Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-18
Cost Setting by Wholesaler
in Supplying Retailers
Charged by Roberts.
GOLFERS PAY TO PEG
FIGURE, D. C. is TOLD
Bills to Consumers Cited to Show
Increases-Bride's Opinion on
2,000-Lb. Unit Asked.

The Departm mt of Justice may be
inves igate charges of price Liking on
coal in Washington, coincident with
the change in the system of selling
from the regular long ton of 2,24C
pounds to 200o-pound unit.
The charges were made by George M
Roberts, superintendent of weights
measures and markets, who is conduct
ing an investigation into the change in
the method of selling.
Mr.. Roberts, in his report to thf
Commissioners recently, submitted q
leaflet from a wholesale coal dealer il,
which the retailers were instructed &c
sell coal for a certain price or get nc
more coal from that particular whole
Saler.
Price Fixing Levy Barred.
Mr.. Roberts says he has information
that, at a meeting of coal merchants
held here recently. there was an as
sessment levied against them all for
the purpose of advertising the change
in the weight unit and also for main
tanning the price of coal. He says he
has not been able to obtain a list
OF merchants attending the meeting.
In this situati Corporation Coun-
sci William w. Bride said the ques-
ton probably could be settled better
by the Department of Justice than by
the District Government, although he
did not say definitely the Federal Gov
ernnment would be called on for a
decision
The District Commissioners today in
structed Mr. Bride to render a rewrit-
ten opinion as to whether 1t Is legal
for Washington dealers to sell coal in
units of 1000 pounds. instead Of by the
long ton OF 2,240 pounds, as directed by
the act of March 3. 1921.
The Commissioners authorized an in
vestige ton April 2 into the sale Of
coal by units, when Supt. Roberts called
to their attention advertisements in the
local press. notifying the public of the
change and calling attention to reduced
coal prices.
Prices Advanced.
In his statement yesterday Mr.
Roberts pointed out that. as to certain
customers at least, the price OF coal has
not been reduced, and has, on the con-
trary, slightly advanced.
His statement read:
The impression that there has been
a reduction in coal prices all along the
line in Washington, as well as reduc-
ton in the weight of the ton by coal
dealers, does not appear to stand up
under scrutiny, and in some instances
at least, there has been an advance in
price 1t is not fair to compare the
prices for April this year with the
prices prevailing in Winter. Prices are
always lower in the Spring. The fair
way is TO compare present prices with
prices last Spring.
II have examined some bills rendered
by dealers to consumers. In one case
a consumer bought last May seven long
tons of coal of a widely advertised
name, and paid for same $99.75, which
is at the rate of 635 per 1000 pounds.
The same coal in the present month
was priced 10 the same customer by the
short ton. or so-called 2,000-pound unit,
at S12.75. which is at the rate of S6.37 2
per 1000 pounds. A slight advance in
stead OF a reduction.
Bills Show Higher Cost.
Examination of bills rendered to a
substantial business concern disclOses
that in March this year it paid $3.50
per long ton for certain grade of soft
coal In the present month Of April,
ILLS same was ILldl SCd 4OL Nllt
same grade OF coal, by the same dealer,
$685. per short ton, or so-called 1000
pound unit, which is an advance in
price. The manager of this concern,
purchasing this coal, informs me that
the advance in price will amount TO
between S35 and $40 per month on the
quantity it customarily uses.
Another consumer has brought TO
me bills showing a slight advance over
last month on the same kind OF coal
purchased by him.
I'm March of this year. a dealer who
is sending out large numbers of circu-
lars in regard to low prices of coal in
April sold to customer, who is poor.
and therefore buys low grade CT coal
in small quantities. half of long ton,
1920. pounds, for S4.75, including Stor-
ing. In April the same dealer sold
the same customer half of short ton,
or 900 pound, for which he charged
$425, and the purchaser stored it him
self. Deducting 40 cents from the
March bill fer storing, which is the
advertised price for storing half ton,
this consumers bills indicate that he
was charged only 10 cents less money
and was sent 120 pounds less coal.
LAS early as possible 1t is my inten-
ton to explore the ramifications OF the
admitted system of price-fiXing to re-
tailers being operated by at least one
of the large wholesale coal dealers in
this city. / intend, also, If possible, To
ascertain whether there is a general
system of price-fiXing in existence here.
THE only substantial reduction, ex-
cept weight, which I have found is In
the wage they propose to allow the col
ored man who stores the coal by heaV-
ing it in on his back"
Al hCKhM EEISI ATTIRE