Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-06-18
UNCLE SAM FIXES PRICE.
Coal and Oil Men Must Sell to Him at
Eiuure Set by President.


Figure Set by President.
Washington, June lS.--Secretary OF
the Navy Daniels has ordered coal ano
oil producers to supply the enormous
quantities needed by the navy at prices
to be ,fixed later by the president when
the federal trade commission has De.
termined a fair rate.
The navy will use 1.750,O00 tons OIL
coal and 500, ,000 900 barrels Of oil under
authority granted by congress.
Similarly steel for the entire navy
building program, is being bought at a
rate fixed when Secretary Daniels re-
jected the proposals Of the steel max
ers as too high. He said today that the
coal operators proposed to furnish
navy coal at the rate of s2,95 at the
mines. The navy has been paying sass
per ton delivered. The secretary di-
rected the companies to ship immedi-
ately, the orders being prorated among
the producers. agreeing to pay tenta-
tive price Of s2.35 at the minees. pend
ing A report from the federal trade
commission.
Oil quotations submitted. Mr.. Daniels
said ranged from $1.5S to $1.S6 par
rel. delivered at Port Arthur, altho the
present rate is SO cents a barrel at that
point. The department directed the
producers to fill it's order for 50.o00o 900
barrels. leaving the question Of price
to be determined by the trade commits
sion The arrangement regarding steel
orders, the secretary said, leaves q
handsome profit" for the producers.
More Ships Ordered.
Contracts for ten more steel mer-
chant ships complete and for twenty
four additional wooden hulls were an
nounced today by Major General
Goethals. general manager OF the emer-
gency fleet corporation. The vessels
will be delivered in 1918.
The fleet corporation now has con-
tracted for a total of 1873 ships and
hulls, Complete steel ships contracted
for number twenty-elght, complete
composite ships thirty-two, and COM
plete wooden ships thirty. Contracts
have been let for forty-eight wooden
hulls.
Steel Comes High.
The announcement that Gen. Geoth-
ais had agreed to price Of sos ton
on steel plates for eight vessels to be
built at the plant OF the Los Angeles
company presages another
storm for the United States shipping
board and the emergency fleet corpor-
ton which Is building the governments
), 900 900 ton merchant fleet. Gen. Goe-
halls could not be seen today either to
confirm or deny the price quoted.
Chairman Denman Of the shipping
board Is decidedly opposed to paying
the present market price for the steel
to be used In the construction OF the
emergency fleet and
thinks the government ought to secure
the steel for its merchant. fleet at the
same price 1t which II secured tho steel
for its naval construction program.
It 10 understood that Gen. Gcethels
has allotted the contracts at a figure
that provides for the purchase Of steel
at Az cents . pound for the plates
and * cents for shapes.
This would amount to approximately
s6 . ton for plates and 3s4 for shapes,
whereas the navy is only paying ap-
ts4 Z ton for the plates 1t
will use in it, construction program.
A basic price Of $5s.20 a ton was
fixed for stee, plates I'm contracts for
ten steel ships, signed today by Chair
man Denman. OF the shipping board.
Future contracts will be let at that
price instead OF $S5 paid for steel In
some earlier contracts.