Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-07
COAL SUPPLIES
NOT AVAILABLE
AT NEW PRICES
Commissions Action Puts
Stop to Movement of
Fuel.
COURT BATTLE IS SEEN

Not a pound Of Indiana coal was for
sale in Indianapolis today at margins Of
profit fixed by the Special Coal and Food
Commission, SO far as could be deter
mined.
Coal operators, in statements, took the
attitude that the orders of the commits
sion do not apply to contrsct coal.
This also is apparently the attitude OK
retailers who are refusing to abide by
the commissions orders.
They contend that the order also does
not apply to coal mined outside or the
State and shipped into the State.
An authority on coal production said
that 95 per cent of the coal produced
In Indiana is contract coal and lot sub
ject to the price fixed by the commission
II Is pointed out that, consequently,
under the act Of the Legislature In spe-
cial session, the commissions rulings
are confined to a very small percentage
Of the coal produced.
OPERATORS ATTITUDE
IN EDITORIAL.
Operators cited an editorial by &. c.
Adams In the last issue Of tae American
Coal Miner as expressive Of their atti-
tude.
The editorial brands the attempts Of
the Goodrich administration to hx coal
prices as "Bunko Control" and states
that the whole scheme is a colossal
'bunko game and predicts that "the at
tempt to penaiize the coal operators OF
the state to boost the political aspira-
tions Of Governor Goodrich, or TO swell
his returns on investments in public
utilities, viii fail and the coal consum-
ers who have held of buying will pay
the market price for coal, as the people
in other States are doing"
The editorial reads:
THE Indiana coal industry is about
to be penalized for the high prices for
spot coal which have prevailed for the
past four months.
The State coal commission, created
by a special session of the State legis-
lature, at the behest Of Governor Good
rich, who Is interested In coal proper
ties, but whose other interests in public
utilities outweigh his coal holdings, will
name coal prices and margins within the
next few days.
THE operators failed in an attempt
in the Federal Court to enjoin the COM
mission from exercising the control pro-
vided In the bill creating it.
Contract coal is not subject to the
prices to be fixed by the commission.
Interstate shipments are also exempted.
The most profitable markets for In
diana coal are located IN Illinois and
Michigan. Taking into account the rail-
road contracts and the Illinois and Micht-
gan business. the bulk of Indiana coal Is
contracted up, and even the tonnage sold
in the State, excepting domestic, Is prac-
tically all contracted.
1T will of course. be necessary for the
Governors commission to deliver coal to
whoever wants it at prices fixed by the
commission, II the political plan of coal
control is to succeed. This the commis-
- 49, ~.-a wr7TN EHnza
contracts In other States upon which they
are dependent for business in normal
times.
Consumers now holding off buying
awaiting the reduced prices to be hxed
by the commission win be clamoring for
coal at the price named. Unable to~Tde-
liver, the commission will attempt TO
conflscate coal mined in the State for
State consumers and then the operators
will go into court, make the necessary
showing and no doubt will be sustained
In their right to fill their contracts and
supply the usual markets that they have
served.
ators of the State to boost the political
aspirations of Governor Goodrich or to
swell his returns on investments in pub
lie utilities will fail, and the coal con-
sumers who have held on buying VIII
nav the market price for coal, as ths
people In other States are doing.
'The whole scheme is colossal bunko
game. born In the mlnQ OF ScnelnlnE
1oIitician, who has made a miserable
failure as chief executive OF the State in
every particular.
The attitude of retailers. Jobbers and
operators was voiced In no uncertain
terms by representatives of the thres
classes of dealers who complained to
Jesse e. Eschbach, head Of the commits
sion.
The Bunting Coal Company Of Warsaw,
of which L E. Bunting is president, nled
the first formal complaint.
The company will receive hearing sc
its request at 10 o'clock Monday morning.
when 1t will present its operating cost
sheets and data which President Bunting
declares will show that his company can
not operate at a marginal profit Of $2-25
a ton, as fixed by the commission.
He claims his company can no. operate
at less than S2.45 a ton and suryi e.
Chairman Eschbach said other deal
ers. retailers, wholesalers, operators. or
others who can show the commission
they can not operate under the orders
issued that the companies affected win
be re-classified and a fair effort will be
made to give them consideration.
Inquiries at the coal yards showed that
onl va very few have any Indiana coal
for sale and that these are asking $1o.50
TO Slips a ton.
This condition exists despite the fact
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