Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-05-07
SET SOFT COAL
FIGURES HERE
Fuel Board Chairman Announces
Amounts TO Be Charged Con-
sumers Here.

il. A. Clevenstine. Rock Island
county fuel board chairman, has
announced a scale of prices for
coal which takes effect at once in
this and other nearby cities.
The scale of prices. together with
a statement issued by the county
fuel board, is appended:
Some time ago j. W. Adams,
special representative from the
federal trade commissions who is
working with the fuel department
of Illinois, spent several days in
the city going over the books and
records OF retail dealers and has
just announced his finding and rec
concentrations, the same taking eff
feet at once.
The retail dealers gross mar
gin for the cities of Rock Island,
Moline and East Moline on soft
coal has been set at $2.15 per ton
and the gross marginson hard coal
at 1925 per ton. These prices are
based on coal by the load and con-
sists of two tons or more at one
time to the same party.
This 81 Oss margin would make
the maximum price which any deal
err could charge for coal delivered
at your shed or bin, Springfield
$6.05, Franklin county $3.50, Mer-
Ger county $3.50, Peoria county
$500. Rock Island county, if deliv-
cred by teamster hauling direct
from the mine, the price shall not
exceed Sc per ton. On hard coal
the prices would be not to exceed
for egg coal $11.60, stove S11.85,
chestnut $11.95. If the consumer
desired to haul his own coal from
the yard, he is entitled to 81 per
ton off of the regular delivery price
At these prices the coal is expect
ed to be fOrked.
The dealer in taking an order
for hard coal must require the sig
nature of the consumer, and that
coal can only be delivered in in
stallments of four tons each, and
no dealer can sell a car of hard
coal to any one without first re-
ceiving the written permission from
the fuel administration
'I'nasmuCh as the hard coal ship
ped to this county will not exceed
that which the dealer purchased
for the year ending March 81, 1917,
it means that those who are in the
habit of burning hard coal must
have their signed order in at once,
or it is almost. an absolute certain
ty that they will not receive any
coal of that kind this year.
''On March II an order signed
by H. A. Garfield, United States
fuel administrator, permits the OPP
orator who picks, spiralizes and
washes his coal by a special pro-
cess will be entitled 10 charge 20
cents per ton over the established
mine price. Inasmuch as the ma
jority of Franklin county coal COM
ing to this vicinity is specially pre-
pared in the above manner, the
dealer will be entitled to the 20
cents addition, which will make the
present price not to exceed $3.50
per ton in two-ton lots or more, or
in each instance it will be required
that the purchasers bill should so
State that the coal delivered was
specially prepared and that the
dealer had authority TO make such
charge.
LAS far as can be seen there will
not be enough coal next winter to
satisfy all needs if we drift along
as usual. We are heading for a
sure and certain shortage unless we
put forth heroic efforts to prevent
it. Unless we keep the mines run
Ming and the railroads hauling ev-
cry day this summer, we are invit-
ing a repetition of last winters
agony, and we will assuredly get
what we invite. The only ammuni-
tion against a fuel famine is coal,