Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-08-13
gC0AL PRICE RESTS
WITH RETAILERS
orod,,cers in Wilkes-Barre
Region See Only the
Ten-Ceht Boost
WATCH ACTION BY U. S.
psading Raises Cry of Shortage
and Sees Higher
Costs

WILKES BARRE, Aug. 13.-Anthracite
..srators regard the determination Of the
Tsderal Trade Commission to prosecute II
III ia advanced more than ten cents a
~" after September 1 as a threat aimed
ars at the retailers than at the producers
ny. contention of the anthracite men is
~ ~ ~ the product is advanced more than
..s @ cents the responsibility will rest with
s.talers and not with the producing COM
banies.
h,gh and Wilkes-Barre Coal Company,
ald:
"Tbis announcement of the commission Is
.oed at the retailers. Coal companies
have filed their price schedules with the
Commission for the month of September and
,nthing more than the customary advance
- ton cents ton has been contempla ted.
Inril prices are advanced ten cents a ton
.sch month and in September the winter
mice of coal goes into effect, this being the
1T month in which the ten.cent advance is
added.
"Conditions at present are unusual. No
s.mpany can figure what its production
scsts will be for October BY that time
tbsre may be a great shortage OF labor.
Hcweyer. there has been nothing done to.
vard setting a price for October, but there
hss been no thought of advance. Tho re-
taller has been taking advantage of con-
Sltons He has sold where he could get
Tho biggest prices 1t is to guard against
.uch plan that, I believe, the commission
las made its threat of arrest The threat,
while it applies to us. is not meant for the
producers, in my BELIEF
louisville. Pa. Aug. l3.--There is
.o intention on the part of the big anthra-
cite companies to increase the price of coal
more than ten cents a ton in September.
,hich Ia the regular rise above summer
orices. in use for many years say officials
of the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron Company.
W. ]. Richards, it's president, was out
AZ the city, but his assistants pointed out
ne had worked increasingly to keep down
the prices of coal to the public since the
var began, Notwithstanding the fact that
wages and everything entering into its pro-
duction have largely increased. This may
be regarded, it is said here, as the reply
Of the operators to the statement made in
Washington yesterday.
Philadelphia and Reading officials in ac-
cordance. with the policy adopted by Mr..
Richards believe the best way to keep
down the cost of coal is to keep the market
stocked, SO much as possible with fuel
and thus prevent panc.stricken buyers from
bidding up prices. There was little indica-
ton that it was Sunday at the great yards
OF the Philadelphia and Reading Railway
tanning about 1000 tons each, were sent
down the main line.
READING, Pa, Aug. 13.--Unless the
Reading Coal and Iron Company and the
/, Independent operators especially the
former. begin heavy shipments to this city
soon, Reading will be in the grip OF a, coal
famine that will put the question of prices
in the shade, retailers here say. The in
dependents have been sending small quanti-
ties here but the Readings allowance has
been far below normal.
Many yards are empty and most of the
others have only small quantities Persons
who always order in April have not been
supplied, much less the occasional buyers.
- HAZLETON, Pa. Aug. 13.--Inauries to-
day among coal company managers on the
y. threat of the Federal Trade Commission to
prosecute operators If they raise the price
more than ten cents a ton on September
failed to bring any authoritative statements
Managers referred interviewers to the heads
Of the corporations in Philadelphia and
New York. Superintendents of large cons
Germs here said they dealt only with the
mining and were not authorized to make
statements.
In the Lehigh fields the act of the com,
mission was favorably received. 1t was
feared that after September more than
ten cents would be added to the price on
account Of the threatened scarcity of coal.