The Alaska daily empire., 1920-10-25
new YORK FACING
SIS A TON COAL
Price Forced Up by Foreign
Buying and Prohteering
Officials Charge.

"
warning to Mayor Hylan by Commiss
Toner OF Public Markets OMslley
that $25 a ton coal is more than a
possibility this winter, Pubic Ser
vice Commissioner Nixon has began
IN Investigation of public utility cen.
Germs. some of which, he charged
with obtaining coal on Federal per.
nits and then selling to jobhers.
OMalley reported to the Mayor
hat the Swedish and Canadian buy
ers were outbiddng Americans in
he anthracite fields ANA recommends
ion that the Mayor appeal TO the
Federal Government for an imme1i-
lte embargo on anthracite shipments
o Canada and abroad He urged
also that New York be made Il pref
2rential point for shipments for i'm
mediate consumption.
Premiums Paid
Swedish and Canadian concerns
are paying premium for American
2oal," Commissioner O'Malley said.
They are taking all they can set
IT $12 a ton while the highest ali-
horned price of legitimate compan-
es for American consumers is $50.
The mines have developed a system
If never having any coal at $50
)ut quote all the higher prices you
want to listen to-"
Four million tons went to Canada
asst summer Commissioner o Mailey
exported, and a month ago, while
New York householders pleaded fer
domestic supply. 55,G27 tons were
ihipped TO Canada and the New
York market was considerably under
shipped"
"They are forcing us into cold
weather when we will cry for pre-
mum fuel even at $25 ton" he
added.
Snowbird' Brokers
Commissioner Nixon in his invest-
;ation sought to learn whether public
}ervice companies had been obtaining
.oal through Federal permits and
hen disposing Of it to jobbers. This
,aused somewhat Of surprise as il
had been announced that the hearing
vas, for the purpose of determining
low much coal was being held by
he various companies and also to
'orinulate steps for an adequate sup
by for the winter,
Some local consumers told the
Mayor they have been charged S19
.luton, while the large dealers ad-
nitted surreptitious offers of coal
It $14 had been received from "snow-
bird" brokers.
Further light on the Situation and
low the Juggling of fuel has retard-
ID industry and caused Inconvenience
long the Atlantic seaboard Is pointed
nut in the report Of United States
Senator Calders committee on re
construction and production. The
primary purpose Of the committee
vas to ascertain why building mater
ais were not available for construo-
ion. But the committee inquired
nto the coal situation, says the re
1ort, when it found that the Inter
;tate Commerce Commission had is
sued orders that all flat and open
op cars be withheld from shippers
If building materials and used ex-
clusively for coal shipments.
Spot Price Forced
The cars, it is declared, fell mo
he hands of spectators. who routed
them to whatever destination prem
;sed the greatest profits. It is al
leged that by this mdneuver, con
tracts were evaded and the fuel III
transit became what is known as
spot coal" The committee foun
that when coal at tidal and interior
points should have been around 81
4 ton, the manipulat tors forced tha
spot price to from so to- $23 toe
1.-THE committees investigation has
not been completed" said Senator
Calder, "and cannot he dropped al
this point. It IS essential that ,h1
constituent elements Of the situation
and conspiracy be brought into tGe
spotlight and that it be ascertain 4
whether the profteers who effected
this hold up were in any way con
nected with those in control OF tbs
mines and railroads, or with the pa
litical organizations who had power
of direction and control of BOTH
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