The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-14
DANGER OF A
fuel FAMINE.
Coal and Wood Hard to Get For Love
or Money.
SOME HAULED IN CARRIAGES.
Prominent Citizens Lugged IL Along
in Bass-One Man offered TO Hire
a Hearse TO Get Home-Ibrec
POrchcs Give Away 20 Snow.
SOME HAULED IN CARRIAGES.


serious that faced the good citizens OF
| Richmond yesterday. There was "a IRAN
| tic demand Tor that useful mineral ah
| day long. There were Jew people VINO
dreamed that this lair city, winch ls
known up North as the headquarters OF
the sunny south. would be tangled up ln
a blizzard Tor Gays 20 come Wiih nltie
hope OF nythins out Dltter cold Weatnrf
10 break up all the entertainments, hteet-
/ ings OF various sorts, and paialylc ou-i-
ness. The consequence Was tnt- tncy
| did not lay i'm any very great supply oi
coal Tor an abnormal state of AFFAIRS.
Then IL did not occur 40 many thdt
when the mercury is saunicrng up ami
| down in most impudent way coal vau-
/ ishes like a dew-arop in toe sunlight
| Everybody who haG any consileraD.
amount of coal on hand nlled up al TIC
CRATES sat around and smoked good
cigars and never minded tho weather
/ Not few citizens We're victims oi fuel
thieves. and with all these Ci-cumstances
conspiring against them many awokc 10
the fact yesterday that they were nearly
out of coal.
VERY LITTLE RELIEF.
When ] went 20 the telephone 10 order
coal vereybody I'm Richmond seemed TO
be doing the same thing.
Cant YOU get me mp half q load?'
have little richt away and the rest
can come later. yelled another pitifuliy.
while the coal man remained serene and
informed AN inquiries that he was doing
the best he could. and there was no
chance 10 fll half the orders taken.
Few Of the coal dealers were willing
10 promise that orders would DE deIlF-
cred in Jess than two or three days. Not
few OF The citizens of Richmond who
have money 10 burn" failed 10 get
enough other fuel TO keep an their other
fires going.
u was q surprising fact that made
the outlook blue indeed 20 see men who
were worth from $1,000 90 5000 carrying
coal home in their bugpies. while some
trudged along with bags full on their
backs. 4 number of private carriages
owned by well known citizens I'm the
western part Of the city had 90 be press
ed into service 90 carry bags of coal and
small wood to their homes.
one gentleman who is amply able 10
buy a ton OF coal a day for use did not
have a bushel I'm his house and went
10 q coal dealer and begged I'm vain 20
have "A load delivered az his home. He
had 10 borrow some from his neighbor
and have it carried TO his house in small
bags through the fence.
The dealers did the best they could.
and they all had large forces az work
during the entire day and mp 10 g o'clock
last night trying TO Ill their orders al
least i'm part.
A NEW HEADGEAR.
Down at the Security Bank the furn-
ace coal had given out, and the place
was ancomfortably cold during the day.
one clerk built him a head-gear made
out of a paper-box that covered his whole
face. and cut holes for his eyes The
holes were covered with small windows
through which he peered while doing his
work.
Many of the Office buildings were cut
off from a supply of fuel, and became too
cold for one 10 work I'm. At the Aims
house Superintendent Davis succeeded IN
getting four tons OF coal for use yester-
dav with a promise Of more to-day. He
came near having a fuel famine during
the day The horses and mules had a
rough time of it during the day IL was
pitiful 10 see the poor animals working,
putting. blowing and slipping while climb
ing tho hills.
II was almost impossible for people to
recognize their friends on the street.
Everything was worn that wts.ld keep
out the cold or the snow. Some people
wore big yarn socks over their shoes.
Ieggins sweaters, scarfs OF all sorts
caps. furs. and everything that had any
warmth I'm II was brought into service.
Representative citizens looked more Ike
foot-pads than like peaceable, harmless
business men. One could easily imagine
he was I'm the Kl0ndike or following
Nansen on an extensive Northern tour
Appearances were dead against any
man who stuck his nose out Of the door
long enough TO get 10 red Ike a beet
Tben there were blue lips pinched
checks. eyes drawn mp and swollen and
AN sorts of physical sights that never
were seen before. Nobody seemed 10
care whether he looked IKE a gentleman
ar a tramp There were no dudes in
,oyrn Creases and shines high collars
and linked cuffs all Jared about alike On
the storm
pines froze up all over the city during
the dav Not only supply-Dipes but
0,aste-Dines were Of no avail And this
was the case in many Of the large build
inos I'm the city where there are many
offices. This was a source OF great IN
convenience 10 hundreds. Tn not few
cases there was water FAMINE threat
ened. .....,,.,
BUSINESS PARALYZED.
During the day half the stores IN Ricn-
roond were not open for business. ln
@,ct business was largely paralyzed.
pforl, after block down Broad and Main
sfreets included stores closed tight ana
the snow banked up against the doors
two feet deep.
The postmen had very hard time oil
II but they made two deliveries, ana
reformed their duties faithfully. III was
a matter of general comment now wei
thcv got through their business
The grocery wagons did very little nus-
mess. Many or the grocers and market
mon took orders with the understanding
maj they would not deliver them prompt
Ia bur whenever they could, while some
declined TO even try 20 deliver goods
one grocer sold eggs at retail on Sd'uI-
dav for . cents per dozen. Yesterday me
paid s5 cents per dozen for them by INC
crate. .,,.r.
WANTED A HEARsE.
The question Of transportation ABOUT
the city was a serious one. Carriages ana
cabs could not be secured for love OF
money. A few sleighs were rissea UP LOT
ppbIic service. and many business men
were hauled back and forth on theih
only "A few carriages could be gotten
and some OF the liverymen declined TO
allow their teams to go out during the
storm. ,
one gentleman. who is coipulent' ana
who is NOT fond Of moving with any de-
gree of rapidity struggled hard to get a
conveyance 10 carry him home for din
ner. From his end Of the phone the iol-