The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-12-01
FORCED
TO CLOSE
OFFICE
Rush to Purchase Coal CON-
peIs Firm to Refuse All Ap-
plicatIons Before Noon Today

Because OF the rush TO purchase coal
the largest amount OF coal on hand this
morning. was compelled to close Its office
at noon today. and 10 refuse all other
orders until an accounting had been
made The nrm at the time it closed had
no knowledge of how much coal IL had
sold and whether or not the firm had un-
dersold or overyoid the supply available.
Long before the hour for the opening
OF the Office there was a large number
Of people gathered about the office on
weybosset street. and they lined UP In a
row that extended nearly to the Arcade
The office force were all engaged. Orders
were taken a rapidly as the clerks
would write. the money received. (sll
orders were accompanied by cash) was
thrown into piles. and this went on for
four hours.
Then the Office was closed and the
clerks set at work to classify the orders,
the amounts sold. the money received
and to ascertain whether or not the firm
had any coal remaining. II was a strenu-
Gus life for the clerks and n somewhat
unpleasant one for the persons waiting
In line. but for all that no such scene to
purchase fuel was ever enacted In Provi-
dence.
Since Saturday 1s cargoes OF coal have
arrived in Providence. OF these Is came
yesterday and the schooner Salle K. Lud-
lam, Newburgh. with s5s tons of anthra-
) Re for the Consolidated road. came IN
this morning This coal will 20 10 Wor-
cester. The other 10 cargoes consisted OF
s422 tons OF soft coal and 6454 tons OF an
thracfte. IL required nine barges and one
schooner brought the anthracite and Six
barges and one schooner brought the
htuminous.
or the coal received the largest amount,
354i tons were for John r. White and
Son in the barges William L. Creegan
with 1850 tons: Eckley with 1889 tons; Del
aware with 5O4 tons. Anthracite with 4ss
tons of anthracite coal, while the barge
Donlo brought 1889 tons OF soft coal.
total OF 5o7l tons I'm all. or the total
amount received 1880 tons were OF egg
size. 1877 tons stove size. 371 tons pea size
and 22s tons of broken size.
This was the coal that was being sold
this morning when the firm was compelI-
ed TO close Its office.
The barge Breeze brought 5s7 tons of
anthracite for Joseph Olney and Son, the
barge Segwood brought s21 tons OF an
thracite for Doe and Little. or the last
cargo S2l tons were OF egg size 4l0 Of
stove size and All egg size. The other Arm
to receive coal was the Eastern Coal Co.,
which had 1850 tons Of soft coal In the
barge Sumner r. Meade. The schooner
Fanny Palmer brought 200 tons OF soft
coal to tho Consolidated road, the barge
Annie Smith brought 200 tons of anthrs-
~ nd fha hor n,,fx
Of anthracite coal for the same cons.gnee
This Is the largest amount Of coal to
arrive In Providence since the beginning
OF the strike of the coal miners last May.
The dealers today do not feel much en-
courased. They expect more coal to
come and fully believe that they will get
more coal after the closing OF the rivers
and lakes. but then rough weather and
storms Will cause a good deal OF delay
The matter Of transportation Is always
more difficult In winter because OF the
difhcuity OF handling coal In the cars and
because Of the rough weather that pre-
walls on the ocean.
The Eastern Coal company expected the
barge Emma today with a cargo OF pea
coal. but the barge was compelled to tie
up at New Haven and the firm this
morning sent n tug to bring her around
Some Of the barges reported rough wea-
ther. The barges consigned were an
chored at New Haven from Tuesday un-
III Saturday morning. and other tows
were hung up all along the coast. The
Baltimore had particularly hard time OF
II and the barge had two feet of water I'm
her hold when she arrived
There Is reason to expect that the deal
ers will spare no efforts to get coal. but
some knowledge OF the demand can be
cleaned from the line that besieged the
Office Of John Y. White e. Son today IL
Will take the firm something like a week
or ten days to deliver the orders which
were given today.