The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-11-22
COAL PRICES WILL NOT
 GO DOWN IS THE CLAIM
 MADE BY OPERATORS
Coontinued from Page one)

EfOni rage Onet
 easily mined and does not involve incline hauling, that the desirable coal comes in thin veins in mines
 with inclines, where water drain
 age Is poor. Some mines are re-
 quired to pump six tons of water
 to every ton of coal they produce.
 Get RetniIers' Figures
 Several retailers In a cooperative effort to-give data which will be help ful have given the prices paid at the mine and the retail price of coal per ton.
 The Frisco Coal and Grocery com pany states that Corona costs $4 at the mine, freight and war tax is s1.0a unloading and switching charges soc. This coal sells for $790.
 Cahaba costs s6 at the mine. freight and war tax, SIC; switching and un- loading, 3sc; sells for $9. Sipsey costs $5.25 at mine; freight S7Mc; switching and war tax, 3Sci sells for sSz5. 4 John Heidt of the Hefdt Coal com pany statesi
 "Cahaba costs s6 at the mine, freight and war tax SI.O3, unloading 10 cents; sells for 50.
 "White Ash tWarrior riyer) costs
 
 cents, unloading 15 cents; sells for ss "Our expense Is interest on mon- ey, drivers and other overhead ex- pense. Coal Is like clothing. There is cheap and high priced. One ton of coal may have twice as many heat units as an inferior grade.
 "Some dny coal will be sold by the number of heat units, and not by the ton.o
 Baxter Coal Company
 Baxter Coal company reported as follows:
 ''Boothton costs s6 ton at mine freight 94 cents and war tax 2.S5 cents and Is cents a ton to unload sells for s9.
 Piper costs $7.40 at mine. s4 cent. for freight and war tax 2.S5 cents and Is cents to unload: sells for SIG
 Ivy Leaf Piper
 The Ivy Leaf Piper Coal company quotes the following retail prices per ton~tc the consumer on coal:/
 Walker county, run of mine. s5.
 Walker county washed nut. $5.50 Acmar Trump, s7.50; Carbon Hill ss; Warrior river. ss; Cedrom. sS sipsey black crush and nut red ash SS.75; Piper Red Cahaba, SIC.
 "The following prices are cost to retailer at mine. per ton; Walker county run of mine, g; Walker coun- ty washed nut, $260 with freight and war tax in each instance of s1.03.
 Cost delivered on yard: AcmaI lump. s4.74; Carbon Hill. s5.s7i Cedrom. s5.a7; sipsey black crush nut. s5.s0.
 Piper Red Cahaba costs s7.25 a ton at mine. freight and war tax is 90 cents and unloading 12h cents with other expenes of overhead taxes. telephone. 1icenses/and per cent lost in weight and slack.
 The mines will not sell cheaper end the retailers are hurt by wagon mines They sell low grade and will not put in ton or half-ton and conse- quently load up the customer. We only carry this cheap coal to com pete and tell our customers what 1t Is The legitimate coal dealers will lose money this year"
 Indications as to whether coal will be any cheaper the forthcoming months Is voiced by the following interviews:
 Walter Moore, president of the Em- pire Coal company, saids
 "I cannot see cheaper coal this win ter pending our agreement with the miners and the high freight rates By agreement mine wages were re- duced 20 per cent from the peak, but they were more shan 100 per cent above the pre-war wage when that cut was made. Therefore they are still more than so per cent over the pre-war wage.
 q am selling Empire coal at as low n figure ns cnn without loss. cannot make a reduction"
 Empire Yards. Speaking for the retail Empire yards MT. Moore said: The retail Empire yards pay $4.50 for No. lump and s5 for No. fancy lump at the mines The freight to Birmingham is 90 cents By the time the coal Is laid on the yards 1t has cost the re- taller $6.25 to s6.75. We are retailing this coal at sS:50 to $9.
 "The retail yards are not getting a gross margin of s3 and it Is difficult to make profit even at $3. l can- not see how coal can be cheaper un- der present costs of mining. freight rates and cost of operating retail coal yards.
 ''The agreement with the miners lasts until the end of next March. cannot figure cheaper coal under present conditions
 R. T. Daniel Talks
 R. T. Daniel, manager of the Bir- mingham Ice companys coal busi- ness. said:
 The retail yard men made con tracts with the operators that last until April 1, next. The prices which we agreed on in these contracts the retailer must pay and Is paying. We could handle some cheaper coals, but