The Indianapolis journal., 1901-12-22
hourly readings;

The cold has been so extreme and or such
duration that Indianapolis coal dealers fear
a famine in bituminous coal. There is
plenty of coal and coke on hand, it is
stated. bat the supply of soft coal is grow
ing short. 1t is feared that a number of
factories will be forced to temporarily sus-
pend operations unless they can get orders
filled for fuel. Should that unpleasant con-
tingency arise the teTrOrs of the cold spell
will be augmented by the sufferings of hun
dredS or workers who may be thrown out
Of employment at time when their fam
Ills most require their services as bread
wianers.
Men whose duties throw them in contact
with the thousands whose manner OF gain
ing living is at best hard and uncertain,
relate numerous incidents illustrating the
suffering caused by bitter weather. 1t Is
hard for the man in comfortable over
coat strolling down the street with
lighted perfecto between his teeth, TO real
ize the amount of actual suffering and
downright misery that curse the dwelling
places of many of the other half" The
duration OF the cold spell has caused hope
20 be a rare emotion in the hearts of a
good share Of the population of this city.
AN INCIDENT RELATED.
The light Jest that ''he who sleeps dines'
has bitter meaning in more homes in this
city than II is pleasant to think about. AS
an illustration how some people actually
suffer these days a story was related yes
a
the incident came. An old woman, who is
caring for three grandchildren. and who
has no other means Of earning a living
than toiling over the washtub, failed to
call as usual at his residence for the weeks
washing. and his wife wondered what mad
become of her faithful visitant. She had
taken a great deal of interest in the old
woman whose life was so hard and became
fearful that something had happened to
her. The mans wife went TO the little
one-story frame house where the old wash
erwOman lived and raped the door.
She received no answer TO her summons,
and opening the door went into the front
room The air in the house was but little
less frigid than the atmosphere outside.
There was small iron stove in the room,
but IL contained no fire. Passing across
the uncarpeted floor she entered the rear
room and caught her breath in a shock of
pity when she saw what it held. on the
single bed, covered by tattered quilt and
sheet or two, lay the slight form of the
old woman, and with her one OF the grand
children, a little girl. Both were sick and
shivering from the cold. The other chill
dren stood by the bed with shawls drawn
around their shoulders and were making
brave efforts to cheer up granny" The
woman who saw all this could not keep the
tears back, and she told her husband
afterward that il was the most pathetic
thing that could possibly be imagined. The
frst Thing she did was to get home as
quickly as possible. When she returned to
the little home she had with her a colored
servant and the man was loaded with a
supply of bed clothing, some OF her own
warm house dresses and a big basket of
good things TO eat. The servant made an
other trip and returned with enough coal
TO heat the tiny stove red hot Then the
woman with her own hands proceeded to
transform tnat comfortless house, and she
told her husband that it was the most en-
5oyable thing she ever did in her life. She
sent for a doctor, and when he came
helped him take care of the friendless old
creature and her little wards.
What that good woman did is being done
every day by other women Just as warm
hearted and as thoughtful, but there are
more cases OF destitutiOn and hardship
than kindly disposed individuals or sOcie-
ties can minister TO. The only extensive
relief that can be had will come from mod
GRAFTON of the weather. III that comes
the poor will be better able TO take care
of themselves.
The charge is made against the railroad
companies delivering coal TO this CITY that
shey are using carloads of fuel for their
own use that We're ordered by Indianapolis
dealers. number OF coal merchants saw
that they have telegraphed 10 the mines
and have found that their orders have been
filed. The assumption is. they say, that
the railroads have confiscated the fuel for
their needs. The roads claim the right 10
divert fuel for their use IL circumstances
demand IL. saying that the necessity of de-
nveri1g more valuable freight is their ex-
cuse Another complaint merchants are
making against the coal roads is that not
enough cars are being placed at the dis
DOsal OF the mines for hauling coal The
mining companies say that there is plenty
OF coal. but they simply cannot get means
OF transporting it. The greater number OF
local dealers have so little coal in their
yards that they VIII not take orders for
delivery at a fixed time, but book requests
on condition that coal is I'm the yard when
the turns OF customers come