Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-20
MUNICIPAL COAL
YARDS MAY COME
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mitted and shown before the commits
sion in their hearings
A number of former retail coal deal
ers. according to Mr.. Eschbach, have Of
, fered to assist the commission in the
operation of municipal markets
The Issuance Of new orders was not
considered in the conference this morn
ing, as municipal markets have prece-
dence over other questions for the good
of the public.
Charging that there are too many retail
coal dealers in Indiana and that their
business is conducted insuficiently and IN
an extravagant manner, Mr.. Esch-
bach has sent letter to the L. E. Bunt-
ing Company of Warsaw in reply to an
offer Of their yards and working force TO
the commission for a municipal market
upon conditional terms.
The conditions of the offer included the
operation of the business by the commits
sion as now conducted by the Bunting
Coal Company upon the margin Of S2-25
ordered by the commission.
Mr. Eschbach's letter says:
Your letter Of Oct 10 has been re-
ferred TO me. There is one very excel
lent reason why the special coal and food
commission could not accept your offer
with the conditions attached.
You make it one Of the conditions Of
your offer that we shall conduct the bust
ness in what we feel is the same I'M
economical and unbusinesslike method 1t
has been conducted as evidenced by cost
sheets which you produced for the com
mission.
''Our expert accountant, Mr.. O'Neal.
one of the best commercial accountants
in the State, after the second examins-
ton Of your books, submitted to the COM
mission his report in which he places
your handling cost at S1.4S9.
.'The commission is convinced, after al
most a week Of hearings devoted largely
to the retail coal merchants, OF several
matters
so PER CENT TOO
MANY YARDS.
4. That there are at least 50 per cent
too many retail coal dealers in Indiana
"2. That approximately so per cent of
the retail coal business Is conducted in
an inefficient and uneconomieal manner.
''3. That the so-caIled handling charges
among different dealers in the same city.
under practically the same conditions,
vary as much as $3.50 per ton, all Of
which the consumer must bear.
-. Coal in most of the cities of Indiana
profit for the most inefficient and poorly
managed business.
20. That an association in many of
the cities employs accountants. who ex-
amino the books of all retaiIers, and from
the results of sUch examinations establish
price which represents to such an asso-
citation an average sales charge. which
average sales charge is communicated to
each member of the association.
&c. One retailer testified that he must
keep his price high in order to compete
with the other retail coal dealers levi
IDENTIFY meaning, so he would not compete
with theml, (this dealer was making a
net profit of S1.21 per ton on each ton of
Ncoal Sold.
The above are only a few Of the con-
illusions to which any fair business man
must arrive after a study of this evil
Gence
The commission does not wish any
retail coal dealer in Indiana who con-
Ducts his business in an economical and
efficient manner to sell coal without a
fair and reasonable return Oh his invest
nent.
I'VE suggest that you make your offer
Of your coal yards to the mayor and
common council of the city of Warsaw.
sinee our letter of Oct. 16 was addressed
TO said officials, and unless especially
called upon by the municipal authori-
ties, the details of the local arrange
ment will be left to the officials of such
municipalities as wish to cooperate in
this matter.