The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1917-08-30
Lower Fuel Price Not Expected
Here for Several Weeks Yet

Minneapolis, Aus tower priced
coal will not be seen in MINNEAPOLIS
for several weeks; despite the govern.
ment fixing lower prices at the mines,
Minneapolis coal men said today, and
they unite in urging the public to fill
it's wants early and cooperate in avert
ing coal famine here
what good is meal ticket II there
isn't meal in sight?" asked G. II.
Reeves, president Of the Reeves Coal
company, wholesalers. 1--WE have some
big stocks on hand here now, and only
wish we had three times as much, for
the situation at the docks is serious.
Dealers who have bought coal at
the higher prices will have to get
their money out of it, and they have
no trouble in doing so. The public is
waking up to the fact it isn't so much
question Of prices now as it is of
getting the coal. They need 5000 900
tons of coal at the head of the lakes
to give the northwest its normal sup
ply for the winter.
There are only three months left
OF lake season, and the receipts sell
dom run over 1,250,00O tons a month.
AS for the Illinois coal, they can use
every pound of it in Illinois. I think
the government will compel them to
ship some of the Illinois product out
side, for the situation is serious.
Question Of Personality
1--WE can look for lot Of crooked
work now at the mines. With the
price standardized it will be question
OF personality when it comes to getting
coal, and you can see what that is
likely to mean
Immediate price reduction is sched-
uled in Chicago, where the Consum-
ers company, q large retail concern, to-
day announced a slash Of 81 to $3.50 a
ton in its prices. Other dealers plan
ned to make similar cuts at once, and
1t was estimated the reduction will cut
Chicago's coal bill by 100000, 900.
Reduction corresponding to the cut
IN the mine price may be looked for in
Minneapolis soon on Illinois COAL" said
=. A. Bruce, representing local retail
ers. Chicago is not dependent on
dock COAL however, as we are" he
said. Retailers here are not govern
ed as to eastern coal by the mine price
but by the price they have to nay at
the docks, which is fixed by the dock
companies.
1--WE anticipate that wholesale and
retall prices will be fixed soon OF
course, the government is not going
10 compel dealers to sell coal at loss.
put as to coal already mined, supply
and demand will enter in, and it will
depend largely on whether ADEQUATE
supplies can be brought through.
AS to the retail price, that will be
passed on the mine price, transporta-
tlon costs and costs of doing business,
and we are compiling data on these
cost items now, to, be furnished to the
federal authorities"
Ofdcials Of the dock companies are
absent today, most Of them being in
chicago, where they had a conference
yesterday, after which SecretarysW. II.
Groverman and others departed for
Washington. -
Increased Rates Allowed
The state railroad and warehouse
commission today granted the applica.
ton OF various railroads for an in
crease Of Is cents ton in the inter-
state rates on coal and coke.
This followed corresponding ad-
vance made Aug. 4 by the Interstate
commerce commission, which already
mas been reflected in coal prices, as
practlcally all the coal shipped into
Minnesota moves on interstate rates.
me Minnesota advance takes effect
sept. !, and affects only few docks
at Duluth, from which it has been nos.
slble to ship at the lower rate.