The Washington herald., 1922-08-11
PLAN TOFIX PRICE
OF SOFT COAL FOR
DC. AT sl0A TON
Commissioners Base Fig
ures on Data Furnished
By Local Dealers.
WILL POOL SUPPLY
Scarcity of Anthracite Fuel
Retards Program to
Name Price.

In line with their previously an
nounced intention of preventing
profteering in coal. District Com
missfoners are ready to establish
the maximum price for bituminous
coal at $40 a ton, according to in
formation received from a reliable
source yesterday.
Sumcient data has been obtained
by the Public Utilities Commission n
to base a fair estimate of what the
dealers should receive, officials be.
lieve. The District officials estimate
the cost of operation and fair
pront OF the dealers at $3.50 a ton.
The cost of transportation is hg-
ured at approximately SO a ton. and
the cost Of the coal at the mines
at $3.50 a ton.
Fixed on Dealers Figures.
In determining the cost Of opera
tion the District officials are said
to have based their decision on the
figures submitted to the Public
Utilities Commission by the deal
ers. and also on the cost of opera
tion as given last year before the
Congressional investigating COM
mittee- The figures of the Federal
Trade Commission are used in de-
termintng the other costs.
The price of $40 will be set on
the coal that will come in as a
result OF orders sent through the
Public Utilities Commission. The
first order was sent yesterday, and
coal is expected within a week.
In regard to the coal on hand
the District officials will hold the
dealers to price approximating
that now in force. The prices that
have been prevailing are in the
hands of the commission.
Must Report Sales.
BY order OF the. Public Utilities
Commission, every sale of coal in
the future, together with the SELL
ing price, must be fled with the
Public Utilities Commission. This
Information will be used to deter
mine specifically any efforts to
profteer.
The price of SO a ton applies to
bituminous coal. which has been
selling on the local market at from
IS to SO ton. In regard to an
thracite coal less effort has yet
been made to arrive at a fair price
because of the limited supply avail
able. IT is understood that the
price will approximate SIS a ton.
The prices are adjusted to a slid
ing scale in order that any changes
In the price at the mines will lead
to a similar change in the local
figures.
The District Commissioners yes
terday received word from the
national fuel administration call
ing for the pooling Of all coal re-
ceived through the commission.
This was explained to mean that
regardless OF whom the order was
intended for. the coal will be un-
der the control Of the Public Utill-
ties Commission. subject to recon
| signment as 1t sees At.
To Survey Field.
The action of the national fue'
administration in providing for this
pooling completes the domination
of the District Commissioners over
the local coal situation. The Com
missioners can now withhold witt
ease any coal consigned to dealer:
who prove to be profiteerinC. They
also can reconsign coal to NEE
emergency needs that have ariser
since the coal was ordered.
The Merchants and Manufactur.
ers' Association is interesting Itself
in the coal situation to the exten'
| or sending a representative to tn.
| fields to investigate the supply. II
was announced yesterday that r
p. Andrews, chairman of the special
fuel committee. will leave for the
| West Virginia and Maryland mine:
within a few days.