The Washington times., 1902-12-23
TO
RELIEVE COAL FAMINE

The meeting was called TO order las;
night by Colonel Staples. with the fol-
lowing gentlemen present: W. S. Bron-
son, w. W. Dauenhower. Frank x. Ray
moud. and r. =. Andrews. Mr. BUlkley
had left the city on a tour of invest.ga-
tion C.. t. Wood was uuaroidably de-
tanned. but was represented by Mr. Ray
mond. c. s. Alvord was detained at his
office, bat was I'm tclephouic c0mmuuica-
ti0u with the committee. Paul r. Van
Mater was unavoidably detained
w. w. Daneuhower said he was mem
Der Of the coal exchange Of this city.
and from his investigations he did not
think sufficient coal 20 meet the needs
OF the city could reach here before April
J. unless extraordinary methods were
adopted TO supplement the efforts Of the
regular dealers The talk OF the lack of
terminal facilities. in his opinion. was
tll-founded, as he would gladly take a
contract tomorrow TO unload and deliver
fifty cars OF coal O day In addition 20
that now being handled.
There are 1,200 cars Of coal on the
side tracks between Cumberland and
EIkins. TO my knowledge" ne continued.
which cannot be brought to washing
ton. The Baltimore and Ohio refused TO
handle the cars because they were not
fitted with the standard brakes. and the
Pennsylvania Road TO which line they
could be delivered by the West Virginia
Central. had also refused to handle the
cars"
J. d. Croissant told OF his trip through
the mining regions Of Pennsylvania.
where ne found a combination existed
among the mine operators whereby only
certain cOilieries would undertake to
supply coal TO any given point at any
price. The territory IS divided up" he
said. and 81 Is impossible to secure quo
tations from any but those who are sup
plying this territory. When asked for
quotations, their first question is for
what place the coal is wanted"
Sprang a Surprise.
r. p. Andrews sprang something Of
surprise by stating that Of his personal
knowledge Reading coal was being sold
to the Mount Holly Pulp and Paper
Company Of Mount Holly Springs. Pa. a
short distance from Harrisburg and de-
livered in their bins az s2.10 a ton. with
out contract. They also secured two
carloads Of furnace coal in fourteen
days. although they informed the coal
company that any time within two
months would do. The coal quoted at
$40 was what is known as 'buckwheat
and is used for steamIng purposes" Con
tinuing. Mr.. Andrews said.
II asked the mill 10 ship me half. a car
Of paper. and to du the other haf Of
the car with coal but was informed tha,
the company had been informed that tho .
railroad would refuse % haul the car If .
any coal was placed in &c.
Tho inequality or existing condition. .
was brought forcibIy TO my attention .
several days ago 1 had Just received I
a letter from a dealer Offering me a ton T.
of coal at S725. when a widow who
has four children dependent upon her.
and who earns but SO a week. called
upon me and said that for two weeks
she had been endeavoring to secure coal
to keep her little home warm. and that
day had visited twenty-seven dealers. .
But four OF them would sell her any
coal. and they asked So a ton for il.
I indorsed on the letter that I had re-
ceived from the dealer request that
he furnish the bearer the ton Of coal
he had offered me. and he did so. The
next day he charged me $40 a ton for
several tons that Z had to have
Plenty Of Coal.
Mr.. Bronson expressed the opinion
that the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
could deliver fifty cars Of soft coal a
day. with fifty tons to a car. if the cars
were promptly returned. An embargo on
Washington had never existed. ne said.
so far as his road was concerned. ana
they we're delivering as many cars Of
coal to the city ag the dealers had been
able 10 unload. Mr. Andrews inter
rupted him 10 say that he knew Of an
Independent mine in West Virginia
where coal could be bought for $3.50 q
ton AZ cars could be provided for its