New-York tribune., 1920-11-20
Another Drop
In Emergency
Coal Expected
Thirty-fivo Cargocs Of An.
thracise, Approximating
1900 Tons. Allotted TO
Distributing Stations Hero
Price War May Develop
Closing of Great Lakes to
Release 2,5OO,OOO Tons
More Of Fuel To-day

A further reduction in the price OF
emergency anthracite coal now being
expedited to this city for the needy
small consumer was forecast yesterday.
Thirty-fve cargoes, approximating IT.
900 tons. were allotted to various dis
tributing stations throughout the city.
The reduction in price Of FIVE cents a
hundredweight, which was made Thurs
day, means saving to consumers OF
$4,000 on 4. days allotment.
The other developments in the coal
situation w.re:
A big reduction in the price Of gen.
eral anthracite domestic coal is ex-
pected early next week. with the poss-
bility of q rate war due to friction
caused by the publicity given to certain
oal transactions Two grand juries
took hand in investigating charges of
coal profteering
The closing Of navigation on tho
Great Lakes, which is scheduled for
to-day. is expected to release 2,500,0Oo
additional tons of domestic coal to
northeastern cities.
The Anthracite Bureau of lnforma-.
son. official publicity organization OF
the Anthracite Operators Association
N Philadelphia, has sent out the fol-
lowing statement:
"The responsible operators and dis
tributors who supply 80 per cent Of
the total tonnage OF anthracite have
deprecated and do deprecate the action
If unscrupulous parties who have TAX
en- advantage Of the present situation
To exact excessive and unwarranted
prices Their action has paved the
way for placing on the consumer ex-
cessive prices for coal that left the
mine at reasonable and established
prices"
In connection with the closing Of
Lake navigation local coal authority
made the following statement; BE
cause of the cessation OF Lake ship
ments during the coming six months,
if the 192O-'21 production is approxi-
duction, there will be available for dis
tribution in the non-Lake territory
north of the Potomac and east Of a
line drawn through Pittsburgh aid
Buffalo, approxim ately 100000 tors"
The complete records, books, accounts
and invoices of Burns Brothers from
June l on were impounded by the
Federal grand jury yesterday. Michael
Z. Burns, president of the company,
was before that body for one and q
half hours. He was released at the
Cdll VI tuc Jul VIZ nave w IL
spond to any questions necessary as a
result of the examination of the ac-
counts. The books are being examined
by Armjn w. Riley head of the De-
partment of Justice flying squadron.
The retail prices Of the firm show the
highest price charged was $1375 a
ton delivered at the sidewalk.
The Brooklyn grand jury took q hand
in the invest cation that has been con-
Quoted by District Attorney Lewis. H.
E. Holtse, secretary of the Seller Coal
Company, of 80 West Street, appeared
before that body. G. A. Mclaughlin,
MS counsel, who appeared with him,
Informed Mr.. Lewis that Gustave Seller,
president of the company, had been
compelled to leave for Maine. Nc
Laughlin promised to produce an officer
of the firm Monday who could give in
formation concerning its transactions.
There was no coal on Staten Island
yesterday. Coke was selling at $40 a
ton. Commissioner of Markets Edwin
J. O'Malley has written to President
Wilson urging that an embargo be
placed on the expectation of anthracite
coal. He also agreed to cooperate with
District Attorney Lewis in Brooklyn in
using the city ice stations as dis
tributing centers for the emergency
coal