The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-10-02

margin plan, trusting to the honesty
Of the dealers, as regards his 1915
margin, was decided on. ..
Sees No Immediate Reduction.
@. f. Fuller of the Interior Lum-
Der company of Fargo and Moorhead,
does not look for a reduction until
the operators reduce the price at the
docks.
If 80 per cent is allowed by the
government for, increased handling
charges the dealers will be given a
better margin profit" said Mr.. Full
er, but 1t is impossible at this time
to say what the reduction or the
increase will be until we know the
cost at the. mines or the docks"
Fargo coal dealers make their own
deliveries and charge the consumer
0 cents a ton. To hire a dray, they
say, would come to IS cents a ton.
On cash payments. a discount Of 25
cents per ton is allowed. They say
that coal hos always been sold on
close margin in Fargo. To secure the
services Of man and team to haul
coal from trackto bin is $3.50 a day.
On top Of this is the cost of keep
ing teams for delivery purposes, in
surance and various other items.
CA6n FFICG& vi (OAls
Stove coal was retailing at $11.5O,
cash price, in Fargo this morning;
nut coal at S11.75; soft coal, Hook
ing Valley, $1O.75 cash, and Poca-
hontas, $11.50 cash. Ignite, accord
ing to dealers, is sold usually direct
from the car to the consumer. The
Interior Lumber company reported
that 1t was not dealing in Ignite.
II was pointed out that it is a grade
Of coal which crumbles easily and
the loss in weight in shipment and
delivery offers very little profit I'M
less handled direct from car to con-
tuners bin.
1t was stated that after navigation
closes at the head of the lakes, it
will be impossible to get coal. Even
as conditions are now, dealers in
Fargo say their orders are not all
being filled. They do not know
whether to contribute it to jobbers,
operators or lack of cars. It was ad-
mitted, however, that there is more
coal in contumers' bins in Fargo
and in other cities Of the northwest
than in the history Of this section
Of the state. The continuous harplng
that there would be a coal shortage,
brought brisk demands on the part
up at an unusually early date.
Offers 70 Contract For Coal.
One of the most interesting feat
ures in connection with the pending
coal situation was the statement
made by w. e. Oliver, representing
the firm of the Great Lakes Coal S&
Dock Co, jobbers, Minneapolis. Mr..
Oliver was seen at the office Of the
Interior Lumber company, and made
the assertion that his firm was con-
tracing for Pittsburgh No. 8 soft
coal, which is said to be good
grade. Heretofore, Fargo dealers
have found it almost impossible to
contract for coal, and as yet they
cannot contract for hard coal Of any
description.
Il am not contracting for any big
shipments" said Mr.. oliver, but
would probably let a dealer contract
with us for 200 or 800 TONS" He said
there was plenty of soft coal at the
head of the lakes now to tide the
through until the middle OF
the winter, Jan. being the date he
actually fixed. Touching on the gov
ernment control over the coal In
dustry he stated that it was too early
to say whether there would be re-
duction or increase in prices in the,
northwest. .-
Figures recently published show
that from present indications there
win be a shortage of at least 100000
tons OF hard coal when navigation
closes this year. The northwest was
said to be short 2,822,266 tons of hard
and soft coal on Sept j.