New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1917-11-01
EOAL DEALERS HIT
At Open MEETING
vi Y,
PANEL P. Sullivan Speaks at
Hearing by Commlllee

gxe ~AV" Al ~ I1AI Wu0u coal O90l6TS
- New Britain were charging any
Mhere from $40 to $11 q ton for coal
last June ! was able to put ten tons
~ coal into my cellar OF cost Of
N7.SO ton and further. how. is it that
kne price OF coal at the mines does
saict iiuctuate. the freight rates do not
NuctuHte aud Yet the price asked for
eoAi py the local dealers Is continu-
ANY going w and DOWN." These
QueHtloas asked Oh Chairman h. w.
Ashftst ol the coal committee by Dan
%Dl r. sullivan Of 113 Greenwood
4 treet, ~ the pubic coal hearing held
I ut evening in City hall, shows what
Ae city has been up against for the
AAt few months regards coal prices.
That is just what we would ike
To mid out" said Chairman Christ In
answer to Mr.. Sullivans queries.
That the coal dealers have been
taking an unfair advantage of the
uohsumers would be the opinion at,
which q person would have arrived
sitter attending the hearing last
night. Those present seemed to think
] W, too.
! before tho meeting was called to
03yaor Chairman Christ explained the
r1noons for holding the session. He
aid that the committee appointed by
sAkA federal fuel administrator for
Nav Britain had heard the coal deal
1to' side OF the question and now
l1ohod to get information from the
ston1umers,s TThiss'he added in order
~ set' yti4e atN (which coal will be
shold during the winter months salts
history to tho public and to the coal
sNUAlorA ~ ~
In the neiShborhood Of so men
1SofA present when the meeting was
cnIled to order at s o'clock. DR.. II.
~. Nlcock suggested that the chair
man explain the prices charged at the
mines and the freight prices for the
Gnllrht4nmOnt of those present.
Caaifman Christ said that the gov
/ nInAnt has set prices on what is
slGxned company coal. The govern
Eat allowed an extra charge Of not
v Is than Is cents per ton at the
fn9 and the middleman not more
u "a 20 cents per ton extra. Many
~ dealers must pay this IS cents
n H ct the mines because they can
80 secure the coal otherwise, owing
! the conditions Of traff1c. Egg coal
n 1&o 44.t6 per ton at the mtne and
81 me extra 95 cents is paid In add
I Hin Is the 1920 freight to New Brit
IA the: cost totals $3.50 ton.
Dir. Elcock remarked that q coal
4 rnalor had told him that the freight
rs New Britain was $40 but It was
later proven that he was wrong az It
has been $3.50 for some time.
After Mr.. Christ had explained
prices at the mines to the satisfac-
lion OF those present Mr.. Sullivan
I, ma an opportunity to fire his shot
IN tho coal dealers in New Britain.
IN sold he did not know why the
dealers OF the town asked such ex-
brilliant prices and why the prices
were continually huctuating. He said
that he had ten tons OF coal In his
cellar which cost him exactly $3.50
per net ton. After w. J. Farley OF
he committee had persistently Quer-
I'D him - to the place where he had
AGught the fuel he stated that 1t had
e0tAo direct from the mines. Later he
admitted that he had purchased 1t
lA1pugh the purchasing agent at the
4 t14ilm Construction Co. Mr.. F1tsell.
&1so only proflt made on the coal he
khou9ht was at the mine, the weigh
ba8 and the cartage.
ona man present asked II the COM
mittop knew that the Berlin Construc-
don Co. u getting coal for It's en-
plOyOs 1t $3.50 q ton. Although not
being called upon to answer the Ques-
Aon. Mr.. Sullivan took the floor and
xtnAod that 1t IL not true and that he
knpw what he was talking about. The
Berlin Construction Co. Is furnishing
0oal to Its employees at the rate OF
a6ott 50 q ton. he said.
Nj. Sullivan then went on to tell
what should be done IN New Britain
t6fel6ar up the coal situation and to
NR1ne prices down to where they
nAould be. He said:
1--WE should have = city buying
agency, az ali corporations have. and
not be forced to deal with. small mid
dlemen. -o:--thermore. the people are
paying for Red Ash coal now and are
rettdnR White Ash coal. as there Is
no such . thing as Red Ash coal at
the present time"
He was backed up on this statement
by A. ]. sloper, who said that Red
Ash coal had gone out OF existence
years ago. ''.a
Mr.. sloper thought that the commit
tee should state the information
cleaned from the coal dealers at the
hearings which were given them Mon
day. Mr.. Christ explained that the in
ve0tigation Is being conducted under
government orders and certain infor-
nation cannot be given out yet.
Others present were then asked to
state their experiences in getting fuel
and the prices which they had to pay
local dealers for coal. Some citizens
stated that they had bought coal as
low as $40 a ton, while others said
that they had paid as high as SLIPS,
and in advance at that. The prices
varied in nearly every instance. One
man said he inquired Of one coal deal
er as to the price Of coal and on being
told that it was $11.25 ton he went
to another dealer who quoted him a
price Of $40. He remarked that he
could not account for the difference
IN prices at the two, places.
Joseph Reloin asked the price OF
pea coal as compared with chestnut