The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-05-14
PATRIOTIC WEST V|RG|N!ANS
SAVE Government 100000

Special DtScaich ~ .6c InteILiSco'-S
WASHINGTON. q. G.. May ~
When contract Was signed On sat
urda< between representatives OF the
government and of the coal operators
In the Pocahontas. New river and
Virginia fields the agents for Uncle
Sam-naval officers-Sald thai they
had never closed 4 contract OF Such
magnitude with as little dlftlculty
and that BY this contract. due 70 The
fairness and patriotism o. the opera
tors. the government had saved
$4,000. 900.
The contract. it is understood. calls
for approximately 100000 tons OF
coal. the bulk OF which will come from!
West Virginia mines. The price pald
by the government is S2.93 ton.
the operators 10 the government OF
considerable when mine coal Is bring
Ing. in some instances not unusual
as much as S. a ION. BituminOus coal
in Washington 70 the local school go;'
eminent. contract price, is $6.sS, as
against 1881 last year.
An interesting phase Of the contrac:
lust completed by the coal operators
with the government is that among
these operators. and the corporations
with which they are aligned. are Z
nOulOeT VINO WPlF Ttt''HlIN lilCitN ''Nl III
New York charged with violating the
antitrust law By attempting TO fix III"
price Of coal. The price thai they
are, charged BY The government as
setting for this year was $" ton,
which. il will be noted. was only n.y.
cents more than Ihrir contract with
the government @."h.
There are about On 81 these r;"n under
irdictment. >" OF whcni HruhahlE hay,
their residence in Nest Virginia. but All
doing business there. These CaS"S are
set for Junc Ii III New YORK. X Is IN"
uaderSta ndinc. tilat their drfenSe VIII
he that they had n" !ut"utlnn in enter
ing into an aSrreta"ut 80 practice eAtoV-
ton nor Of forming Il monopoly. ci;u NJ
ing th;lt their :otallHd production was in
sufficient by considerable IL r"cStitute 4
monopoly whaE pooled thai It they
;:Erced not u r"n"w contracts. or enter
irio now ones. 70" less than s. ton.
1li"ir product was bringing apProNt-
I;at.iy that price n tn" same and very
shortly att"rward advanced CONSIDERABLY
beyond that. and has h""n advancing
right along ''E"r since.
Another claim Upon ;!IHi:' part. which
isn't legally Sr;hSiaEtiats.!. is that the
indictments returned aSairS. them and
th"ic companies hy a New York grand
jury. were. t!..' result q: conspiracy of
&C up"titorS IL "t!''r '"ii-i'rndUSiE-s
states. That warfar.. among ih' Goa
welt acquainted with. l. has been GO
ing on for years IT,. cats" nt il is THAI
Mes, Virginia "Gn' min" coal cheaper
than amy ":h"r stat. Tn" Fac; hat
most "r III" uin,r> of TN. stat" are not
uninuiH.; v:lIir rij" Indiana. Illinois
ami ntu,t c"ri"':i;iy'. states ar. WAS
another cats, ~ ~. controversy.
'rh.' Nest Nir=,niHm~ wh'' nav" h""n
in'ii'a:rc; ~ N..w Y"r! ar ;'i among thu,
most rr"suju-;' business am and de-
t,tinp,-s,N la. H.. has Th,., IVA ~
away; S:n"d hi.:h ~ th.' estimation %
thu p"npi'' al West virginia. VINO. on
ft'rrc than nn.. 0",'r~i"u. have rallied -
their d'tcnS,.. n:2i ilaf ~ th"ir business.
when .cH'!.rvtiti"r~ :r"nI surrounding :;
roai-prUdUrin; s;a;..S harry" attempted -
undermine th"Ir hISi!l.SS and ,mharrASS
ii..ir operations. y; such times. th.ir
business affairs h.,':rin" III" states ana
Justly So. Toy coal - ~. r:iim r,rudurt.
II is r,iit" natural. ~ vl-w "f what has
gone an before ami because Of tho faiHi-
liaritI: at W.>t Ntr@lu;tnS with III" coal
situation. that opinion in tina; stat.
stands S"fiiiy back 81: :. h'.!i": in tn" in
EoCsncH OF th"%.'. E."H. and tina; their
trial viii So proTr.