The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-05-16
Mem COAL PRICES
ARE FIXED HERE
PRICES FOR COAL FOR DOMESTIC
USE ARE ANNOUNCED BY LOCAL
FUEL ADMINISTRATION.
Rigid Investigation Is Made By The
Committee Before Fixing Of Prices
Many Regulations.

arat manager Of he t"miu"r"lnl aSS"''-
atom - chairman: Jas. w. Ewing AMI
.;"y t. Nay Tor. members: yesterday
prices on coal for domestic use III hhl"
county. Thcsr prices viii h." uniform
Tor all l"at"rS and have h""n iiN",i after
4 careful AID irnEthy Investigation ;n'n
cost Of mining md handling coal. f"'-
lowed by open hearings II which "a"r-
o,"rS md retail dealers appeared h"f"r"
~" local committee.
Tho following is an excerpt from tho
committees ruling: Net prices on nGr-
chascs of coal for domestic use On open
orders Cor less than three tons. rchandl-
ed through retail yards:
Min" cost Margin Net
Eun OF mine .S@4I plus S2.65 $IlA
Prepared sizes :. 20 plus $50 80
Slack and screen eco rluS @.G3 f.>a
", prices on purchases "f coal for do
nestle us" on open orders for three tons
Of moro. delivered direct from the mine
Ia Consumer by operator. ioeddIcr or re-
;ai!er:
Mine Cns' Margin Ecf
Rim of mine. s9.41 plus Sl97 si.a"
Prepared sizes ".7a plus S197 +.6T
Slack y. Screenings go plus ~ Az
Committee Explains.
Explanatory of thu gross margin
which the committee has permitted the
dealers Ia add 10 min" cost Of coal. IN"
lnrnl committee made the following
statement:
Enquiry Of other local committees in
d;ratrs that In many cases only one
gross margin has been fixed for u rnun-
". Til" Ohio county committee. how
ever. felt that ,hc peculiar conditions
Obtaining IN this locality n""esSitated
the fixing nc two different gross mar
gins: the first and largest margin Of
$3.50 applies particularly I" retail d"aI-
ers who receive coal at retail! yards.
either via truck or railroad cars. and
there unload into bins or pics for sub
Sequent delivery tn consumer in small
quantities: the second and smaller mar
gin. af Si.9I. applies 1" operators and
prGLlcrs and retailers alike. whore de-
liyeri"s arc made dirocr from tho mine
10 tho consumer and whore no yard cost
: or rehaudliug charges are involved"
In fixing the margin OF $2.65 for re-
! tail yards. the committee took into con-
sdoratrn tho following items which
enter into the retailers cost "c doing
business:
First cost--cost at the ninr plus
! freight: labor cost; unloading and sort
ing at Yards: relnading into wagons or
F.! trucks and unloading % consumer; ward
labor: stable and garage labnr; oific"
overhead: general overhead: yard rent
advertising: insurance. taN"s, incident
ais. printing.
Everything Is Considered
The committee took into consideration
cost items nC drivers. fUcI and teams. oil.
chains. harness. tires. depreciation. in
Surancc. license. repairs and replace
m"ntS. 2arag" AMI stahle. taxes. bridge
tolls. seal" fees and the nXir1 haul ne
cnSSila:nd by city ordinance requiring
all loads 10 be wei Ehcd over city scales.
which. in many cases. requires dntours.
The committee also considered the mat
ter of tho degradation ot coal supply
because OF necessity Of rehandllng and
wasting IN transit.
Tho problem Of Tho committee IN FIX
ing Il gross margin which would II" uni
for!uiy applied u all dealers was made
particularly difficult hecaus" Of tho fact
that no two dealers operate their plant
in the same manner or have tho sam"
conditions or costs. Some operators
mako deliveries With trucks exclusively.
others. with wagons. exclusively. and
another class with wagons and trucks.
Sumo have heavy yard expense, other.
very small: some advertise extensively.
others do not. The aim Of the commit
toe vas to FIX q margin which world
return q reasonable profit 10 the reason
ably efficient dealer. knowing that such
(. margin might return substantial
profit 70 the exceptionally efficient
dealer. while on the Other hand il would
allow only 4 very small profit and pos
Sibl? n loss to the inefficient dealer.
: The committee. however took the posi-
ton that ia obligation was tn the public
! welfare and that rho public should NOT
be penaliZcd for tn" ia"ffiri"ncy of tie.
dealer. Nor should the margin hc fixed
80 low rs - cause l"ss ia any dealer
operating within good business practices.
Prices Are Order.
The prices fixed by tho local commit
go. issued In lhn form If IN order :"
all operators In tho country. ahrngnic all
/ other price fixing orders issued by In"
| rnmmitnc, effcCtinr coal far dom" 81 IT,
| use They nrn however subject ia mod
! jTicattou from tlmo 20 time as conditions
may warrant and il - quito likely tina;
those prices will be Increased suhstamti-
! ally during the winter months. |; is ,lp,.
! object OF tho committee 10 max" tho
! price attractive 20 consumers during the
| summer months. and thereby. Undue"
| and encourage users 20 lay IN their "u-
| tire winter supply wherever practicable.
during The summer months when cos %
delivery is lowest thereby relieving con-
gcsiinn during tho winter months. OPP
orators, dealers and consumers. alike.
may fccl free 20 file with tho local com
mite for proper fransmittal Ia III" state
fuel administrator. any requests thar
may have for modification OF tn" local
committees order.
Tho consuming public should ais"
also hear In mind that hereafter an
operator. dealer or pcdd!"r will II" per-
mi:ted. under any circumstances. Ia sell
or deliver coal "a q domestic consumer.
until such consumer has first signed tn
fuel administrators Application card
and answering the Questions appearing
thereon. This card Is placed in tn"
hands OF operators and dealers aud may
be signed either at their place "f luSi-