Evening star., 1923-10-10
INCREASE ON COAL
PASSED TO PUBLIC
HousehoIders Using Small
Sizes Are Paying Most To-
ward Strike Adjustment.
By J. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch 10 The star.

Special Dispatch 10 The Star.
NEW YORK, October 10.--The in
crease in the prices of anthracite at
the mines which followed the settle
ment of the wage controversy has
been passed on TO the consumer.
In some localities these increases
have been handed to the consumer be-
fore coal mined under the increased
wage reached the cities in question.
Moreover, the increase has fallen al
most entirely upon the householder
the user of domestic and stove sizes
rather than upon manufacturers
and industrial users. Reports. how
ever, that dealers were adding ad-
vances in price on their own account
do not seem to be we'll founded in the
majority of instances, according to
reports received from points through
out misunderstanding territory today.
Prices Boosted mt Mines.
The larger coal companies, as re-
suit OF the higher wages to mine
workers. increased prices at the mine
on broken. egg, stove and chestnut
pea coal from 20 to IS cents ton. In
most cases the prices of steam coal.
consisting Of smaller sizes. known as
steam COAX were unchanged.
This steam coal comes into direct
competition wioh bituminous coal.
whereas the market for the domestic
or larger sizes is not menaced by
this competition. Gov. Pinchot. at
the time of the settlement said that
the higher wages would warrant an
increase of 60 cents ton at the mine.
The increase OF rs cents ton is
explained by the fact that the domes-
tic sizes were selected by the op-
orator to carry the load for the entire
tn y,.I,, he 1fn nYt1
Present Prices In New York.
In New York city Frank Burns. of
Burns Brothers, one of the largest
distributors, today quoted broken.
egg, stove and nut sizes at Sl4.25 a
ton, an increase of rs cents over
the prices prevailing before the set
Element. Mr.. Burns asserted he had
been unable to run down any cases
OF "gouging," although. he added. il
was possible some of the small neigh
borhood dealers might try to jump
the price in cold weather He de-
unwarranted, as there would be no
shortage this winter.
We are expecting TO have to send
out our statesmen to get business this
fall for the first time in five years.,
he concluded.
Boston Suffering Most.
Boston seems to have suffered the
largest increases of the eastern cities.
Before the mine settlement anthra-
cite prices there were marked up from
SIS ton to, $3.50. with further
charge of SO cents a ton for basket
ing. Local dealers stated that they
hoped this would absorb what in
creases higher wages made necessary.
They assert now, however, that coal
did not como through as rapidly as
expected and Increased sales did not
enable them to absorb the additional
prices at the mines through lower
costs of distribution. An increase of
an additional so cents ton went into
effect in Boston today.
Philadelphia consumers today are
, paying sl5.25 a ton for broken, S15.75
for egg, sI6.25 for stove, SIC for nut
and SIZES for pea. These prices rep
resent an advance OF as cents ton
on larger sizes and 25 cents a ton
on pea. ..
Rates in Washington.
Washington householders are pay
ing s15.75 long ton, compared with
SIS before the strike. Buffalo prices
are S13.75 for egg and stove coal and
S13.35 for crate coal, compared with
si3 and s12.75, respectively.
Rochester has sustained no advance,
as no coal mined since the settle
ment has reached there. Prices are
the same as fixed by the fuel admin
Strator last winter, with egg, S13.35;
stove. s13.45; chestnut and pea, $1120.
ton carryiug-in charge.
Actual retail cost of anthracite to
consumers in Duluth. distributing
point for the northwest, is SIG a ton,
an advance of 20 cents. Among other
companies the price for future de-
iiveries is si6 when new mined coal
arrives. County Attorney Floyd Olsen
of Minneapolis is in Duluth investi-
eating receipts and wholesale charges
and the differential charged con-
su;ners In the twin cities.
Charges Higher In Canada.
In Canada, large anthracite con-
suner. stove coal is retailing at SIT
q ton loose. an increase of rs cents,
with chesnut and egg at S16.75, an
advance of 80 cents
Consumers located right at, the
mines are faring little better. The
largest retail distributor in Scranton
quoted egg, stove and chestnut at
$l0.60 and pea at s8 short ton, COM
pared with 1895 and s7.S5. Wilkes
Barre residents are paying S10.5O, an
advance of IS cents.
Copyright, 1921