Evening star., 1925-09-16
COAL PRICE HERE
. CONTINUES STABLE
Dealers Will Take No Ad-
vantage of Situation,
Statement Says.

Although shipments of anthracite
coal into Washington, with the ex-
ception of pea and buckwheat sizes
have stopped. Washington dealers
have no disposition to take advantage
of the situation by adopting Increased
price schedules, the Washington Coal
Merchants Board of Trade declared
today in q statement.
There Is no disposition to take
advantage of, the situation and in
this connection there seems to be
| a determination to adhere to the nor
NAL margin Of profit, making no un-
warranted increases in prices" the
statement said.
Prices of anthracite coal in Wash :
ington were increased from Is to sc
cents a ton two weeks ago, the day
following the beginning Of the an
thracite strike on September l. This
increase, according to Jesse G. Suter
secretary of the board, was made
necessary by a rise in mine prices
and does not increase the margin al
which Washington dealers sell.
At the same time the board said
1t had an answer from Attorney Gen
eral Sargent refusing to give an opin-
ion on the legality of plan for emer-
gency coal distribution here. The
statement declared there is no imme-
date need for putting into operation
any general emergency distribution
plan, as dealers feel they have the
local coal situation satisfactorily in
hand"
1T is. of course, impossible to pre-
dict just what will be the outcome
of the present anthracite strike or its
duration" the statement added. but
there is a determination on the part
IF the individual members of the Coal
Merchants Board of Trade to take
entirely satisfactory care of the local
consumers. The local coal men, as
wide-awake merchants, fully appre-
ciate the responsibilities which the
present conditions impose upon them.
They are engaged in the business
OF supplying heat and comfort to the
community and this they intend to
continue. .eiould the present stocks
Of anthracite be exhausted before the
resumption of anthracite mining the
local merchants announce that they
will select for their customers the
very highest grade and most salts
factory substitute fuels, endeavoring
in each case TO supply the fuel best
suited to the needs of the particular
consumer.
Washington coal dealers have n
fair stock of domestic sizes on hand
III tueiT SdIuS at pIiCtS OillS SllS llly
in advance of the pre-strike figures.
The Philadelphia and Reading Coal
Co., from which many Of the Wash
ington dealers purchase their coal,
has advanced prices about so cents a
ton all along the line.
Although no general coal rationing
plan has been adopted by all the mem
bers of the board. the statement said
there is a tendency to insure the pres
ent stocks serving the largest number
of consumers. Mr.. Suter said this was
being done by spreading sales over
as many consumers as possible. This
Is evidenced by a rea sonable rationing
policy being generally followed as to
some domestic sizes for which there
is the largest demand"
While the Attorney General said he
had no authority to pass on a local
coal rationing plan. he expressed his
willingness to point out any features
Of doubtful legality in any plans sub
mitted by groups of business men. In
this connection" the statement said,
''it is interesting to note that the At
torney General did not call attention
to any features Of doubtful legality in
the plans submitted by the Coal Mer-
chants Board of Trade