Evening star., 1922-12-21
SPOT COAL PRICE
UP, SAYS DEALER
Egg Size Offered at SIS a
Ton F. O. B. Mine, Member
BIick Firm Testifies.
CONTRACT CHARGE LOWER
S12.25 Best Offer of This Nature.
Hucksters Obtain $2S on
Sales on 1OO.Pound Basis.

Hearings in the investigation OF the
of coal In Washington were resumed
today before the Federal Fact-finding
Coal Commission in the Interior De-
partment building. with the proba-
bility that the hearings would last
well into the afternoon.
Only one representative Of local coal
dealers took the witness stand at the
morning. w. B. Swindell Of Blfck
Bros, Ino Mr.. Swindell read into the
record a postal card which the COM
pany he represents received yesterday
from the Shafer Coal Mining Company
Of Pennsylvania. offering spot anthra-
cite at prices considerably in advance
of the present prices at the mines.
Egg coal. the post card said. could be
bought for immediate delivery at SIS
could be purchased for $11 at the
mines To both these prices must be
added the freight rate Of 1928. 1t was
pointed out.
O6ered to Buy for Hueksters.
During the course of Mr.. Swindell's
testimony he brought out that the
company had offered to buy coal at
these prices. for sale. he said. to So
called "hucksters'' in Washington.
Explaining the meaning OF the word
"huokster," he said these men bought
high price coal from dealers and sold
II to small consumers in small lots
The probable average price for this
coal from "huckSters." he added, WAS
about $1.25 a hundred pounds. Former
Vice President Marshall. who acted
as temporary chairman at The hear
tngs today. pointed out that this
would make such coal on a ton basis
bring about s2S q ton. and added
that the unfortunates who could not
buy coal in larger quantities were
forced to pay top prices for coal. Mr..
Swfndell replied that this was un-
that not a large percentage of the
business Of Blick Bros. was with
the called "huck sters.'
Mr.. Swindell said he had received
orders from Mr.. Blick to buy spot
coal at $14 atom T. o. b. mines, but
said the best quotation being receiv-
ed now was about S12.25 ton at the
mines for contract coal. During the
course OF Mr.. Swinoelrs direct testi-
mony he said the Corby Baking COM
pany has q verbal agreement with
@ShASh W ooy ~" VI iSco COAl dt
$l4 ton. delivered at the Corby
plant. Mr.. Marshall questioned SELL
ing low-priced coal to the baking
company. pointing out that 1t was
hardly fair to sell the ow-priced coal
to Corby at $l4 and sell higher-priced
coal to smaller consumers at SIS.
Opposes Huekster Business.
DR.. George Otis Smith, member Of
the commission. pointed out to the Wit
ness that the coal bought at spot prices
ind sold to hucksters and the Corby
coal would be charged against the cur
rent seasons allotment Of anthracite to
Washington. and said he questioned II
this practice was advisa Sle, as II might
prevent the larger consuming public from
receiving Its Just proportion of anthra-
cite. Mr.. Marshall said that in the in
terest Of the coal-us.ng public in Wash
inEton dealers should find out these
| facts before ordering ''snowbird" coal
for delivery to "hucksters." He added
that this practice may be giving injury
to Washington consumers instead Of
beEefiting them.
Mr. swindeli said that efforts had
been made to educate Washington
consumers to use substitutes for an
thracite, in the form Of lump bitumi-
nous or coke. but that his firm had
found such substitution unsatisfac-
tory in some cases. and had even
been required to remove substitutes