSday that
its special representative had FOUND
IN the Kentucky ana Virginia coal
fields that labor was 50 scare" that
even II the mines had the cars they
could not use them. while on the ON.
or hand the operators ar" not get
ting more than three-dRy SUNNY
of cars Il week and this is far made
cuate 'n take care % The demand
Before the war England exported
-s.0u1.0o0 tons Of coal a year, Ger
many 10000, Ooo. and the Unitel
states $1,000 600 Last year Eng
land cxpcrted only $1,000 600 tons.
The United states 20oo0r0o and
Germany none.
Demands for the expectation Of
coal from this country therefore.
have been coming in from the ma
t.ons formerly supplied ty Europe
South America, especially has felt
this shortage Of nearly 70.0ooo00
tons
The freight item has raised the
price OF bitumnous coal exported
from this country 10 Mediterranean
ports. TO between $50 and $50.
Prices in this country have been
raised accordingly, 10 equal these
high raiee. less the freightage.
Increased manufacturing- espe-
clally In munitions--has brought a
demand on tho coal merchants with
which they find It impossible %
comply
The increase in manufactures has
caused tremendous freight conges'
ton thruout the country and coup
led with increased crop and stock
movements, this has meant car
shortage.
Mine owners arc complaining that
the higher wages they arc paying
their men have not had the effect OF
getting more wCrk out Of them.