Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-10-29
FUEL BODY TO
QUIZ ALLEGED
COAL COMBINE
Said to Exist Between Some
Operators and Deal
erS.

Action by the coal commission to crush
an alleged combine between certain coal
operators and coal dealers viii be taken
shortly II the practices reported TO the
State body are not abolished, 1t became
known today.
Reports have been received by the spe-
eisI coal and food commission from re-
liable sources, it is said, that some coal
operators have refused to sell coal to
retailers unless they are members OF a
certain retailers organization.
Some reports state the retailers who
did get coal were members Of an asso-
citation.
The alleged discriminatory action Of
the operators will be subject Of an oTder
Of the commission within week, fur
ther evidence Of such a practice Is found
by the coal commissions investigators.
MAY LIMIT SALES
TO SOME RETAILERS.
The order would include the statement
that operators would have to sell their
coal in limited amounts to certain re-
tsiiers who would be designated as tho
individual operators clients IN the coal
market
Numerous complaints by jobbers or
wholesalers have been received In the
office of the special coal and fuel conf
mission from vsrioug sources which they
say that the jobbers cannot operate upon
marginal proht OF u cents a ton.
Many opers tors, now working under
the orders OF the commission, have re-
fused to sell coal to tho 1obbers, thereby
eliminating them from the sales pro-
cedure Of the coal distribution, and by
taking the 10 cents a ton profit allowed
the whoiealeTH for themselves, IN cases
where they sell coal direct to the re
taller.
The action of the operators in elimi-
mating the ''ntddle-man," even though
the operators take the 10 cents profit,
cuts down the cost Of coal per ton,
through the direct movement OF the
coal to the retailer, who does not have
to tack on" an additional hauling
charge, or meet an additional expense
coucurred In q demurrage rate OF the
wholesaler.
Many wholesalers are operating upon
contracts and those IN the business be-
Ing taken acre of are large enough TO
operate upon a 15-cene margin. while IL
is the little fellows who are elimi-
mated
FAVOR MUNICIPAL
COAL MARKETS.
Inc eHtdDlls1He0b OF muulc1p8l mar
kets in seven Indiana towns appears to
be the only manner OF relieving the coal
situation in cities where fourteen re-
tailers have failed 70 withdraw their
suits against the special coal and food
commission, members Of the commission
believe.
The establishment of municipal mar
kets by the coal commission VIII not be
in towns and cities where retailers are
cooperating with the commission. but the
commission viii endeavor to aid the re-
tailers in the distribution Of coal to such
an extent that retailers who have filed
quits and who say they cannot operate
at the commissions price will not be
needed.
The seven towns from which fourteen
retailers have failed to withdraw the re-
naming suits against the commission
and the retailers are Roanoke, N. D. Il.
Richards and A. wasmuth 81 sone
Huntington, Huntington Lumber Com
pany, Citizens Ice and Coal Company,
c. Il. Bash and the Wasmuth Grain and
Coal Company; Goshen, Citizens Coal
Company, Independent Coal Company
and c. J. Castetter; Warsaw, Il. e. Bunt-
ing Coal Company; Valparaiso, McFetich
Lumber and Coal Company Crawfords
vile, Shaw s. Shaw. and James Binford
& Sons; Ben Davis. T. o. Bush & Son.
COAL NINE OWNERS
PLAN COURT BATTLE.
Coal mine owners are drawing their
lines for q Supreme Court battle against
tie Indiana le% providing for State reg
ulation Of pScS ana distribution Of coal,
it has been learned.
The law will be fought on the grounds
that 1t is discriminatory and otherwise
Is in violation Of the Constitution Of the
United States
1t is held to be discriminatory by per-
mitting the sale of foreign coal in In
diana at higher prices than is allowed
for Indiana-mined coal under the recent
price-fxing order of the State Special
Coal and Food Commission.
In their legal fight, the Indiana opera
tors. 1t is understood, will have support
Of the National Coal Association.
The mine owners In their search for
legal talent are understood to be trying
to obtain Blihu Root to represent them.
Charles Evans Hughes was understood
to have been asked to take the case, but