New-York tribune., 1922-09-12
Anthracite Due.
With Bars Up
On Profiteer.inle.!s. 6.
Shipments Coming T'hisW eek
Will Be Distributed I'm
der Eye of Fuel Admins
tration at Pre.Strike Basis
Guard Against Hoarding
independents May Boost
Price at Mine for 40 PC.
of Prodact Used Here

coal due to arrive in New York before
the end of this week comprehensive
plans for its distribution throughout
the state have been formulated and
will be presented for final adoption by
the advisory committee of coal dealers
to William H. Woodin State Fuel Ad-
ministrator, tomorrow. Adequate safe
guards against boarding and profiteer-
ing are believed to have been provided
by the establishment of clearing
house for information on orders by
requiring an affidavit from each con-
sumner that the quantity ordered is
necessary for his sole use and by
giving the coal dealers legal status as
agents or deputies of the State Fuel
Administrator so that they can prose-
cute criminally those who swear
falsely in their affidavits.
On such orders as are finally ac-
cepted only 20 per cent of the total
will be shipped before December /.
Until that date it is expected that New
York and New England will get only
sufficient hard coal to meet their i'm
mediate needs in order that as much
anthracite as possible may be shipped
into the Northwest before navigation
on the Great Lakes is closed for the
season. After December / the greater
part of the anthracite mined is ex-
pected TO come to the Eastern states,
and then it viii be possible, it is
thought, to deliver the remainder of
the orders.
Prices the Same as Before Strike
Stove sizes will sell for $13.10 a ton
and furnace sizes for $12.85, the prices
in effect when the mines closed down,
unless the independent producers boost
their prices at the mine far in excess
of the price asked by the seven large
companies which control by far the
larger part of the production, prom
inent coal dealer said yesterday. Local
dealers seem not at all anxious about
the price the big companies will ask,
but point out that since they must buy
40 per cent of their supply from the
independents they will have an impor-
tant influence on the price to the con-
sumer in New York.
The program to be presented to Mr..
Woodin, as outlined by local dealer,
provides first that dealers report all
orders, so that duplication be made i'm
possible. Dealers will also be required
to compare the orders of their regC41r
customers with their requirements tor
previous wears and then accept them
only when accompanied by an atfidavlt
that the tonnage ordered is needed Tor
their sole use.
The 20 per cent shipments would
then be made before December l on
all orders for more than three tons,
orders for less than three tons to De
delivered in one shipment, so as to
avoid excessive haulage and handling
costs. Additional shipments would be
made after December l iif increasing
quantities until the total needs up TO
April / had been filled.
No Acute Shortage Expected
The controlling influence as to price
exerted by the independent producers
was explained by the statement that
New York, receiving its share of> the
big company production, could not gat
more than so per cent of its supply and
must therefore depend on the independ-
ents for the remaining 40 per cent.
After the strike of 1902, it was SAID,
the big companies fixed price OF 50
q ton at the NINE, Wnlle Gne liiuS~
pendents demanded SO ton.
The experience of that year was also
cited as ground for the belief that
there would be no acute shortage this
winter. Mining was resumed after the
| 1902 strike on October IL, a month
later than this year, but production
| had approached so near to normal by
January / that the independents were
| forced to cut their prices to $3.50 and
| short time after that to meet the
company price of $5 ton.
! Mr.. Woodin's determination to take
particular care that the poorer FAM
| lilies in congested districts are safe
guarded against the so-called cellar
dealer is shared by members of the
committee which framed the distribu-
tion plan. Assuming that coal is re-
tailed at last years prices, namely,
100-pound bag, the accepted unit,
should not exceed So cents.
On this basis a profit of 81 ton
| is assured the dealer for his work in
| handling the coal and making de-
liveries. Any attempt by cellar deal
| ters to exact higher price will be met
| by the wholesalers shutting off their
| supplies, and since they rarely have
storage space for more than few
tons their careers as profiteers would
be short.
Big Bag Trade Expected
Dealers with large storage yards
scattered throughout the city, and
usually in the poorer sections along
the docks, will also make special pro-
vision to supply the bag trade. Dur
ing the war years these dealers sold
from $4,000 to 10000 bags each day,
and it is expected that an even larger
number of families will be thus sup
piled during the coming winter
Mr.. Woodin announced yesterday the
appointment of five deputy fuel admin
istrators, each of whom will be in
complete charge of all fuel distribu-
| tion within the judicial district to
which he has been appointed. All
| of the deputies named by the State
Fuel Administrator served in the war
| time fuel administration.
Albert H. Cluett of Cluett, Peabody
& Co., Troy, will have charge of the
/ third district, with headquarters prob
ably at Albany. The fourth district
will be supervised by Clarence B
! Kilmer, of Saratoga; the sixth by
/ Samuel J. Koerber, of Binghamton; the
seventh by George D. 5. Bonbright, of
Rochester, and the ninth by Arthur w
| Lawrence, of Bronxville,
Tho State Fuaf Adrai-,i et or m NJ