The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1917-11-01
COAL PRICE LEGISLA-
TION Is DEFINED

received from Assistant united States
District Attorney Ranking, of Port
land, the following letter containing
copy of the new law concerning the
fixing of coal prices. At the request
of Mr.. Rankin District Attorney Derby
has submitted to the Glacier for publi-
cation an explanation of the new law
which follows:
Under the act of congress dated
August 10, 1917, to provide for national
security and defense and for controll-
ing the distribution of food products
and fuel, the President appointed
Harry A. Garfield as fuel admlnistrat-
or and fixed the prices for soft coal at
the mines for the entire nation. For
Washington the price was fixed at S3.25
at the mines; prepared sizes at So so
and slack or screenings at So. For
Montana the price was fixed at 81. 70
at the mines; $2.95 prepared sizes,
with slack or screenings at $2.45.
Coal jobbers are defines as an agency
which purchases and resells coal to
dealers or consumers without physi-
cally handling it through his own
means, and is allowed on bituminous
coal selling price of Is cents per ton
ofs2000 lbs. in excess of his purchase
price; on anthracite coal similar ex-
cess of 30 cents per ton of 2,240 lbs.
The demand for coal for factories
and railroads has vastly increased |;
domestic consumption is normal; con-
servation is necessary for our army
navy and in support of the allies, and
in furtherance of plans to be later an
nounced the fuel administrator is i'm
mediately to choose fuel representa-
tive in each state. In conjunction with
the state representative committee
of citizens will be appointed who, with
the representative, will assume direc-
ton of the regulation of the sale of
coal in this state. No person connected
with the coal industry will be APP
pointed.
Now, in furtherance of the purpose
for which said act was passed and by
direction of the president of the United
States, the fuel administrator hereby
orders and directs:
On and after the first day of 0cto-
ber, 1877, in making prices and sales to
consumers the retail gross margin (as
hereinfter deilned) added by any retail
dealer to the average cost determined
as herinafter provided) of any size or
grade of coal or coke for each class of
business shall not exceed the average
gross margin added by such dealer for
the same size or grade for each class
of business during the calendar year
1915, plus 30 per cent of said retail
gross margin for the calendar year
1915. Provided, however, that the
retail gross marign added by any retail
dealer shall in no case exceed the aver
age added by such dealer for the same
size, grade and class of business dur
ing July, 1917.
BY this order retailers are required
to fix retail gross margin, which
may be less than, but shall not in any
instance exceed, the margin added by
them in 1915 plus 30 per cent thereof.
Definition of Retail Dealer Every
person partnership corporation or as
sociation physically receiving, hand
ling and delivering coal or coke to con-
sumers is retail coal or coke dealer
within the meaning of this order.
Definition of Retail Gross Margin
The retail gross margins of the differ
ent classes of retail coal and coke
dealers are defined as:
Q) Indifference between the price
charged by a retail coal or coke dealer
to consumers and the average cost of
coal or coke to such retailer, free on
board railroad cars at his railroad sid
ing, yard. pocket, or trestle, when such
coal or coke is received by him by rail.
(2) The difference between the price
charged by retail coal or coke dealer
to consumers and the average cost of
Goa or coke to such retailer free along
side his wharf pocket, or water yard,
when such coal or coke is received by
him by water.
(3) The difference between the price
charged by retail coal or coke dealer
to consumers and the average cost of
coal or coke to such retailer at whole
salers' pockets, trestles, railroad sid
ings. mines, tipples, dumps, docks,
yards or wharfs.
How Retail Dealers Shall Ascertain
Average Cost of Coal or Coke-The
average cost of coal or coke to retail
dealers, to which the gross retail mar
gin may be added shall be ascertained
by them for each size and grade on the
first and sixteenth days of each calen.
dar month according to the following
method:
The tonnage and average cost of coal
or coke on hand at the beginning of
period is to be combined with the ton
mage an average cost of coal or coke
received during the period,
If the claim is made that any speci.
fed coal has been acquired in accord
ance with bona fide contract enforci.
BILE at law, existing prior to the time
of the order of the President, applica-
BILE thereto. the burnden of proof is
upon the parties to the contract to es-
tablish these facts.
Coal may be bought and sold at
prices lower than those prescribed by
the President and every jobber of coal
or coke in the United States shall file
with the Federal Trade Commission,
Washington, d. c., on or before Oct.
rs, 1917, statement showing:
His name; postoffice address; date of
establishment of his business; names
of stockholders, members and partners
of his jobbing concern; financial inter-
ests of the stockholders, members and
partners of jobbing concern in. any
mine producing coal.
Any jobbing concern which may be
established after the issuance of this
regulation shall Immediately upon its
organization file a similar statement
with the Federal Trade Commission.
Violation of the food and fuel conser-
walton law, Act of Congress August 10.
1917, and the regulations in further
ance thereof, are punishable by severe
fines or Imprisonment.
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