Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1916-10-06
HIGHER COAL
PRICES COMING
Operators Say They Must Boost
Income or Quit.
HARD JOLT FOR CONSUMER
Declare Increased Cost of Production,
Compensation Act and High Price OF
Materials Are the Cause.


Coal operators in the Wyoming val
ley, instead OF preparing to Lowell
prices, expect there soon Will DE a
substantial increase.
This statement, together with the
statement that Philadelphia consumers
nav an average OF twenty-five cents
a ton more than New York residents,
were the principal developments at the
hearing of the state coal comm sion
in Wilkes-Barre, Pa, to determine why
rates on domestic coal are high.
According TO several operators, Phil
adelphians, although they pay more
for domestic sizes of anthracite, really
have the laugh on Gothamites, for
New York is dumping ground ann
the better grades are shipped to Pail
adelphia.
This bit Of consolation was slipped
to the Philadelphia consumers through
the commission, and then the blow
followed that persons who don't want
to freeze this winter will have to dig
down deeper into their pockets than
ever before to keep the coal bins fill
ed. No operator hazarded a guess
what the next increase would amount
to. But they were unanimous that II
was much a certainty as Christmas.
j. M. Neal, president of the Buck
Run and Dark Water ccal companl S,
near Minersville, was the chief wit
ness in breaking the news about nigh
er coal and why Philadelphians con-
tribute more to coal dealers than do
consumers in New Yo:k.
at is easier to sell coal in New
York than Philadelphia" he began.
Because there is always a market in
New York, therefore, has become
sort of dumping ground. We send it
there, hoping that the sales agents
will get rid of it, If we clog Philadel-
phia we have stiff demurrage rates to
meet.
Increased cost of production, due to
the new miners wage scale, the new
~workmens' compensation act and a
general flight of materials above prices
considered stiff couple of years ago."
Mr. Neal went on, surely will result in
a rise of prices"
.Johu w. Crooks auditor and purchas-
ing agent of Pardee Brothers & Co.,
at I.attiner mines, was asked II an
other coal boost was inevitable. "The
prices will have to go up or the opera
tors VIII be forced out of business" he
replied.
Mr.. Crooks denied that the operat
,ors had entered into a "gentlemen's
agreement" with the Anthracite Deal
ers' Bureau of Information, in New
York, to govern prices. 1--WE have not
asked any inform alton about prices
of the bureau and they have not ask
ed u.s." he explained. 1--WE fix our own
prices"
w. w. Kisbagh, general manager OF
the Mill Creek Coal company, whose
collier5es are at Mauch Chunk, Jolned
general plant Of the operators or
their representatives, who appeared
before the commission, that the an
thracite mining business, despite WhaI
the consumer says about high prices
is much nearer Hades than the 1oWest
gallery in the mines.
1--WE are operating at a dead loss,
testified Mr.. Kisbagh, with a sign,
"but we are hoping for better things.
"Do you mean higher prices?" in
quired J. Paul MacElree, West Chess'
ers mayor, who is counsel for the
commission. "I do replied Mr.. Kis
bagh, with the brightest kind Of
smile.