The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-27
Attorney General Brewster
Would Relieve Shortage.
Asks Utilities Commission to
Meet the Situation.
SEE BIG PRICE COMBINATION
Producing Companies Seek to
Control Prices.
Plenty at Mines, but No Cars to
Haul 1t.

In an effort to relieve the coal
shortage in Kansas, S. M. Brewster.
attorney general, today appealed To
the public utilities commission for an
order permitting the use of all POSSE
BILE cars for the carrying of coal. The
application asks that all cars now USED
in the shipment of sand. brick and
gravel be directed to the coal fields to
relieve conditions in this state. A
similar order will be asked of the in
terstate commerce commission The
orders are asked for a period of two
to three weeks.
Recent Investigations by the attor-
ney generals office have revealed an
almost nationwide coal shortage.
The shortage is claimed to be due both
to a light output as well as a car
shortage Added to these conditions
Is evidence showing an unusually
heavy demand for coal by railroads.
With the shortage of coal prices
have gone skyward. Evidence is now
being gathered by the attorney gem
erals office to show that a combirfa-
| ton has existed among certain pro-
duclng companies in an effort TO con-
troll prices. Quotations on all classes
or coal have advanced from 25 cents
to dollar or more a ton.
Short AIS Cars.
Records secured from offices of
| seven large producing companies in
this state are presented to the state
! commission, in BrewSter'S application.
These records show that in one week
! the producing companies were short
AIS cars in their demands for facilities
for the shipment of fuel. Had these
cars been provided by the railroads,
the operators would have dumped
$4,000 tons of coal on the market in
addition to the output which dealers
received. -.--. - -.--
Both Kansas Citys now have less
than three days supply of coal on
I hand according to records from the
investigation. The probe has EXTEND
ed to other sections of the state In
formation gathered by Brewster's in
vestigators show that the state could
not successfully combat a week or ten
days severe cold spell. Regardless of
( the merits of the claim of a com bina-
ton by dealers, the attorney generals
office has gathered evidence showing
that orders for coal can not be filled.
/ Prices Have Advanced.
As probable natural result of the
shortage, prices have gone up Now
! II Is not so much a question of price
as question of supply. In many sec
tions of the state orders for coal can
not be filled at any price.
Because OF conditions, / have asked
the utilities commission to declare an
emergency and direct the use of all
sand, gravel and brick cars for the
! carrying of COAL" said Brewster.
Adoption of this order for a period
! of two or three weeks will greatly re-
| lieve the situation"
Kansas slack coal, at the mines. ia
now selling at SO and 1925 ton. U.s.
uaily this coal sells ct the mines for
| S1-50 a ton. Domestic coal is listed AT
$2-25 to s3.25 and sells for s4 to s4e5
Prices on Illinois coal and other out
puts have increased accordingly, ac-
cording to the statement filed with
the state commission.
Unless something be done to re-
Iieve conditions said Brewster
many families, especially among the
poorer classes, will suffer in event of
extreme cold weather They have
been unable to buy their coal i'm ad-
vance. Now they are facing the ab-
normally high prices and in many in
Z stances will be unab BILE to buy fuel.
even tho they might be able to pay the
price"
One Kansas railroad that usually ro-
! QUESTIONS LOO tons of coal a week. fs
now using 1900 tons a week. In rpanv
instances, it is reported, the railroads
have filed on shipments of coal in
transit IN order to keep trains run
nirg- And in view of general condi-
tions, dealers in all sections of the
state have taken advantage of the on
. pOrtunity to boost prices