Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1920-11-11
VOICE Of
THE PEOPLE
Teasdale on Coal Situation.

To the Editor of The Capital Times:
| write you-to say that | admire
your nerve and fighting qualities,
and notice that you continually bring
forth coal at 81 or $3.50 a ton at the
mines and that the excessive freight
rate under the Esch bill, robs the
consumer, and people may we'll take
the conclusion that that is all there
is to it. Now | have an instance in
mind of car of soft coal from Ben
jamin Co. of Milwaukee, that did
not cost over 81 at mines, and the
freight to Sparta then was $273
and Of course, less to Milwaukee,
but it was sold at $11 plus the
freight of 1928 to Milwaukee from
here, or S13.23. 1t cost on the track
here, when the freight and coal cost
was not over s6.75 and the Milwau-
kee jobber got the difference of
about $3.50, or about 1852 per cent
profit on the cost of the coal, and
then when it comes to settlement on
the reconsigned car from Milwaukee
that he never touched at Milwaukee,
the consignee is required to pay, not
the proportionate freight charges
from Milwaukee, as compared with
the total from the mines, but the
straight Milwaukee freight rate, so
that the Milwaukee dealer had to
pay from mine to Milwaukee, only
few cents after taking out the To-
cal rate, from the through rate, and
thus, getting the big end again.
can't see why the howlers for
lowering prices, don't get after the
coal jobbers, and if it was any
thing but wind and to catch votes,
the state and national authorities
would use some of the laws we now
have, to stop these deals, and the
proof is not hard to get, if the
| backbone is there to use it. I was
reliably informed the other day and
it is capable of proof, if the attor-
ney generals office wants it, that a
man was getting large insurance
risks on coal from Milwaukee, Su-
perior and other points, SO he went
( to investigate Dock of Milwaukee
He was informed by the manage
ment that they had lots of coal, but
could not dispose of it, because they
could not get cars, there was a great
shortage of cars. Not high freights
So this man went to the railroad
where he was acquainted, and ask
ed them if he could not get cars
Why there was this shortage? The
railroad man told him they haC
plenty. of cars, that they would fur
nish him all the cars he wanted any
time or place.
So back he goes to the coal mar
and wanted to get several cars OF
coal, and was informed that they
would be glad to sell him the GOA
but that cars could not be had te
ship it. So he assured the dealer
that he could get all the cars he
wanted and was requested to desig.
nate the day, hour and place to spot
them for loading, and then the deal
err calmly replied that the COAL
WAS ALL SOLD, SO he could not
get any.
A falsehood most likely like the
other. Simply boarding for higher
prices, under the cold weather of
winter.
An investigation by our state and
nation of these things will do moreto
lower prices, than all the preach
ing. We need action, on the part
of those in power at Madison and
Washington.
In the first place the coal was Of
fered to me, without any profit by
the local dealer, as he did not want
to use that car on the other COM
pany tracks. Why don't you show
up some of the wholesalers profits,
rs can easily be done with coal?
Our farmers here are now charg-
ing Sc and 81 for Is inch stove
wood, so they are demanding on the
basis of $18 to $21 for cord of
wood
Verify, the spirit is in the air.
Better read that article in June