Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-27

Confined from First Page
of 1000 pounds and the cost for the
size ton Washington dealers must de-
liver would be l. per cent additional.
Then the inquiry turned to the past
and present wholesale prices OF coke.
Prices of Coke.
What IS coke bringing now" ask
ed a member of the committee.
Mr. Raymond first explained THAI
the coke manufacturers seem to have
an agreement whereby they deliver
their product to a certain city for a
definite price For instance, coke
manufactured in Baltimore would be
sold in Washington for exactly the
same price that it would cost to get
coke here from Kentucky or even
Birmingham. Ala. despite tremen-
dous difference in freight rae. It
developed that the last price paid here
was trife under Sill.
What Is the latest quotation for
shipments now" Mr.. Raymond was
asked.
I'm tell YOU" volunteered another
coal merchant. because l have just
been in touch with the Pittsburgh
ovens. 1t is $3.50 IA ton at the ovens
that doesn't include freight or any
thing-that i. at the ovens. And II S
the same coke that went begging for
$3.50 q ton Iast August, before the an
thracite strike Other coal men cor
roborated this statement.
Holds Figures Significant.
Nov. Mr.. Chairman" declared Sen
ator Copeiand. who hitherto had taken
little part in the proceedings. Il think
these facts are very significant. The
Senator from Pennsylvania referring
to senator Reed told us the other day
that the retail merchants of Washing
ton We're protit@erlng in coal. | am
beginning 10 believe that there is some
pIutteerng other places. too. l am
mot seeking to defend these Washing
ton merchants, but | intend from now
on 10 look into what is going on at
the mines in West Virginia and Penn
Sylvania.
This all leads To one conclusion-we
must have a fuel administrator. We
are entitled TO all of the facts. not just
ii few accusations against these little
dealers here in one city. ] want to
know more about what these coal and
coke operators are doing and sOm2-
thin@ more about their prices than
mere broad statements"
Only Human Nature"
Senator Nicely replied that the oper-
a'ors of West Virginia would he
brought before the committee any
lime il requested them. At this point
It was developed by Senator Copeland
that the bituminouS operators had
been running their mines at a loss
prior To the anthracite strike and other
Senators suggested that it would
only he human nature" if they now
sought to recoup these losses when
their product represents the only large
source OF fuel available.
Some idea of how the wholesale
prices of bituminous coal have in
creased was furnished by Senator
Glass earlier in the hearing when he
declared that it had only cost him
about $3.50 "A ton to deliver some
PoCUEontaS lump coal direct into his
cellar before the anthracite strike
When the question of the operators
recovering previous losses arose, Sen
atOr Glass observed that while it
might be human nature" it certain
~ did not help to make the price of
coal cheaper to the consumer.
Mrs. Martha Robrecht branch pres.
ident of the international Sunshine
Society, created a mild sensation
when she dumped a small box of
black dust on the committee table
and declared she had paid a local
dealer % cents for 100 pounds of it,
and had to pay additional to have 1t
carted from the yard. This would
have meant price of close to So
a ton for the coal. 1t developed, how
ever, that the coal she offered was
anthracite, and not bituminous There
IS no anthracite to be had in Wash
lnston now, coal men declared, at any
price.
Mr.. Suter IN the course Of his tes-
tlmony categorically corrected many
Of the earlier statements of Mr.. Nc
Nann, among them being Mr.. Nc