The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-08-24
WILSON NAMES
PRICE FOR HARD
COAL AT MINES
Allows Pennsylvania Field 81
to $5.3O-Appoints Gar
field Dictator.

Washington, Aug. 24-President
Wilson yesterday announced the gov
ernment's price schedules on anthra-
cite coal, and at the same time named
DR.. Harry A. Garfield, president of
Williams College, to be Coal Admin
istrator. Hard coal prices at the
mine according to the government
schedule, vary from a minimum of
s4.45 for egg coal of the white ash
grade to $3.50 for stove coal of the
schedule, it was stated, was based on
the recommendations of the Federal
Trade Commission.
Under the terms of the Executive
order issued by the President yester-
day coal jobbers are restricted to
charge of s. cents a ton inexceSs of
the purchase price on bituminous coal
and 20 cents per ton on anthracite
delivered east of Buffalo. West of
Buffalo, anthracite jobbers are per-
mitted to charge gross margin of
30 cents per ton over the mine price.
The stipulated jobbers' margins, it
was explained by officials, covers the
entire margin between the mine and
the ultimate dealer.
The President vests full power in
control powers granted in the food
bill. DR.. Garfield will Immediately
organize a coal administration pat
termed after the food administration.
The extent of the government machin-
cry necessary to control the fuel sit
uation, DR.. Garfield stated will depend
on the willingness of coal dealers to
cooperate in enforcing the provisions
of the executive order issued by the
President today. It will not be the
policy of the new coal administration
to impose. any restrictive measures
on the coal trade other than those
found necessary to insure equitable
coal prices to the consumer, whether
that consumer be the government or
the public.
The coal administration, it was
officially stated will Immediate
" formulate a system of licensing
both mine operators and jobbers. Ac-
ceptance and adherence to the price
schedules prescribed by the President
will be a prerequisite for either oper-
ating or jobbing licenses. Whether
| or not it will be necessary to adopt a
/ system of retail licenses, DR.. Garfield
stated, will depend entirely on deveI-
opments- 1t is believed, however, that
| before this step is taken, which would
mean a considerable elaboration of
the coal control machinery, an at
tempt will be made to compel reason
able prices through a campaign OF
publicity.
Should this fail. Dr. Garfield made
it plain. it would be the governments
| policy to undertake the licensins
| plan, the requisitionfng and resellfne
of coal or any other steps that might
be necessary TO a solution Of the fue
problem.
In the event that the government
is compelled to requisition and resell
| coal, it was intimated, q corporation
| similar to the one recently organized
/ under the food administration for the
purchase and resale of wheat would
be organized.
It Is probable that such a corpora.
ton will be organized anyway so thai
the government machinery will bs
adequate to meet any future devel.
| opments.
The Presidents order fixing anthra
cite prices and prescribing jobbesr
margins. issued yesterday, reads:
The following regulations shall ap
ply to the intrastate, interstate ant
foreign commerce Of the United State,
and the prices and margins referred
to herein shall be in force pending
investigation or determination there
Of by the President
| Cd A coal jobber is defined as
person Cor other agency who pur
chases and resells coal to coal deal
ers or to consumers without physical
ly handling It on. over or through
his own vehicle, dock, trestle or yard
II (2) For the buying and selling o
bituminouS coal a jobber shall not ad.
to his purchase price gross margin
pounds; nor shall the combined gros
, margins of any number of jobber
who buy and sell given shipment O
shipments of bituminous coal excee,
Is cents per ton of 1000 pounds.
White ash-Broken, S4.55; egg
s4.45; stove, $40; chestnut, $3.50
pea, 81. Red ash-Broken, S475
egg, s4.65; stove, $500; chestnut
$3.50; pea, $40. Lykens Valley
Broken, So; egg, $3.50; stove, $3.50
chestnut, $3.50; pea, $4.35.
Producers who incur the expense o
rescreening anthracite at Atlantic O
lake ports for reshipment by water ar
permitted to add not more than 1v
cents ton to the price.
i The Presidents order forbids rail
road owned mines from selling to 9th
er mines and prohibits dealers from
selling coal produced by railroad own
ed mines on basis Of prices fxet
for other mines.
The bituminous jobbers' prices be
come effective Immediately, as did bi
luminous mine prices announced Wed
nesday night.