Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-04-20
IM'CARDLE SEES
CONSPIRACY
OF COAL MEN
Public Service Commissioner
Says They Keep Up
Prices.

A combination OF coal dealers and op-
orators exists and 1t determines the re-
lationship Of coke and coal prices In this
State and the country. John ". Nc
Cardle, chairman of the Indiana Public
/, Service. Commission, charged during the
| hearing of the Citizens Gas Company pc
! tition for an increase in rates charged
here.
The hearing was brought to a close
with the testimony Of witnesses OF the
Gas Company. The city introduced no
witnesses, but devoted its efforts to
cross examining the gas company wit
nesses.
Il can not believe that the consumers
should pay an additional price for gas
because a big stock of coke has been
allowed to accumulate" Mr.. McCardle
said. The coal combination knows what
1t is doing and It is not going to lower
the price. I'd meet competition and get
rid Of that coke If 1 had to sell it for
81 per ton"
Mr.. McCardle's observation came dur
ing the examination Of J. B. Morton.
sales manager of the Domhoff- Joyce
Company, sales agents for the output Of
the Citizens Gas Company coke. The
method Of determining prices Of coke in
the various competitive fields was gone
into In detail by Morton under the ques-
tioning of McCardle, Douglass, and Van
Auken. Testimony indicated the rates
between different cities where coke is
produced and points of destination vlr-
tually determine what coke is used The
Citizens Gas Company virtually has no
opposition in the central Indiana district
ASKS ABOUT
UNDERSTANDING"
Isn't there an understanding that coke
should be sold In relation to the price
of COAL" Mr.. McCardle asked Morton.
a short time ago we gave this company
an increase from 90 cents TO 90 cents.
Now they are back here asking for an
Increase to Sis. The possibility exists
that there will be more coke on hand
next year than now and the company will
be asking another Increase The trouble
is that the wholesalers have a combina-
ton. The selling price OF coke should de-
pend on general business conditions"
James 4. Galligan Of Chicago, Of the
By-Pro1ucts Coke Corporation, testified
that the sale Of coke by the Citizens Gas
Company would not materially aid the
financial condition OF the company. He
indicated that an increase in rate might
help A similar condition with regard
cordlng to Gallgan. He said there were
approximately 700, 900 tons OF accumu-
lated coke stock in this territory dis
tributed among seven or eight big pro-
ducers. He said there has been a slight
Improvement in the coke industry re-
Gently, but the price had not been af
fected
Mr. Galligan said he believed there is
chance at present to dispose Of the
surplus coke except through domestic
consumption which he regarded as un-
likely.
DUNBAR TELLS OF
COMPANY'S CONDITION.
According to J. w. DUNBAR, member OF
Congress, and newly elected vice presi-
dent and general manager OF the gas
company, testified concerning the nnan-
cial condition of the gas company.
"In a general way the financial condi-
tion of the company is very bad" Mr.
Dunbar said. The total Indebtedness is
So. .744 600" The company, according to
Mr. Dunbar. holds an unique place among
gas companies OF the country in that 1t
Is almost altogether owned by local
persons.