The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-06

LOOK UP PRICES
City viii Investigate Coal Stu
alton, 1t Is Announced.
Newland Wants To Know Facts
Before Making Contracts.
RUMOR OF A BOYCOTT OUT
1t Is Said Local Dealers May
Not Submit Bids.
City May Adopt the Plan of In
dustriaI Council.
RUMOR OF A BOYCOTT OUT

An investigation of coal prices. pre-
liminary to calling for estimates from
dealers who wish to bid on the 1913
contract which will call for, .approxi-
mately, SO, 900 tons, will be made by
/ city. ii was said today by Frank
NJ. Newland. water and lights commits
sioner Should the bids submitted
show an attempt was being made to
charge the city an exorbitant price,
Newland will bring before the city
commission the proposition of going
into the open market to obtain the
fuel. thereby asking for an action that
would be equivalent to a municipal
boycott against the Topeka dealers.
The purchasing, under the Newland
plan, would be carried out similar 10
the way the Topeka Industrial council
is obtaining coal for it's members. This
month is being considered as the prob
able time the bids on the contract Tor
1918, which takes the place of the
present one which expires November
l, will be called for.
Facing Big Problem.
In the coal situation. Newland as
serts that the city is facing one of the
most knotty problems in years. May
1. the Southwestern Coal company,
now holding the city contract, put in
a claim for an increase of so cents a
ton for coal delivered to the city de-
spite the fact the contract does not ex
pire until November 1. The company
claimed It was losing As cents a ton on
every carload delivered. No action
was taken on the request which was
referred to Newland and George Hay
den. city attorney Both are of the
opinion that such an increase, be-
cause of the contract. is out of the
question. Il am against granting the
a nd
I don't know where we would get the
money even if we wished to allow it,"
Topeka coal dealers have shown
considerable interest in the South
westerns request. Word, purporting
to be from another Topeka dealer, has
come in a roundabout way to New
land that unless the SO cent increase
is allowed. there will be no bids from
Topeka dealers on the next contract.
Wait for Developments.
81 heard this" said Ncwland to-
day. Il wouldn't attempt to say
whether there is anything - the threat
or not. Whether or not such threat
was authorized will be Shown when
we ask for bids on a new contract If
no bids are made, it will be pretty
conclusive evidence that q. combine
Newland, in anticipation of an in
crease in coal prices, has provided in
his budget estimate to Finance Com
missioner WATSON for an increase of
81 a ton. The commissioner of water
and streets made it plain today how
ever that just because provision was
made for this hike. it would not nee
essarily be paid if the market at the
time the contract is let does not JUS
tify it.
I'VE will make thoro investiga-
ton of the market and prices before
bids are asked for said Newland. IF
the bids submitted prove too high 1
am going to take up the project of go
ing into the open market and buying.
Several other Kansas cities are al
ready doing this and they are getting
their coal cheaper than is Topeka"
Newland as water and lights COM
missioner. has under his responsibility
the two most extensive fuel consum-
ing industries in the city. the light
plant and the waterworks. Thousands
of tons of coal are consumed yearly
by the two plants.