The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-08-27
SOUND COAL
MONOPOLY
ATTEMPTED
Intended Big Grab Here
frustrated. Say City
Dealers

Alleged attempts OF the Pacific
Coast Coal company 20 monopolize
the retail coal trade In Sound cities
have fallen thru. according 10 indie.
pendent coal dealers here Saturday.
The Pacific coast company denies
any effort was made 90 tic up re
taiiers In Suttlc and Tacoma TO ex
elusive agreements that would bind
them 10 buy and sell coal produced
BY the Pacific coast company.
Reports here. however. are that an
attempt had been made TO line up
dozens OF the smaller retail dealers,
but thar the agreements fell fiat
because the larger concern couldn't
deliver the needed coal. Some OF the
small dealers refused 20 sign provi.
sions OF the agreement which they
thought were too restrictive.
FIFTEEN DEALERS
JOIN IN RING
More than IS large retailers have
been signed up ~ date to handle the
Pacific Coast Coal company's prod
uct exclusively.
One OF the independent dealers. f.
A. Leonard. with offices in the New
York block. charged that the big Sc.
attic concern was trying to mislcad
the public rs to the price OF coal
this winter.
when they say tina, the price OF
coal is going To be reduced from
$3.50 TO s. a ton. they are dciiber.
ateiy attempting 70 fool the public. :"
he asserted. Coal Is not going 10 be
reduced II win go up. There Is
going to be bad scarcity OF coal
this winter
Leonard said that the Pacific
Coast company would jump up its
price so soon as the cold spell broke
in Seattle. He declared that reports
from all parts OF the country lndi.
Gated that there would not be SUI.
ficient coal TO 10 around.
FEW WHOLESALERS
SAID TO CONTROL
Washington does not produce
onehaif the commercial coal that she
uses" he pointed out. I'VE have %
import coal from British Columbia.
Utah and even from Australia"
Leonard charged that the coal sup
ply in Seattle was practically con-
troiled by a few large Wholesalers
He ridiculed the idea that the Pa
cific Coast company's mines would
be producing IN large quantities
within the next month.
The Pacific Coast company II one
Of several fuel dealers having bunk.
ers and tracks The principal bust
ness b Wholesale. The main office
Il In Seattle. Taeoma's district
branch cares for wholesale trade In
the southern half Of the state.
The company owns eight mines In
the state and M well q briqucting
plant At Briauetviiic. seven miles
from Renton. on the shores OF Lake
Warrington II Is engaged In 70
opsninR mines shut down by reason
Of the coal minerx strike.
SITUATION UNCERTAIN
As TO SUPPLY
Al Issaquah a practically full crew
has been obtained Coal shipments
In appreciabic quantities are expect
ed In q week or 10 days. Men are
NANlHk kAE0ilAA AA4ty w Mt&%kt
places in the mines. II II reported.
Independent fuel dealers here say
they have coal now. but that they
don't know how long they win con-
tinue 10 lie able 10 get IT,
Canadian coal Is coming In regu-
larry from British Columbia Utah
coal sold here Is higher than the
local prices on account Of the freight
rates. In San Francisco and Port.
land coal Ia being imported from
China and Australia.
EFFORTS BENT
ON PRODUCTION
This Is the first year I have been
able to advice my customers on their
coal needs" said one dealer. Il don't
really know what will happen.
whether the price win go up or
1Dwn. There may besa shortage this
an. The East and Middle West Is
preparing for a shortage"
All the resources of the powerful
Pacific Coast Coal company are be.
ing bent 70 open its mines in West
ern Washington. The resources OF
the corporation are said TO be ex
tensive. its operations reaching from
Nome. Alaska. TO the Mexican border.
II has working agreements with
dealers in the smaller cities OF the
state. thru which II markets exciu.
siveiy its product
Despite IT'S strength. independent
coal dealers here say any efforts
lining up retailers to use Pacific
Coast Coal company's product ex
clusiveiy have failed and will con.