The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-08-31
Coal Prices Mount
Rapidly Past Years
Figures That Will Prove In
teresting To the Consum-
ing Public

Washington, August 27.-How the
prices of anthracite coal have been
forced steadily upward for the past
ten years, and how these increased
prices have been split between
production costs, transportation and
profits, IS shown by statistical
analysis Of coal costs just com
piled by the United States coal com
mission.
In ten years both the wholesale
and retail price of coal just about
doubled.
In 1913, the average retail price
OF stove anthracite in Boston was
$S.25. In Washington it was $3.50.
Today the prices, respectively, are
$500 and $3.50.
Since 1918 the freight rate from
/ the anthracite field to Boston has
increased $125 a ton, to Washington
Sl.14 ton.
Eight of the larger coal compan-
les, closely affiliated with railroads,
are grouped together in price quo
tations. Their product is known as
company" coal. In 1913 the average
price of company stove coal at the
mines was 1886. Today the COM
pany quotations are So to $685..
The Varying Prices
In Boston today, 81 pays for 128
pounds of coal. OF this 81. As cents
represents the sale price at the
mine and covers production costs,
land royalties and operators profit.
The railroads get % ents vi this 81
for their share in hauling the coal.
The remaining 80 cents went TO the
local dealer.
Ia New/Y0k, where 81 Guys 145
pounds O. coal, the division is Sc
cents to the mine operator, le cents
to the railroads and rs cents 70 the
dealer
j In Philadelphia the consumer gets
155 pounds for his 81, If which IL,
10 and % cents go respectively to
mines, railroads and dealers.
In Washington the buyer gets III
pounds Of coal and his 81 is split
So cents to the mine, 20 cents to
freight and % cents to dealer.
Chicago, being a greater distance
from the anthracite field, pays a
greater proportion to the railroads.
the Chicagoan getting only 120
pounds of coal for his ST., of which
the mine gets 40 cents, the railroads
so cents and the dealer 81 cents.
St. Louis, which is on the western
fringe of the territory using anthra
cite, has net price per ton "A cents
lower than Chicago. and the st.
Louis dealer gets only Is cents of
each 81, the other IS going to rail
roads and mines.
Mine Price Scars
OF the quotations today, So to
$685. I. o. b. mines, the cost of pro-
duction, according to the commits
sion's experts, averages $5.6S. OF
this the labor cost is 1897. E.
The {. o. b. mine price in 1913 was
$3.50, with the labor cost averaging
s1.62. f..
Whereas the labor cost per ton
has increased 145 per cent in 10
years, the mine sale price has in
creased slightly over 200 per cent
from $3.50 to $S-$S.S5.
The proportionate cost of labor as
represented in the mine sale price
has decreased from 61.6 per cent to
$595 per cent.
In considering the increase Of la
Dor costs, however, the commits
sion emphasizes two important
points.
One. That only part of the in
creased cost of production per ton is
due to increased wage scales, part
being attributable to changed phys
ical conditions in the mines, such
as mining of seams which formerly
were considered too poor to work,
etc.
Two. That the purchasing power
of the dollar in 1923 is about 70 per
cent less than i'll 1913.