Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1918 — EXCESSIVE PROFITS ON COAL [ARTICLE]

EXCESSIVE PROFITS ON COAL

Rensselaer Man Compares Prices Here and Elsewhere. “While Rensselaer has been quite well supplied with coal during the fuel shortage, there’s a reason—the local dealers are making more money on coal now than they ever made since they have been in ness, and have been hustling to get coal that the golden harvest might continue,” said a gentleman to The Democrat this week. “Take, for instance, Linton large lump. They are cleaning up about SIOO on each car, or $2 per ton. This coal costs them $2.80 at the mines; the freight is $1.07 and the war tax $1.50 on a 50-ton car, making >3.90 per ton here. They sell it at $6 per ton. Not so bad, over two dollars profit on a less than four dollar investment. ‘‘This coal is sold in Francesville at $4.50 per ton, or $1.50 less than here. The freight rate to Francesville, however, is 97 cents per ton, ten cents less than to Rensselaer, although the distance from the mines is almost identically the same and complaint should be made to the public service commission to remedy this injustice. “I am not advised regarding the percentage of profit on hard coal, but it is probably about the same. So ‘there’s a reason’ why our dealers are putting forth strenuous efforts to secure coal to supply their trade —it is golden profits for them, perhaps, as well as a desire to keep their patrons from freezing. “The Francesville dealer makes 70 cents a ton on Linton lump and the Rensselaer dealer $2.10, and the former says he doesn’t see the Rensselaer dealers ‘get by with it.’ As it is, the coal business in Rensselaer is paying a larger per cent of profit than any business in Jasper ; county.’’