The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-12-27
AEiCITY COAL.

- NThH VIII S
The IntelEgeneer of Wednesday
morning INDUCED in some structures
upon the committee appointed to fur
pish coal to our citizens during the re-
cent "panic" that seem to us scarcely
warranted by the facts in the case. In
order to protect the people against ex-
tortion in the price Of coal, a commits
tee of four members of the Council was
directed to procure coal wherever 1t
could be had cheapest, and dispose Of
il to purchasers at cost. The committee
was furnished with no funds for the &C
complishment Of this purpose, nor was
it authorized to draw upon the city
treasury for any Of the expenses OF the
operation. The members Of the com.
mittee were thus compelled TO pay out
of their private funds or become
otherwise personally responsible
Tor the stock of coal purchased 10 COM
pliance with the resolution. 1t was
found that the number of bushels in Q
car load did not always hold out In
accordance with the number paid
for. To make good any deficit that
might occur in this way and to secure
themselves against loss from the failure
of any purchaser to pay, they added
one.half cent per bushel to the cost o.
the coal and retailed it to citizens al
eight cents Two OF the members OF
the committee informed us yesterday
that this halt cent margin had been
found barely sufficient to protect the
committee from actual pecuniary loss
and that they had received no compen-
sation whatever for the time spent by
them in procuring aud distributing coal
They are ready to report to Council at
any time when called upon to do so.
The IntelIgencer complains that in
some instances the coal furnished by
the committee was not weighed, and
mentions the case of one man who
claimed to have paid for forty.two
bushels and received by weight only
thirty-fve. The circumstances Of the
case, as related to us, are these: The
gentleman referred to is an dttache OF
the Lnteliqencer office. He ordered
from a driver on the street forty'two
bushels OF coal and paid the driver for
it. The coal not being delivered when
expected, be went to one Of the MEM
bers of the committee and complained.
The committeeman informed him that
ne had no connection with the driver
in question, aud would not furnish the
coal until he had himself received the
paw. The driver subsequently appeared
and got a load of coal for the forty
two bushel man weighed 1t and found
that it contained only thirty-fve bush
els =; and paid the member Of the city
committee for thirty five bushels and no
more. The transaction was one for
which the committee had no RESPONSE
bility and was not liable to blame.
As regards the continuance Of the
committees operations, we are informed
that the coal dealers having last week
resumed the delivery of coal to their
customers at the old prices, the COM
mittee resolved to discontinue their sup
ply. 1t was not the intention OF Coun-
Gil to engage permanently in the coal
business, and the members OF the COM
mittee are not disposed to continue
their gratuitous services one day longer
than they may be needed for the pro-
lection ofthe people against the combi-
nation which few weeks ago doubled
the price of fuel. From the Informal
ton we have received we are satisfied
that the committee deserves the thanks
of the people rather than any public
censure.