The Washington herald., 1921-01-18
Zimmerman Says Dealers
In District Not
PrOfteers.
U. S. EXPERT CITES
S5.72 MINE COST
DR.. Walker Says S09o of
Output Is in Hands
OF Few.

Coal dealers Of Washington are
not to blame for the high prices
here, J. r. Zimmerman. secretary Of
the Coal Merchants Board OF Trade.
informed the Senate Reconstruction
Committee yesterday in Hs initn
hearings on the situation -.
zlmmerulan said -asre Is Tie . lsu-
est rivalry arno1g-Io-al dsais-s aud
nothing aggressive Of a sombinar
tion or Irlce agreenchL EEe-cosl, N
he said, ranges In price Tor sidewalk
delivery from $3.50 per long ton
TO $3.50; stove. from SI4sO 20
$3.50; nut, from SI47O to $3.50;
pea. from SI2 to SI3.75, and bitum-
inous, from SlO-75 to SII45.
The fact that coal is higher than
during the war. when dealers made
big profits. was made known 10y Ed
ward F. Colladay. who was assistant
fuel administrator in 1918.
Chestnut Coal Was $3.50.
He declared that the price uf
chestnut coal rose up from SSS6 tu
lSll.lO. and the committee obtained
supplemental information TO show
that it has risen until il is now
more than SIS.
Dr.. Francis Walker. chief ecouo-
mist Of the Federal Trade Commr~-
sion. furnished the most recent price
/ quotations on anthracite coal al the
mines as being S66I for 100 tons uf
assorted sizes. He said IL cost OH
orators S572 TO produce these 100
tons. including labor and overhead,
the profit being SIS
In the course Of his testimony Irr.
Walker said that 50 per cent Of the
anthracite coal produced in tho
. United States was controlled by jess
than a dozen interests. who owned
more than so per cent Of tho uu-
mined coal
Egg Coal Mine Cost S5.55.
The cost Of q ton Of egg coal
/ now is $7-T5 at the mines, - was
stated. The freight rate. Including
war tax, is S5.75. making the price
at the yards Sll.5O. With $3.50 as
the maximum price f,r sidewsIk d.
livery. as quoted by Zlmmerman. n.
this aIlowrs the local dealer a gross
profit mar-in Of 81 so.
] NJ WaIinE. bookkeeper for d
local coal Conrern. testified that
Sl.75 was the gross margin of hrs
company. or a net profit Of about
40 cents a ton. He charged that
cNorbitant prices are Char-ed at
mines. and declared competition
among local dealers was very kc,n.
George s. Pope. chief engineer or
the government fuel yards. said that
coal delivered TO Wash ~Cton side
walks by the government Yards
brought $1239 for furuac, .oaI.
SASS cEE; SI269 W & stove:
Sl2-69. chestnut. Sl0a6 pea. S>19.
buckwheat. and $500 T. 4. stove.
show 81 Price Difference.
With SlO.-6 as the price for pa
coal delivered To- Federal Depart
ments 9y government wards. and
1875 as the maximum charged hv
dealers for sidewalk delivery. which
does not include a 75-ceut CharE.
for delivery from sidewalks into
Easements. the difference was shown
before thu committee TO Doe about s.
The investigation begun yester-
day by the committee. OF which
Senator Calder. OF Sew York. is
chairman. will continue in relation
to Washington. New York and uthor
cities. Tn" object is TO sscertaiE
the cause for advances in coal price
when the war emergencies have
passed and to compare local prices
freight rates and mines prices iu
such a way a. 10 fN the rrsp0nsr-
bilitN.
In declaring that rrohtecrinE r
there is any. is traCeablo TO the
mines. Wauing declared that much
Of the coal which is handed is f1.nd
with slate. rock and Other forClFr
substances for which consul. rr
blame retailers.