The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-10-06
TO FIGHT THE COLD.
How a Great City Prepares for
the Winter.
How the Vast Supply OF Incoming
Coal Is Handled.

The troublesome problem of keeping
warm during tho winter with the unhap-
py necessity of laying in stock Of coal
entailed thereby, is rapidly drawing near.
The fact is appreciated both by the man
who contracted in the spring for his coal
supply and by the man who neglected this
course of wisdom beca Nso the winter seem
cd so far Off 1t Is witnessed also by activ
ity along the docks and in the railroad
yards, for Chicago, as well as the indi-
vidual citizen, Is thinking of its coal sup
ply.
About the end Of September or the be-
ginning of October Of each year there
comes moro or less sudden increase In
the shipments of coal on the great lakes
The demand for fuel, which commonly re-
ceives its winter impetus at that ime, and
the approach of the closing of naviga. ion
both act as incentives to the shippers. For
the two or three months after the date
mentioned during which shipment is pos
sible the lakes are covered with coal carry
ing craft, large per cent of which are on
their way to the great distributing and
consuming point at the head of Lake Mich
igan. For the present year this fall In
crease in the coal trade has begun, and
Chicago is now tho scene of considerable
activity in that line.
Along the river, and especially the north
branch, and at the south Chicago harbor,
in the Calumet river, are the great coal
yards which supply the city and good
share of the neighboring territory with
fuel There are score or more of the
large ones, and they cover acre upon acre
of ground. A single shed in ono roofs
over nearly six acreaof bins and storage
space and has q capacity of some loo, 600
tons. Another, when filed, accounts for
an amount bordering on the 10, 900 ton
mark, and there arc dozen moro OF
capacities, ranging from this down to 30-
600 or 80, 1000 tons.
1t Is possible TO compute pretty exactly
the number of tons of coal which the city
will tuck away In yards and bins during
the next month or SO. The figures arc
large. Since the opening of navigation, In
April, almost 650. 900 tons of anthracite
coal alone, according 70 the figures of the
Chicago bureau OF coal statistics, have been
brought to the city by water. Not quite
500, 600 tons have been received by rail.
And Sept 10 there were over 600, 900 tons
stored in the coal yards of the big dealers.
These figures, however, are small COM
of October, November and such part Of
December while navigation is practicable.
The receipts in these three months, or
less, will In all probability exceed by many
thousand tons the amount received In the
five months of navigation already passed.
In October, November and December of
1898 over zoo, 600 tons of anthracite coal
was brought TO Chicago by boat, and 1895
was a poor year In the coal business. The
receipts for 1896 will pass those figures. A
million and half tons for tho year s re-
ceipts by water does not greatly exceed tho
estimated amonnt, and these figures fall
short of tho amount which will be con-
sumod In the city, for but n small percent
ago of the rpceipts by land and water Is
SHIPPED ont of town.
OF bituminous coal 5000, 600 tons OF
moro will be tho years record, nearly four
ffths of which will bc locally consumed.
But ths trade In soft coal Is an all year
one, most of It coming I'm by rail, and tho
late fall secs no such remarkable increase
in receipts as Is found I'm the case OF an
thracitc
The handling Of tho great quantities OF
coal received during the busy season Is n
matter of no small proportions. speed
and cheapness are the two great essentials,
both of which are continually striven for.
Speed there must be, on the month Of Oc-
tobor would find the river blocked with
vessels waiting chance to unload their
freight. Chcapncss Is needed, lest that
important part Of the business known as
the profits lie destroyed Both have been
found In tho methods employed.
Tho methods of n modern yard capable
OF storing from 1000 TO 100, 900 tons Of
coal are worthy Of INSPECTION. In the
dullcst times they are interesting, and
when the fall increase Of business has be-
gun and men and machinery are both
busy they are doubly -. From the hatch