South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-10-15
SUE TO TEST
VALIDITY OF
COAL ORDERS
Dealers Seeking Relief From
Commission Ruling Must
Go to Courts.

INDIANAPOLIS, oct. 14.-Suit 10
test the order Of the special coal ana
fuel commission fixing The margin
Of gross profit allowed coal retailers
IN Indiana loOmed as a / probability
THURSDAY at the close OF the after
noon session of the hearings granted
retailers who claim they cannot d.
business on the $2.25 margin fixed.
Suit attacking any order Of the
commission must be filed I'm the
Marion county circuit court within
ten days after the signing Of any
order of the commission, according
TO the law authorizing price fixing
The order fixing the margin of profit
was signed October 6, making Sat
urday the last day for Hling a suit
The commission Thursday night still
had the applications Of six Indian
apolis retailers 10 hear with the pos
sibility OF more being hled before
the hearing opens at 10 O'Clock to-
morrow morning. 1t is regarded as
certain that the commission Will be
unable 10 render a decision before
the time limit expires.
Fort Wayne Dealers
Fort Wayne dealers took up most
OF the time at the hearing Thurs
day. Anderson, Elkhart and Hunting
ton dealers also were heard.
The Fort Wayne dealers maintain
a bureau in a downtown Office build
ing where the average cost of han
ding coal by all dealers in the city
IS kept Cor inspection by members
Of the organization il developed at
Thursdays hearing. Individual av-
erages are not kept in this office,
however.
Existence of the bureau was testi-
fled 10 by a. w Beber, a public ac-
countant, who installed the account
ing systems for most OF the Fort
Wayne dealers and appeared for
them. He produced figures TO show
the cost OF handling coal for all OF
the firms he represents. In the case
of the Walton Avenue Coal company
it DEVELOPED that the firm had an
expense of $2.6S a ton for handling
coal and TO this had been added a
profit Of $1.21 a ton.
Average Expense
The NeiZer Coal company, he testi-
fed had an average expense of IS
ton for the period from Jan. l 10
oct. /; the Olds Coal company S3.23
d ton; the Capitol Coal company
1852: the Pioneer Coal company S3;
Anthony Coal company S3.74; +. w.
Rolf Coal company, for the period
April 1 10 October I, $2.39 and the
Auth Coal company, for which J. J.
NoriS appeared reported an expense
OF $3.49 a ton. The commission's
order, Chairman Eschbach pointed
out, is based on curb delivery.
Mr.. Beber at the afternoon session
was asked 10 explain how coal was
delivered TO the cellar or bins He
said that some was wheeled 10 a
cellar window, shoveled in and then
shoveled 20 the proper place in the
, basement. Some was carried in sacks
or baskets into cellars or up as many
as 1--WE flights Of stairs.
Bidding Has Eject
Testimony OF Fort Wayne men al
the hearing also was that bidding by
Detroit for Fort Wayne labor had
an appreciable effect on the cost of
handling coal.
Phllhp + Bash, appearing for the
I. r.. BaSn company, Of Huntington.
testified that his firm lost money on
their coal business last year.
f. NJ Pickering appeared for
Pickering and Son, OF Andersen. and
testihed that the expense per ton
Tor his firm was approximately 81
a ton from Jan. TO Aug. 81. He
blamed railroads and automobile
manufacturers for high wages. The
expense OF the Sherman n-Harlau
comLany. Of Anderson was 1886 q
ton from Jan. TO oct. I, il was testi-
fed.