Rock Island Argus., 1917-11-16
CHICAGO RATE IS
SOUGHT FOR COAL
At Conference Of County Committee
and Dealers s2.2O Gross Profit
Ton Is Favored.

Coal in Rock Island county is to
sell temporarily at $22o gross profit
or 25 cents ton net profit, pending
a thorough Investigation into the
whole subject, II action taken at the
initial conference Of the county fuel
committee and the dealers, held yes
terday afternoon at the Moline city
hall, is affirmed by John Z. Williams,
state fuel administrator.
As a result of the meeting il was
| decided as the first move to telephone
to Mr.. Williams for Permission to
put into effect tentatively the Chicago
rate" which allows dealers 500
/ gross profit. Out Of this fat rate
f, must come overhead expense. outside
/ Of the original cost Of the coal, freight
! charges and war tax. namely carriage
/ employees wages. depreciation Of wag-
/ ons, horses and equipment feeding
I of horses, insurance and items OF like
nature. SO that it is figured that the
net and clear profit above all expense
would ho 25 cents ton. What effect
this new schedule Will have remains
TO be seen. However, it is known
that one Moline dealer recently quit
the sale Of Springfield coal entirely
claiming that it would mean a loss
70 him to sell at the 1915 figure, d;
/ the government requires, plus 30 pei
cent A coal war in Moline in 1911;
forced the quotations down to an alb
normally low figure
ATSIfpD Ta1 lD-1 etl lf475ftaG fTg7rez 20
show their overhead expense is from
$l95 to Sc a ton, while two Rock Is
land merchants claimed it was $50.
for them, due to longer hauls, poo
condition Of pavement and lack o
pavement.
Here are the figures which PlCv
city dealer offered to show what j
, cost him to deliver a ton Of coal to
consumer:
/ Cost Of Springfield coal ton at
the mine mouth $3.50
Cost of freight ......-......... l20
War tax MISREPRESENTATION. Cos
Overhead, including carriage, etc. zoe
, 4Olal rr-r-...r-....- ...-. $p.U5
The prevailing price Of Springfield
coal in Moline is from Sc to $50;
dealers claiming that it costs ap
, proximatelv Sc a ton to deliver it a
the consumers home. If the Chicag
rate is put into effect the maximum
8 price for Springfield would be $629t
There is one Pl0w city dealer VIII
, is selling Springfield at S5.75 becaus
= he is able to buy direct from the mine
! instead Of from jobbers, who max
! an average OF IS cents ton. an
also because he handles other CON
= modities which have a market th
year around
One way TO reduce the cost of coz
delivery, as suggested by a Molin
dealer, is to haul your own" Tha
is, to have the dealer make a side
> walk delivery, depositing fuel at tn
curb, leaving the consumer to whet
= the coal into the basement himself C
. hire il done. In Moline the chare
for carrying coal in baskets is g
cents ton and in Rock Island it
p so cents, This method Of economy
4 course does not apply to those who's
!, coal bins can be filled from chut
There were 40 dealers at the cor
ference, coming from Moline, Rock /,
land, East Moline and the easter
part Of the county, while the lowe
end of the county was not represente
. After the purpose Of the gatherin
. had been explained by Fl. A. Clever
- stine, Mayor NJ r. Carlson and NJ.
. McEniry, members Of the county con
: mittee, the dealers named the follow
= ing committee which Will hereaft,
- represent them in their dealings wit
= the fuel board
- Moline - James Pearson, Fran
u Walker.
:, Rock Island-R. W. Lamont Ne
= Mikesell.
,e Country-Frank H, scbfare. Po
Byron.
Blanks which the dealers will ha,
to fill out giving data which the go
- ernment desires were distribute
:, which will have to be back to Ii
~ county committee the first Of ne
y, week.
r Among the blanks which were give
y the dealers were some for the ult
" mate consumer to sign in order to pr
vent the boarding of coal, the follin
ing questions being asked:
Amount Of coal desired?
p Kind used last year?
Approximate amount used last yea
+ VIII last approximately - days
=, Have you any untitled orders wi
" other dealers?
-.