Evening star., 1922-12-07
Insistence on Preferred
Grades Causes Exceeding
of $16.5O Fixed Cost.
DEALERS REPORT MANY
TURN TO SUBSTITUTES
Plenty of Rice and Buckwheat at
Old Price, But Egg, Stove and
Nut Are Increased.

| While Washingtonians arc turning
| to the use of substitute fuel for
grades of hard coal previously burned.
many consumers are paying premium
! prices to get their favorite grade
when it reaches the market.
! This was revealed in a survey OF
the local coal situation today. One
| dealer is doing a clearing house bust
ness in the popular egg. stove and
nut anthracite coal. formerly tho
Washingtonian's standby. while 9TH
ers report a huge volume of sales OF
Substitutes for these grades, such as
| coke. briquets and screened bitumi-
| nous coal.
Exceed Authorized Price.
Although the maximum authorized
price of hard coal is $3.50 per ton,
/ s1I and SIS are being obtained in
certain cases. When it is proved thai
these prices are contingent upon
premium prices at the mines, it is un-
derstood authorities are taking no
action against local dealers
Egg, stove and nut coal is scarce
=
Coke and briquets are in sufficient
/ quantity to meet demands
Premium Prices at Mines.
| You've got to pay premium price
for egg. stove and nut anthracite
coal if you want to get il at the
1 mines in any considerable quantities.
We are doing it and selling coal on a
/ rPin of e1 - ;1i,
charges are paid. and averaging an
all-round distribution of between $50
and l75 tons day. Our price noY is
| $17 and SIS per ton for such coalN
This statement was made today by
L. Z. White OF the White Coal Com
| panyS Mr.. White said that mis- books
| and onvoices are open for investga-
/ iion Oh any government authorities
| VINO might be seeking to establish
| facts concerning the price OF coal
! above the maximum of $3.50 set here
| recently.
| Excessive Run ON Coal
Since last Monday at the White yards
there has been an excessive run or
hard coal. Before 10 o'clock this morn
! ing l46 tons had been sold at the yards
at prices reaching s17 per ton. Small
/ dealers. house-to- house peddlers and
! Others got their coal at this price.
, Explaining the situation. Mr. White
added that he was compelled to paw
the premium price at the mines to
rate of four. five and SIX forty-ton
carloads day. The cost of this type
of hard coal at the mines. he said,
was sl2 and sl3 a ton. if a dealer
for freight. and the cost of the coal
in the yards here mounts to from
S15.:S to $16.2S per ton, leaving a
margin to care for overhead at about
VIZ per ton when sold at $17 and
| SIS.
Thinks Attitude Clear.
Il think that our attitude is clear"
Mr.. White declared. We are getting
| the coal.
In addition, he declared, in order
| TO get the hard coal of the nut, egg
and stove grade. he was obliged 20
| stock up with rice and buckwheat
coal. which he characterized, "a drug
on the market" Until a short time
| ago. he was disposing of this type of
| coal at a loss. but mcst recent in-
crease in price has allowed a profit
to show on the ledger.
During the early part of the week.
he said because he had the coal that
| people wanted. his yards were sub
jected to a run" by small dealers.
as possible The run" is beginning 10
tone down today. but more than for,y
wagons We're parked In front of il"
South Capitol aiid l streets distribu
| tion point this morning at one TIM
awaiting turns to get coal.
Quarter Ton Mt q Time.
| An interesting sidelight on this
phase was a telephone call that came
into the office shortly after 10:30 The.
call was from exclusive Massachu
sets avenue, between 10th and 18th
streets. It was a request for a mar
| to put in a Quarter of ton Of Goa
that had been ordered.
! do you mean to say they're order
| ing coal a quarter of a ton at a tim"
| in that neighborhood?' an office em-
ploye was asked.
( That's what the order was" cane
| the reply. , ,
man, has adopted tine attitude that
| the public should stock up on a sub
stitute for what IL wants m the pres
| hard Goa He is maintaining price
| hard coal. ell is maintaining price
! thai were agreed upon r. certiy a.
/
! the District.
Coke CIeanest Substitute.
1.-The cleanest substitute for COAL
| be,ieve. is coke.'' Mr. Griffith said
..rhere is not a plentiful supply OF
on,hracite chestnut. stove and egg
coal. In fact it is scarce and has been
sea rec for some time. Indications are
that ii will continue scarce.
| "It is possible that II man walks
! into a coal dealers office with re-
ouest for certain sort Of coal. he may
| find 1t impossible to get. But he may
| be supplied with substitute IL he
will listen to his dealer. Here's the
situation though: People will let
their coal supply run SO low that
F. they'll have nothing to forestall a day
when the supply of their preferred
coal runs out and cannot be obtained.
II they let their fires go out In cold
weather because Of this fact, 1t will
not be long before they realize that
their only hope Is in substitute.
Fuel and coal. speaking broadly.
are not scarce. What the coal dealer
knows as the luxury classes or
grades are scarce. There il a bounti-
ful supply Of soft coal for household
use and Of other substitutes"
The same attitude is evidenced At
the J. Maury Dove plant.
sasTho prhlic a turning Tn anhaNttsa>n