The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-01-26
URGED IN REPORT
GIVEN TO PEOPLE
Fuel Director Ivan Bowen
Makes Recommendation
- = = n y$Vs.E
OBJECT OF SCHEME
Outlines Measure That Would
License Dealers and Also
Establish Grade
[Associated Press Dispatch. ]

ASSOCIATED Press Dispatch.I
st. Paul, January 23.-Ine iicen-
sing of coal dealers in the stats,
ana the establishment Of Minnesota
grades of coal, which would govern
the sale of this product, with power
of the state to regulate the control,
receipt and shipment Of coal, are
among the provisions in law re:
commended by Ivan Bowen, state
fuel administrator, in his report 10
Governor j. A. o. Preus.
This report was today submitted
to the senate and the house Of rep
Ta vew OF Oy siUng these tWo
bodies some idea of the needs OF
state authorities to regulate the
coal situation in the state, which
this year is causing considerable
suffering.
The bill, as outlined. provides for
the regulation, selling dlsposing and
storing of coal. coke and coal pro-
ducts for fuel purposes in the state.
tration in the hands of the State
Railroad and Warehouse commits
May Establish Grades. T..
Within four months after passage
of the bill, the state commission
would be authorized to establish
grades for coal, coke and coke pro
such other standard as The commits
sion may designate.
Under this provision, coal since
the beginning of its commercial use,
would be generally sold on the
heating units instead of by the ton,
and the price would be gagged by
the value the coal instead OF the
weight. This system OF purchasing
is already in use in manyfof the
and according. to the author OF the
bill is the only equitable way OF
selling this product.
1t also provides for the states
supervision, control of the allot-
ment, : apportionment and rationing
of coal or any of the products here
tofore mentioned The allotment
would pertain to distribution Of
persons or localities as the case
Must Take Out Licenses.
Under the terms of the bill each
wholesaler Of coal would be com
PEELED TO out license Tor
which he I'll pay $50 the year.
while bioi in coal would be H.
censed Tor 30 the year. Retailers,
commonly known as local dealers.
would be obliged to pay $25 the
| year for a license
Any violation of this law, the
bill provides. would be a misdem
eanor, and punishable according to
the. law by fine or Imprisonment
Mr.. Bowen Recommendations
followed study of the coal stu
alton this year, which has been
termed the most serious in the his
tory of the Northwest. No hard
coal is stocked at the Head of the
Lakes, and 1t is only due to the
open winter, that no dire suffering
has been reported.
Many communities have received
no hard coal this season. but with
the use of substitute fuel, were able
to heat their homes, but not with
out considerable Inconvenience.
Depends Upon Lake Traffic.
in the Northwest follower the strike
of anthracite miners and before
sufficient quantity of this grade of
coal could be moved 10 the North
west the lakes were frozen over and
navigation was suspended. This
territory depends entirely upon
lake shipment for their bard coal
supplies.
Although some coal is shipped in
to this territory, all rail, the move
ment of these carriers is SO uncer
tain Ia Indictment weather that no
reliance can be placed OH the rail
roads for furnishing sufficient sup
ply for the needs of the Northwest
The railroad and warehouse com
mission would have, power to make
examination Of all books of the var
ious coal companies and ascertain
where every ton of coal, was deliv-
cred, either to a domestic user or
to some steam user. 1t also could
investigate the kind sf coal delivered
in these instances.
Check On Profiteerins.
Although not specifically stating
that the commission would have
control over prices to be quoted on
coal. the power Of Investigation is
given the commission, which power
includes the investigation of prices
paid by wholesalers and retailers.
and prices paid by consumers. 1t
is evidently the thought OF the au-
thor to PIT check on profiteering
A hearing on any point of the law
involving dealers of coal, could be
called at any time by the commits
sion and witnesses subpoenaed this
particularly applies it appears to
price regulation or profiteering.
MIR. Bowen. emphasized that many
of the southern Minnesota commun-
tiles are turning to the use of sub.
stitute fuel for hard Goal. and as
a result the consumption of this
grade Of fuel in the future will be
considerably lessened.
The report in addition TO its rec
ommendation for the passage of the
fuel bill also gives the history of
the coal shortage exDerienced this