The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-09-08
HOPE
FOR DROP IN
COAL PRICES,
SAY DEALERS
By BILL PRICE.

By BILL PRICE.
Washington people are not only
going to pay stiff prices for coal
throughout the winter, but in all
probability father or brother will
have to shovel the coal into the eel
lar.
There is not the slightest idea
among coal dealers in Washington to-
day that DR.. Garfield, coal admins
traitor, is going to be able to lower
the retail prices.
The practically unanimous view is
that prices for winter coal are set,
and IL there is any change 1t will be
in the direction of slight increases
due to labor wages at the mines or
elsewhere.
Corn Surgeons Prices Up.
1t developed today that Washing
ton corn doctors have raised the
prices for treating corns owing TO
war" conditions. The average price
for treating or removing ordinary
corns has, until recently. been IS
cents per corn. Some OF the estab-
Iishments doing this work have now
set the price at so cents for one corn.
with IS cents for additional corns
treated. A customer. to save money,
must let a crop OF corns grow to Sc
cure the reduction. Most customers
have one mischievous corn at time
for the corn doctor to get rid of.
The reasons given for the advance
is that everything has gone up"
especially the price for sticking plAs-
ter The chair in which the customer
sits costs more, as do the instruments
used. Besides, the doctor has to pay
higher rent and more for what he
buys to eat and wear.
Coal Price Predictions
What the coal dealers today spoke
OF as "set" prices are around $50
for white ash stove: Ss.45 for white
ash egg, and S7.s5 for pea coal, with
$50 as the retail price for soft coal.
These prices do not include storing
bins. They are for dumping on the
sidewalk or in the backyard The
ing away, the price for this for hard
coal averaging round Is cents per ton.
And we do not guarantee that we
are going TO be able TO store coal after
hauling" said one large dealer to-
day, land the prospects are that
Washington men will have TO do this
Job themselves. We usually employ
twenty to twenty-five men at this time
of the year to store coal. We now
- H., - ko.rr
we are to get more
The men OF Washington. though,
ought not 10 complain at this. as they
can get good exercise shoveling coal
into their homes and save the cost
of Is cents a ton"
Dictator Can't. Help People.
Almost without exception the coal
dealers stated today that the fixing
OF retail prices by DR.. Garfield
throughout the country cannot ma.
terially change prices here. They de-
clare that the prices of the food ad
ministration for anthracite coal at
the mouth OF the mines are greater
than the mine owners were charging
before that time, and that this &C
counts for the fact that there has
been a fat jump in retail prices here
since the coal dictator took charge.
The invariable complaint of Wash.
ington coal dealers is that they have
been for a long time compelled 10
ay a bonus OF 10 cents per ton 10
small coal operators to get supplies
and that this must be charged to the
pay a bonus OF 80 cents per ton 10
the large coal companies, but they
furnish only a small part of the coal
The Federal Trade Commission per-
l. arrordfnrr 70 10 de
ers. on the ground that the small
operator has larger overheard charge:
than the big operator. and must have
this extra money 10 make a reason
able profit on his investment.
A number OF coal dealers were dis
posed today to hold that the trade
commission has been "buncoed" by
alleged small operators and that the
customer might Just as well have the
beneft OF his bonus.
Proat Retailers Make.
The retail coal trade OF this city
claimed today that the uniform profits
Of dealers on hard coal is So per tor
and on soft coal $3.50. From thes'
profits all expenses must be paid
There was no exception to claims thai
the dealers are now making lesi
money than they did last year and II
past years, due to advances in wages
cost OF wagons, horses, feed, etc.
Three-fourths OF the coal used hert
Is bituminous. although the masses
of the people in their homes burr
anthracite. The bulk OF bituminoui
coal is sold under contract, the dealer
having contracts with the mini
owner, and in turn with the Gus
toner. All these contracts provide
for Increased prices with increased
freight rates. wages. etc. Contrac
coal is delivered at lower prices thar
given the customer buying in small
lots without contract.
Buyers By the Buahel Hit.
The advances in ton lots OF coal {,
consumers will be from Sl.25 to SIS
per ton over last winter. and to poo
people who buy in bushel lots the in
crease will be propOrtionately high
er. II is this class OF people who ar,
going to be hit hardest.
Coal dealers do not believe Their,
will be a scarcity Of coal in Washing
ton this winter. but prices will prov,
a hardship to the poor.
II is the understanding that DR.