Show COAL MEN SCATTER SCAliER TIER AT COMBINE REPORT Local Dealers Deny That They Will Increase Price of Heat Producing Commodity FAMINE IS PREDICTED Wont Won't Raise Baise Price Unless Absolutely Forced To Is Declaration of One Dealer The premature announcement that the Independent retail coal dealers have combined to raise the price of soft coal 50 cents a ton next Wednesday Wednes Wednes- da day has thrown consternation Into the camp of ot the tho coal dealers Yesterday Yesterday Yes Yes- ay it was Impossible to find anyone anyone anyone any any- one connected with the movement with witha a a. fine tine tooth comb Th The leaders In the movement Immediately took to cover coYer At the same time some of ot tho the local dealers did not hesitate to say that though tho they were wore not nol in the combine the deal would be put through as outlined out lined The wholesale dealers apparently are the only persons with a logical reason reason reason rea rea- son for boosting the tile price They have been lor Jor for some time unable to get their coal to market and the outlook for better transportation does docs not appear bright This state of affairs has existed existed ex ox- ex- ex isted for years ears with the exception of or last winter when coal was plentiful The abundance of the commodity last winter was due to the fact tact that the weather was unusually mild and the demand showed a corresponding de decrease do- do crea crease c. c This winter the tile dealers look for severe ere weather and they declare there will be a shortage of coal within another another another an an- other month The supply on hand now Is large but the fact that little coal Is coming Into the city gives color to the statement Nevertheless p. the wholesalers do not contemplate an Increase e in the tile trade rate rute They admit that such Much a course ma may be necessary In the near future but they thoy are at loss just now to ac- ac county for the action of or the combine One prominent dealer pointed out that the combine would be sure to de defeat defeat defeat de- de feat Its Us own ends as It would give the small dealers an opportunity t to undercut undercut un un- un the bl big fellows who are obliged to stay in the business the year rear round There arc are a number of ot coal firms here that only onh come coins Into existence for the five winter months and their expenses are correspondingly h gly small Those men would welcome the combine with great glee Jlee as sW business Is anything but good at pre present ent and they would not consider joining the combine for fora a moment Glad to See Increase J. J S. S Critchlow of the Western Vestern Fuel company compan says sas frankly that he would welcome an Increase as at present the margin upon which the dealers are w working la is scarcely sufficient to make both ends meet Xe he would not Join the combine and is not In favor of more than a 2 25 cent cent in In- In crease None Nono of the dealers has made malIc malIcan an any profit proUt dunin during the past year said Mr Ir Critchlow and and the future futuro does docs not look any brighter According to present Indications we shall have a famine within a short time Ume and be Inthe Inthe in inthe the same box as we were winter be before before before be- be fore last when we could not get et half the tho supply necessary ry to fill orders We Vo shall not raise the tho price unless absolutely absolutely forced to for self protection In order to meet the cost of ot hauling Mr Critchlow apparently sums up the general Jeneral opinion In Ill this respect Th The only argument put forward for lm by I the thc combine leaders IS the business b s sIs is going to rack and ruin and something something something some some- thing must be done to prevent failure There is a significant lack of ot concerted concerted con con- opinion among amon the retailers however howe regarding the present move move- ment For that matter the retailers have never pulled to an any ex ex- ex tent Individually Individual the they y dery the n ne necessity ie- ie for raising the price at the tIme same time they pOint out the necessity necessity I sIt sity for tor som i action None one of ot th them m appear anxious to bo br quoted as lc leaders of ot the combine combino ant and remark on the tho beautiful weather we weare weare weare are having when an attempt Is made to pin them down downto to the main point |