Show regarding freight rates on coal from utah mines mr editor regarding your front page item ol 01 last week on wagons hauling coal in competition with the rail roads at ephriam and other san pete county points I 1 am unable to agree with your informant as to this coal supply and wagon transportation nor with your own statement that the condition la Is 4 brought about by exorbitant freight rates I 1 am reliably informed by a man who has been a resident of ephriam for many years that conditions are about as follows the mine in question is in straight canyon about 35 miles from ephream and the coal is of a i very interior inferior quality in fact the mine price of 2 60 50 la is high tor for this grade of coal prosperity which has been just around the corner tor for some time line has not yet made the turn ani and the farmers have more time than money it takes three days to make a lound trip to the mine and two tons Is a good load owing to the rough nature of the country putting the wage of a man ind team at 5 00 which Is low enough three days at that pay would be 15 16 00 and the two tons of coal costing him 5 00 at the mine makes 20 00 which would make the de livened cost of the coal 10 00 per ton while coal from tho the mines located on the railroads is delivered on tho the cars at ephriam for 7 60 per to toi 1 5 50 being the mine price and 10 freight As a matter of tact fact the freight rates a n coal have not been changed ince the first increase when the government assumed control of the loads this increase averaged from 40 to 60 cents per ton while vie mine cost of coal has gone fron fro i 2 30 to 5 50 another tact fact that may be of interest to your readers Is this the recent rate reduction on ores not t only biped out the federal increases but on ores to local smelters wis was reduced to 20 per cent below the pre war rate probably the greatest re luction in the history of the mi ing industry the railroads rall roade like the winou ad ministration are assumed to be the cause of all our ills past present and tp to come and it only remains ft fl someone to announce that the roads are responsible tor for keeping the turk in europe the grand jury now in session has been called to investigate not the freight rate on coal but tho the mine price and I 1 believe your state ment that railroad rates are re for the present high prices was made without your usual care tul ful investigation of the acts facts F J DUGGAN |