New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1923-07-26
PRICE OF COAL UP
5OCENTS IN BOSTON
Mayor Warns Against Going
Il, Above SIG

DOblOU, July uS PttNC Va eAA
thracite has gone up so cents a ton
in Boston, to $3.50 ton. There has
been no public announcement of the
increase. Mayor Curley said yester-
day that, II the coal dealers boost the
price beyond the s16 maximum of last
year, he will ask the City Council for
a 100000 appropriation to put the
city into the coal business again, just
as It was last year.
He regards thir early increase as a
remarkable commentary on the re-
Gently published interview with John
Hays Hammond of the Federal Coal
Commission. that there is plenty of
for, nor likelihood of an increase in
price.
The mayor said that he had had no
intention to start another competition
with coal dealert, but that the actual
fact of this early increase, and the
conflicting opinions as to shortage, or
strike, the demands for an extra ses-
sion of Congress on the part of even
some republican congressman, all
constitute a menace which he feels 1t
is his duty to meet, in the interest of
public welfare.
The report that anthracite had ad-
vanced SO cents a ton last week was
verified last night, but that fact is
nothing that should alarm the citizens
Of the state, according to William A.
Clark, president of the New England
Coal Dealers Association.
The rise in price is just the natur-
al result of existing conditions" he
said, which include the increased cost
OF labor, freightage and the unusual
demands now being put on the retail
coal dealers by an excited and panicky
public.
Recent propaganda which has CIV
en- rise to stories which state that an
thracite will cost from $50 to s25 a
ton this winter. together with Oft
printed advice to citizens everywhere
to buy their coal early has brought
about swapping of the coal deal
ers, with the result that their bins are
now empty and their shipments Of
coal are delivered as soon as unload
ed from the cars and barges.'
Mr.. Clark reiterated the statement
Of Eugene c. Huffman, chairman of
the Massachusetts, commission Of the
necessaries of life, printed Monday, in
saying that fully as much hard coal
has been mined since April / this year
as during the same period of time in
any other year UP to the present, not
even excepting the record breaking
year of 1918. The situation now is
different than 1t was them" he ex-
planned. ION April 1 of this year.
dealers had no coal at all in their
bins, and although we have since re-
ceived our pro rata shipment of about |
100000 tons of anthracite a month, |
the dealers have sold and delivered 1t |
almost on receipt. and many persons
right now are ready for the coming
cold weather, for they have full bins
We use 100000 tons of anthracite
a year, and our shipments have been
coming In steadily and In normal
amounts.
with this normal delivery of coal
this year, the dealers had on hand, on
the first of July, approximately 1884,
900 tons in their bins. They normally
would have had between 100000 and
100000 tons. The coal came in, but
with customers demanding immediate
filling of their orders, the dealers were
unable to get any coal ahead. The
general condition is, however, the
same all over the country where an
thracite is used The dealers have none
but their customers have. and so the
prospects for the coming winter are
bright rather than otherwise: this,
provided, of course. there is no ces-
sation, after September l, of anthra-
cite production.
Explains Situation
The situation in a nutshell Is this"