Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-04-06
RICHMOND FACES
COAL SHORTAGE
Pending Settlement Operators
and Miners Differences, Con-
tracts Go Unsigned.
ClTY'S BINS NEARLY EMPTY
Coal Merchants Unanimous
That Material Increase in
Price Is Inevitable.
CITY'S BINS NEARLY EMPTY

40; single coal dealer in Rich
hond has been offered a contract for
an ounce OF coal by mine operators
ihus far this year. according to i,
statement made las, night by Luke u
brury. treasurer or stcpncn 4. Eli
son q co. Although. without fail. for
many years past All contracts for the
year have been signed by March |
and become effective on April /. not n
dealer here has any coal contracted
Tor tho coming year.
Commenting on the situation last
night. several OF the largest coal
merchants in the city stated that
'ney were very short OF coal at the
present time. and that not n single
carload of coal for consumption in
Richmond has come into the CITY for
several days.
lhcrc Is less coal In Richmond at
the present time than there has been
At any date in the past thirty years.
Mr.. Drury stated last night" and the
merchants here will be unable 10 get
their annual contracts signed be-
Tore the operators and miners have
reached an agreement"
Limit Coal Purchnses.
Notices nave also been served on
the coal dealers here that contracts
this year will not be made as form
erly. but that the amount OF Goa,
which each individual dealer will be
allowed will be based on the amount
OF his total sales TOR last year. Ex-
planning this. Mr. Drary Sa Id that ir
one doaler contracted last year for
10000 tons OF coal and received and
sold only 10000 tons, he would be
allowed 10 contract for only 10000
tons this year.
Coal AT the present time costs $3.50
ton here. This price. according TO
Mr. Drury. is for the run-of-mine
coal. the prepared grades being priced
about S3 more per ton.
only enough coal has been dis
pensed by the coal concerns here
within tho past six months to sup
ply the absolute needs of customers
and TO keep concerns with which con-
tracts have been made from bringing
suit against them. Practically all OF
the retail coal men here expressed the
belief last night that prices will go
even higher than at present. The
present increase on run of-n.ine coal.
as far as the Richmond concerns have
been able to learn. is $3.50 a ton.
Holds Increase Justified
III. 5. Halves, of S. II. Hawcs & Co.
expressed II as his opinion last night
that the increase in coal prices is
justihable, because of the large in
crease which the operators mus, pay
in the price OF production. This was
made up, he said. of the increased
wage demanded by labor.
II is Just the endless chain" MIR.
Hawcs said: ia Dor must have more
money for it's work, the operators fad
themselves put 10 an increased en-
pense TO produce their product, and
the! pass IL along TO the retailer.
who. n turn. is compelled 20 hand
il bac kto labor and the general
public.
NJ Haw"s also express the b.
lief that the railroad companies will
demand a new rate of tariff within "A
few months, probably in September.
ne believed. Conditions arc such. lie
said. that in his opinion il is impos-
sihle for the carriers 10 do other
wise.
Future of Industry Doubtful.
p. p. Walkc also declared that in
his opinion the future OF the retail
coal industry here is in doubt. He
also said that there was hardly any
coal in his establishment and that,
although he expected to get the con
tracts for the year from tho opcrat-
ors within few days. he had so
far made no arrangements for his
coal supply.
nrr 6F No
Long Coal Company. Inc. declared
that he had received no notice of the
increase in the price OF coal. which
has been announced. and that his
company has received no contracts
for the coming year.
Luke Drury. who was secre-
tary of the Coal Dealers Nssocia ton
before it became defunct. stated that
the Richmond coal dealers arc de-
manding graded coal rate. based
on the seasons.
At the present t:me. he said. the
rate on anthracite coal is *2.fI from
the mines to Richmond. Under the