Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-13
SHORTAGE OF COAL
One of the Serious Results of the
Weather.
VERY LITTLE FUEL LEFT
Almost Impossible to Deliver to
Householders
W H AT D EALERS SAY
W II AT DE LERS SAY

\
coal famine, due to the intolerable weather.
is now threatening the residents of the city.
| Many of the residents who have had the
| foresight to put in full winters supply in
! the early fall will net be affected by the
| present condition of affairs, but those who
| have no means of keeping a supply on
| hand are the ones who will feel the famine
for a few days at the least Just how long
| the present trouble will last is purely a
| matter of conjecture, but Il seems most
| likely that as soon as the weather clears
| up relief of some sort will be afforded.
! The places that will most feel the search
| ty of coal are those where machinery is
| operated, and where a large quantity is
| daily consumed. This applies to manufac-
| turing houses, the saw mills and other
| places. Likewise the power houses of the
| different railroads, of the electric light
| companies, and also the gas companies are
| expected to feel the scarcity of the useful
| commodity. A coal famine is something
| that one would hardly dream of. yet such
| thing is just as probable ice famine
| in the summer time, and. in fact, has come
| to a matter of realization
| The householder who made a scant calcu-
| lation for coal for the present winter, and
| which has disappeared rapidly under the
present cold wave. VIII feel the mis- take
| that has been made Likewise those who
| have but limited facilities for keeping
| fuel, and whose supply has unfortunately
run out at this critical time. Not only will
| they suffer from the condition of affairs,
| but also the poor people who have no
money with which to purchase more than
/ fraction of a ton of coal at a time
The power plants however. will be most
! affected. Only limited amount of coal is
! places use bituminous coal The Cnes-
apeake and Ohio canal is closed for the
| season. No boats running and none
| could run on accol MT of the ice So far as
! be learned less than WI
| on hand at the beginning of winter and
| most of that was in the hands of one COM
pany. Since then heavy drains have been
made on the pile, and the total quantity
has been reduced by fully one-half, if not
mere.
| The greatest shippers of bitumineus coal
| In this section are perhaps Meredith, Win
| ship 4 Co, This company gets its coal
| from Cumberland, and it hardly pays to
Keep such large quantity on hand over
winter The danger of flood freshet
| makes it a big risk to run, the high
| ter is likely to sweep away the coal stored
| on the wharf. No extraordinary demand
ike the present was anticipated for coal.
| Mr.. NlnShlp OF the company stated this
| morning that there would be no serious
| trouble from this source in his opinion.
| While the full supply of coal has not as
yet been exhausted. il is nearly all gone.
| What is moe, the supply on hand will not
last the remainder of the season. The small
| quantity, compare lively spea king that now
| remains cannot be delivered at present as
| the blizzard and the heavy snow practical
| ly blocks the streets and renders traffic
| almost impracticable. There is absolutely
| no way of getting additional coal by means
| or the canal. So long as the river is frozen
| no coal can come by that source, and the
| only means of getting coal to the city is by
| the steam railroads. The storm has even
| blocked traffic to considerable extent by
this means, and until the weather moder-
! ates there will be no chance of increasing
| the present supply.
Coal Famine Predicted.
| Mr.. r. d. Weaver the president of the
| Metropolitan railroad, in speaking with a
| Star reporter yesterday, predicted a coal
| famine, especially for the power plants. He
| stated that on account of the extreme cold
| weather it was almost impossible TO get in
! an additional supply, and that the quantity
| on hand has been diminished to consider
| ably extent. If the cold wave continued he
predicted a coal famine. and he evidently
| knew of what he was talking. In his opn-
! ion many places would be caught unawares
! by the scarcity.
| In the anthracite coal line there is also
| temporary famine. While there may be
! plenty of coal in the city, sufficient to sup
ply all present demands, there is means
| of delivering it. There was probably not
| dealer in the city today who would take an
| order for coal and agree to deliver it. Very
| few, if any carts were to be seen on the
| streets.
! All day yesterday, despite the fact that it
| was Sunday. WIS used by the coal dealers
| in hauling coal They evidently anticipated
some trouble from this source and i'm
| proved the time Yesterday was a bad
| enough day TO deliver coal, but it was mild
| compared with today. OF all of the coal
| that was delivered yesterday, not a single
| full load was sent on one trip. Some of the
| carts and wagons were only half laden,
| necessitating two trips for a full load
| Even with this lightened load it was neces-
| sary for the drivers to frequently stop and
| rest the horses.
| Impossible to Deliver
| A Star reporter visited the office of one of
| the leading dealers of the city this morning
| He was informed that not a single order of
coal for delivery was taken; that it was i'm
| possible TO deliver the same, and for that
| reason no orders were taken. Only orders
| for small quantities were taken, bushel,
half bushel or peck and then the customer
was required to take the same away with
| him. The orders given by the Associated
| Charities were honored, but the recipients
| were required TO carry the coal away with
| them.
| The clerk in charge of the Office informed
| the reporter that an increase had been
| made in the price of coal from 81 to 81 80
! per ton. He explained that the trouble
| was due entirely to the condition of the
| streets, the blizzard rendering it impossible
| for the carts or wagons to deliver orders
| As soon as the snow was over he thought
| that things would resume their normal con-
| d1tfon, and that all orders would be prompt
| ly filled.
There was plenty of coal in transit, but
| the railroads are all tied up and there is no
/ telling when the supply will arrive. As
| soon as traffic opens and the snow gets
| beaten down in the streets there will be no
| difficulty in getting out orders, and then
! the price of coal would go down to where
| II was before the blizzard. The dealers are
| doing their utmost to supply their custom
| ers, but because of the heavy travelling only
l half ton can be taken at load. Some of
the dealers refused absolutely to send out a
/ load and few of them would take orders for
| future delivery.
| PROVISIONS (.0IN(, ZIP