Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1918 — CITY PAYS MORE FOR ITS COAL [ARTICLE]

CITY PAYS MORE FOR ITS COAL

City Light and Water Superintend dent Chamberlain received notice a few days ago of another hold-up of 5 cents per ton, or $2.50 per car, on coal used by the city, “under authority of the United States Fuel Administration publications 2(1, dated March 20, 1918, and No. 4-D-3, dated May 1, 1918,” the coal company from whom the city buys its coal announces. This company used to be producers, but under the government regulation allowing agents 15 cents per ton commission, it ber came an “agent” some months ago and boosted the price 15 cents per ton over the mine prices .it had been charging the city. This latter “regulation” makes 20 cents I>er ton more that the city is paying than it had been paying before

we got so much government regulation. Apparently what we need is some way of regulating the regulators. Mine run coal now costs the city $2.60 per ton at the mines, and with $1.07 freight and 3 cents per ton war tax makes it $3.70 laid down on car at Rensselaer.Later,—Fuel Administrator Garfield has just fixed the price of all bituminous coal at the mines at 10 cents per ton less than the above figures, effective May 25, and all coal leaving the mines after 7 o’clock last Saturday morning will be at the new price. Now if the fuel administrator will eliminate the “straw agents” it will mean another reduction that will help some. But right on top of this news comes the statement of an increase of 40 cents per ton in freight rates on coal to Rensselaer, so that it seems the consumer is bound to get it in the neck despite this brief ray of hope.