Evening journal., 1920-12-28
Lower Price
FOR COAL If
SUPPLY COMES

ANaNHNlilNin llWlN IiAoA 4 A~'sf
dealers some weeks ago and the APP
pointment OF Robert d. Kemp as city
fuel distributor.
Realizing the serious shortage OF
coal and the exhorbitant prices de-
manded for il at the mines. the deal
ers got together and decided to find
out, as nearly as possible, the supply
needed 10 carry the people OF the city
through the winter. To accomplish
this 10 was necessary for us TO com
pare lists Of customers, and TO have
Mr.. Kemp open an Office and receive
orders"
After checking up their lists, Mr..
Pussy said, the dealers found They
had between 6,5OO and 6GOO individ-
ual orders for coal on hand. But
when comparison Of The names OF
those ordering coal was made, 10 was
found that some 500 persons had or
dercd coal from two or three different
dealers, IN the hope OF getting a sup
ply from one dealer and cancelling
The orders with the other dealers.
At that time, Mr. Pussy added,
prices for coal In Wilmington were
less than those quoted in Baltimore,
Chester and some other nearby
towns. Having obtained The informa-
ton concerning demand, the dealers,
Mr.. Pussy said, sought for supplies.
They found they could get coal at
fancy prices In plenty, but very little
at reasonable rates.
"Since them said Mr.. Pussy the
life OF a coal dealer has been far
from happy. We have been daily be-
sieged with appeals for coal. Where
we have been able 90 get a supply we
have tried TO parcel 1t out among
homes Wncre IL Is most needed.
what the public overlooks is that
our own office and yard overhead eX-
penses 90 on just the same all the
time. We are actually working about
! three DAYS In a week and our expenses
run the full seven. II may be read
lily seen we dealers would welcome a
! fun supply TO keep our teams going
and pay our overhead"
How about those advertisements
| In Philadelphia newspapers, calling
! for coal ordCrs2" was asked
THAT is another case Of misinfor
nation" said Mr.. Pussy. 81 think |
| have read all those ads which have
| been printed and have yet TO see one
/ which promised that coal would actu-
ally be delivered. It's one thing to
tain an order, and IT'S another vastly
/ OliIercnt lnluS 10 M IL. nave luNeS-
tlgated the Philadelphia situation and
II anything the dealers there are more
in the dark concerning coal snip
| ments than we In Wilmington. II
/ should not be forgotten also that ths
1 freight charge on coal from the mines
10 Wilmington is 10 cents ton higher
than TO Philadelphia.
Here Mr.. pusey said he would be
willing TO show anyone his cost sheets
for coal and let them figure for thf M
selves what prices should be in VII
mington.
A meeting OF anthracite operator,
! and miners is being held at Hazleton
; Pa, this afternoon, TO discuss TAI
! vase demands made by the miners
) While there have been some fear
) the miners may order another va
cation" to force higher prices b
! operators. u is believed a settlement
I, will be reached.
" Meanwhile the weather man IS Jus
l about the best friend the consume
has. With the dealers bins in IN
city mostly empty and little cos
! coming in, a severe snOwstorm O
I cold snap would undoubtedly caus
, much suffering,