The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1918-07-05

Editor Star: We hav. been hear
Ing 80 much lately thru tho columns
Of the press and otherwise. with ref
~rencs 90 tn. coal situation Ia the
Northwest. and particularly In Seat
tie. and the public ia being urged 20
strongly Ia stock up with coal riEht
now. thought perhaps YOU might
give the public some real. homes,
facts az 20 IN. conditions as they
exist
am sure I am no; the only citi-
rem ~ Seattle who would IKE 10
know.
First: Aside from the fact tina,
there seems 20 be plenty OF steady
work These days for anyone who
really wants ~. In Just what are tho
conditions In Seattle different rich,
now than they have been every sum
mer for years pastf
second Why should we be com
PEELED To pay tn. present prices
asked for local Goals. and especially
for tho Ignite coaisF
Third why. II the mines are suf
fering for summer orders, do they
not supply the retail dealers with
all the coal they want. In order that
those who are willing TO stock up
right now can get their coal with
out delsyf
Fourth: Why. II III. coal opcrat.
ors are 80 anxious to keep the mines
running. and hold the miners for
the winter runh. are ws mot given a
lower price during the summer. TO
induce the storage Of coal. the same
aa We have been given during pas,
years.
II haH been the custom In the pas,
10 make a lower price during the
summer months TO induce people u
IAy in their winter supply. but this
year they actually advanced the
prices from 2Sc 10 81 per ton at the
beginning Of the summer.
II is only fair TO say that the re
tail dealers are not responsible In
any way for the present conditions.
and | am sure they arc making no
more profit than they did In former
years.
II you think differently. Just talk
with them. and II you want coal
right now. just place your order for
five or ten tons. and sec what Kind
Of spiel they put UP. and SEQ how
long II takes them TO fiil your order
While We are being pounded on
the back 20 stock up. and told that
IL we can't get the kind we want. Ia
take what we can get the dealers
are not getting the coal from the
mines.
one responsible dealer told me hs
has had a standing order with one
OF the mines for two cars Of Ignite
per week. for the past 10 weeks
but can hardly get any at all. and
has not had a pound Of said coal for
over tso weeksk. The excuse OF
fered by the operator In that there
are no cars. or that the men are
LAYING off, or some other kind OF
hunk.
Is the supply of coal right nov
being held back purposely In order
that the prices and the position
taken on the coal situation may
seem TO be warranted. | have seri
ously questioned. In my own mind
whether IL Ia really the government
which IL handling this coal cam
paign, or whether II II being dictated
and handled by the coal operators
association, as II could hardly bs
more favorable TO them under any
circumstances.
we hear that fuel oil Is being
abandoned and that Industrial plants
are going back to coal: also that the
government Is clamoring for these
Northwestern Goals. Is this entirely
true. or In IL camouflagef
We know that n good many OF tho
hotels and apartment houses have
gone back TO coal. but understand
that few OF the Industrial plants
have AS yet made any change. and
are stlll burning oil. and az for tho
government using these Goals. II
would seem that the quality Of these
Goals must have greatly improved
or the governments necessity be
come very great, II II Is now using
them To any extent.
We recall that 10 years ago there
was practically no fuel oil used in
this state. and at that time the
mines OF Washington could supply
the entire demand. take care OF such
business as might be offered from
tho outside. and still clamor for
more orders.
We now have In operation every
mine which was a factor In the coal
trade at that time, besides a number