New Britain herald., 1922-08-31
Chamber of Commerce Officials Get Option at $l3.50 Per Ton, to Sell Probably at $2l-De- livered at New London
Purchase, if Made, Would Involve About $130,0O0 and Necessitate About 150 Freight Cars.

Due to the activities of President John c. Loomis and the directors of the Chamber of Commerce, New Brit ain coal dealers shortly before noon today were offered a chance to pur. chase 7,500 tons of anthracite or Brit ish hard coal. Mir. Loomis informed the coal dealers that he had an op- tion on that amount, delivered at tho docks in New London.
 $13.5O Per Ton. F. o. B.
 Whether the local coal dealers will take it or not, is problematical. The coal will be delivered F. O. B. New London at a price of $13.5o a ton. which figuring costs of handling, de- murrage at both ends of the line, etc.. would cost close to SIS or $20 a ton in the yards in New Britain and would have to sell for about s21. On the other hand, anthracite coal from Pennsylvania Is expected to be avail able in small quantities at price of short time.
 Claim Coal Is Good
 The correspondence MT. Loomis had with the British coal dealers contains an analysis of the coal and also 8 statement claiming that 1t is equal if not better than Pennsylvania anthra- cite It would arrive at New London about October 1. The boat now Is at The Netherlands and will load up at Wales, sometime between September 8 and IS. It would arrive here direct from the mines in sizes ranging all the way from nut coal to egg and in- cluding some broken sizes which are next larger than egg and two sizes larger than.st t3sp Nothing too large for domestic uses IS included in these sizes
 It was stated that Princeton univer- sity, the Standard Oil company, the B. R. T., and other large corporations are interested in this coal.
 Some Are Optimistic
 Several dealers were inclined to think that the shortage in New Brit ain Is not so serious but what the anthracite coal which will be released as soon as the strike is settled, will be sufficient to tide the city over, pro- viding the city fuel commission re- quires everyone to use soft coal wher- ever it is possible to do so. Last spring practically every coal yard in the city was filled to capacity, Let ters were sent out by one concern advising the people to purchase coal when they could. other companies gave verbal advice to their customers and similar advice was given in in- terviews published in The Herald.
 Some Coal in Bins
 As result of this, Morris Cohn, of the Cohn Coal company, stated this morning he estimates about 30 per cent of the coal consumers in the city have some coal in their cellars. Doug- las Johnston, of the City Coal and Wood company, stated that there was a quality of so-called steam sizes'' buckwheat and pea coal in storage by the coal companies which will be re- leased as soon as the strike is settled. People who are willing to use these sizes, he said, would be able to get what they wanted. Those who in- sisted upon stove coal size would be out of luck
 New England Second
 It was reported that the coal ship pers will take care of the Great Lakes district first and New England will get second preference. Nathan Berson. who has just returned from an extensive tour of the anthracite re. gions going through Scranton, Barre and Hazelton and as fas south as Pottsville and Shamokin, making practically a complete tour of he region, says the anthracite miners will be working next week, he be- ieves.
 Report Later sn Day
 It was decided that Mir Berson would get into touch with his man in New York who will see the British ,oal in use. and telephone a report his afternoon, obtaining a sample if possible and coming to this city in ime for another meeting tomorrow.
 Purchase of the coal for which the Chamber of Commerce holds an op- ion, would involve an expenditure of bout s1S0.0o0 and would require something like 15o cars to transport t from New London to New Britain. t would mean an average of about IS, 0oo per dealer,
 Investigating British Coal.
 The Citizens Coal company has ,een in direct communication with ,oal shippers in England and Scot and for the past several days and has cen making strenuous efforts 10 as ertain just what the quality of the British coal is They have had quo ations from severs' firms and expect everal more within the next few avs If the company gets anything efnite according to M H. Johnson, is planned to confer with the other callers with a view to concerted ac- ion.
 One communication from a British rm offers anthracite rubbly culm, anging from nut coal down in an- hracite sizes through small nut, pea. uckwheat, rice, beans, peas and