Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-06-01
BRAKES PUT ON
PRICES Of COAL
DURING WALKOU7
Maximum Fair Figures in
Five Districts Are An
nounced by Hoover After
Meeting With Operators.
(By The Associated Press

Washington, May 31.-Maximum
fair prices for spot coal In five dis
tricts were announced tonight by
Secretary Hoover after reaching
agreements with committees rep
resenting those fields under the
plan adopted in the general con-
ference of operators from produce
ing fields for provisioning runa-
way prices on coal at the mines
during the strike.
1t was determined that in the
Alabama district the fair price
should be rs cents below the final
Garfield SCALE" or a maximum of
1920 a ton to $3.50 ton.
In the Harlan and Hazard fields
of Kentucky, the southern Appa-
lachian fields of Tennessee and
Kentucky and the Pocohontas,
New river, Tug river and Winding
gulf fields (smokeless coal districts
of West virginia. the maximum
price was fixed at $3.50 ton.
Production Costs Reduced.
Costs of production have been
III lllt aici iiNiNt ~
the final Garfield scale was de-
termined. Mr.. Hoover explained.
The operators, he said. emphasized
that the price set was maximum,
that any one might sell below 1t
and that long contracts for coal
are necessarily below the levels set
today.
In the other districts, he de-
clared, production costs have in
creased since the Garfield scale
and that scale included contract
coal which now sells below the
new maximum. The operators are
to absorb reasonable selling eX-
pense at the new prices. Secretary
Hoover said.
Fair prices for the remaining
fields which are producing during
the strike are to be fixed tomorrow
after conferences between Mr.
Hoover and committees represent
ing those districts which were APP
preached after the general meeting
today.
Plan Adopted.
The plan adopted at the general
meeting calls for agreements be-
tween Mr.. Hoover and the differ
ent committees upon fair prices for
coal at the mines at their respect
i've districts based on the Garfield
scale as modified by local condi-
lions. Moral suasion will be re-
lied upon by Mr.. Hoover to Keep
the agreements in force for the
duration of the strike, 1t was indi-
Gated.
an the Kentucky and Tennessee
fields" Mr.. Hoover said, in eXpla-
nation of the price set there, "the
last Garfield prices ranged from
SO ton to $3.50 ton, while in the
West Virginia districts the last
Garfield prices, including selling
commission, varied from $3.50 to
SO ton for domestic coal and
from 1886 to $4.35 per ton on ex-
port and bunker coal. In the Ala
bama field, the Garfield scale
varied from $2.45 to $2.S5 per ton
In the Alabama Field.
"The Alabama field" Mr.. Hoov-
err said, "is not running at full ca
pacity due to lack of orders and
production can be increased So 900
to 10000 tons per week. There
fore, consumers in southeastern
states, together with those accessl-
BILE to water borne coal in the
south Atlantic and Gulf sea boards,
together with inland markets as
far as st. Louis and Kansas City
would be well advised 10 take this
opportunity OF securing supplies"
Secretary Hoover said the fixa"
ton of fair prices for all the pro-
ducing districts probably would be
finished within the next day or
two, adding that he planned to
reach agreements with the various
committees as rapidly as possible
in line with his announced inten-
ton of restraining prices and in
creasing production during the
strike.