Arizona republican., 1922-06-01
HOOVER SETS
FAIR PRICES
FOR COAL IN.
s DISTRICTS
c o m m cree Secretary
Reaches Agreement With
Operators Under Plan
Adopted At Conference
IRepublican A. p. Leased Wirel


WASHINGTON, May 31.-Maxi-
mum fair prices for spot coal in five
districts were announced tonight by
Secretary Hoover after reaching
agreements with committees repre-
senting those fields under the plan
adopted in the general conference
OF operators from producing fields for
provisioning runaway prices on coal
at the mines during the strike.
1t was determined that in the Ala
bama district the fair price should be
25 cents below the final Garfield scale
or maximum of S2.20 ton to
$3.50 a ton.
In the Harlan and Hazard fields of
Kentucky, the southern Appalachian
fields of Tennessee and Kentucky,
and the Pocahontas. New River, Tug
River and Winding Gulf fields
(srnokeless coal districts of West
Virginia) the maximum price was
fixed at $3.50 a ton.
Costs of production have been re-
duced in the Alabama field since the
final Garfield scale was determined,
Mr.. Hoover explained. The operators
he said, emphasized that the price
set was a maximum, that any one
might sell below and that long con-
tracts for coal are necessarily below
the levels set today.
In the other districts, he declared,
production costs have increased
since the Garfield scale, and that
scale included contract coal which
now sells below the new maximum.
The operators are to absorb a rea-
sonable expense 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 con-
ferences between Mr.. Hoover and
committees representing those dis
tricts which were approached after
the general meeting today.
Moral Agreement Only
The plan adopted at the general
meeting calls for agreements between
Hoover and the different committees
upon fair prices for coal at the mines
In their respective districts based on
the Garfield scale as modified by local
conditions. Moral suasion was relied
upon by Mr.. Hoover TO keep the
agreements in force for the duration
of the strike. it was indicated:
eIn the Kentucky and Tennessee
fields Mr.. Hoover said, in explana-
ton of the prices there, the last
Garfield prices ranged from So ton
to 1926 a ton. while in West Nir-
sinia district the last Garfield prices
Including selling commission varied
from $3.50 to SO ton for domestic
coal and from $685. to $4.3J per ton
on export and bunker coal.
In the Alabama field the Garfield
scale varied from S2.45 to s2.S5 per
ton. "The Alabama field" Hoover
said, SIS not running at full capacity,
due to lack of back orders and pro-
duction can be increased from $4,000
to 100000 tons per week, therefore
consumers in Southeastern states, to-
gether with those accessible TO wa
ter borne coal in the South Atlantic
| and Gulf seaboards, together with
international and markets as far as
st. Louis and Kansas, would be well
advised to take this opportunity oi
securing supplies"
Secretary Hoover said the fixatlon
of fair prices for all the producing
districts probably would be finished
within the next day or two. adding
that he planned to reach agreements
with the various committees as rap
idly as possible in line with his an
| nounced intention of restraining
prices and restricting productions.