The evening Republican., 1902-10-01
LOCAL COAL
STATUS SERIOUS.
H0useholders Are PoreWarned
To Provide Temporarily For
Coming Cold Weather,


fact that it is only within a com.
paratively few days that a full
realization of the scarcity Of coal has
dawned upon large minority, II
not a majority Of householders. Many
had been wholly Indifferent to the
actual conditions until they had tried
to purchase the well-nigh indispsn.
sihle article, while Others had reason.
ed 1t out, hoped against hope aud
endeavored to persuade themselves
that the strike must end ere now.
Thus 1t Is that erstwIlile coal deal
ers have many stories to tell of their
customers being affected with an
unpleasant surprise, when fret in
formed that their wants cannot be
supplied.
To state the situation correctly, 1t
must DO said that there is an abso-
lutte dearth OF anthra cite and pro-
nounced shortage OF bttunlinous
coal. The increased demand for
the soft article has made that only
less difficult to get hold Of than the
hard, and dealers ara pressed now
to get any of The former. One dealer
who has been forced to suspend busl-
ness said. to-day, that there had
been laid in by the forehanded prob
ably not over 20 per cent. OF the
quantity usually consumed in winter.
Should the mines be operated before
October. 10Th, he thought that
there would be sufficient time 10
receive enough for immediate use
before navigat ion closed.
He said further:
"There Is a shortage of cars to
haul coal iu this direction, but there
are plenty of vessels awaiting coal
tonnage. The mine operator is in.
terested to supply the demand as far
as possible, before navigation closes.
Every shipper and distributing agent
Is making stenIous efforts to secure
early consignmeats to supply his es.
tablished trade, as at present he is u
heavy loser on account of his fixed
expense. Should the hard coal ship
menls however, be resumed much af-
ter October Is, the full 80 percent. OF
the tonnage now required will not be
needed, us the consumer will have
supplied himself partially or altogeth
cr with other fuel. In any event. there
is likely to be shortage of both hard
and soft coal.
Navigation usually closes Decem-
Der |. or before. bu5 I have received
a cargo Of coal here as late as Decem.
Der 10. The date may be eveu later
this year. Should hard coal be re.
ceivcd here by November 10, the
price would be considerably lower
than If all.rajI shipments should OBJ
tain at present tariff schedule. A
volume OF ton lage after January l
would doubtless result in a special
freight rate. do not thlnk that the
citizens OF Wilmington need have
much apprehension as to a supply OF
some kind OF fuel. I The soft coal
mines are we'll able to meet the IN
creased demand, the trouble at pres
cnt being lack Of railroad motive
power. The pr ices Of svft coal aud
wood have advanced simply because
the demand is larger than the nor.
NAL supply.
''lf houscholders would arrange for
a temporary supply Of such fuel as is
Dbtainable at the present time, aud
adapt themselves to the situation,
instead OF insisting that dealers fur
lish them winters supply at once
t would not only TEND against some
mes else deprivation. but keeps
prices from going unnecessarily high.
10 those who have only the self
eeding, base. .burnig stoves. and as
ret no supply of fuel, the necess i,y
presents itself Of buying gas stove
n OF arranging for other stoves ads
lpted to burn soft coal or wood. Air
.igh stoyes for wood are much cheap.
n, Of course, than stoves for soft
'oal. 1t Is expedient for every one to
make eome arrangement for te m
,orary supply of fuel, for when cold
Weather sets In 1t will be physical
impossibI.y for the dealers tosupply
the abnormal demand at that time."