Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-07-06
COAL PRICES LOCALLY
The Coal Situation Locally as Seen by
Local Dealer-Bowles & Billings
State Government to Need All Cars
For Soldiers Soon-Advises Buying
at Present Prices.

There has been so much published
in the dailies lately about big re-
duction in coal prices that the public
does not know exactly just what the
conditions are AS near as we can
learn there will be no reduction in the
price of domestic coal unless it is east
Ohio Hooking These eastern Goals
have gone up away out of reason ana
the operators in conference with
Washington, d. c., officials agreed, we
understand, to lower their price at
least 81 a ton, which they can do and
still have a very long profit. From all
the information we can get, Franklin
and Fulton county, Illinois, and Iowa
coal will be the same for the present,
with prospects of very small shipments
as soon as the government begins to
move troops and supplies and the new
grain will be moving in August so we
anticipate very serious car shortage
and movement of coal later on. At
present we feel that Franklin county
lump is the best buy on the market
for clean, hot, economical coal Tor
furnace or heater, as Kentucky and
Splint are away up in price and may
sell little cheaper, but 1t looks now
as tho there would be no drop IN
Franklin county, and July l the freight
rate went up Is cents per ton, so 1t
really should be Is cents ton higher,
but for while at least we will sell
you Franklin lump or egg or nut at
just 30 cents net profit 30 cents net
profit to us per ton after laid into your
bin or basement. 1t seems to us that
it would be the safer plan to get your
winter fuel in right now. Unless you
want to burn Kentucky or Virginia
Splint, If so they may be dollar a
ton cheaper possibly. The prices you
see quoted in dailies at SO a ton, ETC.,
are prices made by coal operators to
the government for run Of mine, and
have no bearing on coal for domestic
use or prices made to the retailers.
There has been so much nlisunder-
standing that we are afraid people will
wait too long to lay in their winter
fuel-and now while weather is warm
and we can get reasonable amount
of coal we hope those who have room
and can afford 1t will put in their
winter fuel now, for soon the new
grain will be moving, the government
will be using a lot Of equipment for
moving troops and supplies and it will
be almost impossible to get coal in we
anticipate. Last winter the local deal
ers here and all over Iowa barely kept
folks from suffering and 1t certainly
looks as tho the car shortage will be
much worse this fall and winter Those
who can afford 1t should put in their
coal and give the fellows chance this
winter who buy a ton or two tons at
time, they must be taken care Of
and we feel that it is the duty of those
who have room and can afford to do
SO to fill up bins now during hot
weather and it certainly looks as tho
they would not lose anything by so
doing.
We have Fulton county lump at
$3.50 per ton, a good hot coal not so
good as Franklin county however; also
have the Zeigler egg, a hot, clean coal
for cook stove, furnace, heater or
threshing. Sincerely yours, Bowles &
Billings, grain, coal and feed, 3O5
Market street, Marshalltown