Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-19
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Detroit JObbers' Plan.

Davenport, Ia, Jan. Is, 191S.-Editor
The Argus: AS the coal situation is
vital topic at this time we enclose
herewith reprint from the Black
Diamond showing what some Of the
coal jobbers have done and are cap
able Of doing in relieving the situa-
ton. This is exactly what has been
done by the better class OF coal job
bers in the tri-cities.
If you think this article has any
merits, and we know that it has, We
should like to have you run this article
exactly as it is written here in your
columns. The Black Diamond is re-
sponsible for this article and is the
largest coal trade paper in the United
States. Its statements are always
considered authentic and we believe
that such articles as this are of suf-
ficient importance and should be
brought to the attention of the re-
tail or the general consuming public.
We should like to have your ex-
preston as to whether you would be
| in position to run this article, as this
is national movement, and we wish
| to report to headquarters at Wash
ington.
Yours very truly,
MUELLER LUMBER COMPANY.
BY Harry A. Hansen. sales manager.
WHAT COAL JOBBERS HAVE DONE
At the meeting Of the National Coal
Jobbers' association held at the Great
Northern hotel in Chicago on Tues
day at noon the big address was by
Edward ]. Dubois Of the American
Coal and Coke company Of Detroit
This was one of the most important
addresses made before this associa-
ton.
Mr.. Dubois started out by telling
how the Detroit jobbers have organ
lied to protect their own interests
He said that In the first place practi
cally all of the coal sold in Michigan
is distributed through jobbing houses
or was prior to the regulation OF Goa
by the government. The jobbers came
to realize that it was the desire o.
some in Washington to wipe the Job
bers out of business ind that rulings
would likely be made which would
have that effect even though tina
wasn't the expressed intention of DR.
Garfield. The result was that the De
troit and all of them joined the Mich
!. igan division of the National Goa
Jobbers' association. They were in
stantly confronted by a situation al
most inconceivably bad in Detroit ant
j Michigan itself. Coal was short ant
no way to get it. The Michigan fue
: administrator, who is W. K. Pruddel
of Lansing, a manufacturer of auto
mobile wheels, saw how desperate tn
situation was and went down to Wash
; ington to get some relief. Washington
, instantly promised 700 cars Of Goa
t per day for Michigan. The fuel ad
} ministratOr and the newspapers be
lieved the trouble was over, becaus
: coal was coming. Daily reports wer
, made that coal was on the way. How
: ever, the situation was relieved b.
5 reports only, as no coal came through
: After that, rule IL, which practi
cally put the jobbers out Of business
Z was modified to allow them to &c
5 back into business and the coal whic
: they had sold on contract began to
] delivered. The jobbers instantly OF
l ganized their association and went, I
the Wayne county tDetroit) fuel ad
e ministrator, who is a man of fai
! mind and broad vision. He Instant
!. availed himself OF the offer Of tn
5 jobbers to put their coal and thei
services at his disposal, with the re
suit that Detroit and Michigan wer
relieved by receiving instantly 1890
tons OF coal.
} Then the jobbers sent represer
0 tative to Washington. They got
!. touch with l.. A. Smear, the fuel di'
: tributor, and he started in to hand
the distribution in the same old wa
o namely, he tried to get coal for Micl
: igan by issuing orders or recommei
:. dations or rulings to which nobod
paid any attention. These jobbej
r weren't satisfied with that, saying the
!. wanted coal rather than language, ar
got permission to go to the~yards
O Russell, KY, and conflscate coal Wink
: was held up there behind a-blockat
|. due 10 the lake priority order. The
o got something like $4,000 tons In tn
q way and rushed 1t through to Detro
Although the jobbers saw that d
k troit needed more coal and they &
b permission from DR.. Garfield to buy
cargo of 10000 tons of coal that Wi
o going from the lower lake. ports to
c. consignee at the head Of the lake
they negotiated for this cargo q