Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 238, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1920 — WANT MUNICIPAL COAL YARD [ARTICLE]

WANT MUNICIPAL COAL YARD

PETITIONS BEING CIRCULATED TO BE PRESENTED TO CITY COUNCIL. I The following petition is being circulated: , PETITION. To the City Council of Rensselaer, Indiana* We, the undersigned citizens, do beg leave to file this petition, with the Honorable Board, asking for relief in thfs time of anguish and ,worry as to the procuring of coal for our comfort and need. We feel that*there is being an unjust profit exacted from us on coal. We would that this council purchase the coal for its citizens, under the city’s contract, then let the people have it at 31.00 a ton profit, and buy the car load at 50 cents profit a ton. We would suggest that the money be deposited for all coal, before coal was purchased of wholesalers, and in exchange a receipt for the amount of coal to be procured by each firm or individual at the railroad track, or as the Council sees fit. The City of Rensselaer has its lights and water, why not its coal in a like manner? We want to live and let live if they want to live as We live. Also that there be put in a city scale and weighmaster. We ask that our petition be promptly acted upon. Copies of the petition are being circulated and persons wishing to sign same can do so at the Montgomery News stand. There is a very great amount of uneasiness in the city as to the winter fuel supply. It seems that dealers have found it almost impossible to get coal without buying through jobbers and having to pay large premium and therefore making the coal very high. It is understood that nothing but premium hard coal has been received here and it has been sold as high as $lB and S2O per ton. Dealers claim that they have been unable to get coal from miners. The writer has seen the invoices of a number of cars of Indiana coal and the price has simply been outrageous. Some remedy for this condition should by all means be found. ' The hard coal situation is very critical. Dealers have received very little anthracite. One dealer was in Chicago last week and his firm promised him coal by December 1 and the retail price here would be much less than that which has been paid for the premium coal sold thus far this year.