Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-12
FOUR THOUSAND TONS
Daily Receipts Of QAnthracite
Last Fey Days.
NO LET-UP IN DEMAND
BUSINESS PLACES AND HOTELS
WITHOUT RESERVE.
Confronted by Gland to Mouth" Game
Many Persons Turned Away
by Dealers.

The coal situation in Washington presents
tyyo distinct phases.
| AT the terminal Offices Of the Pennsyl-
vania and the Baltimore and Ohio railroads
information is given that hard coal Is COM
ing to the city in greater quantities than
at any time since the fuel famine began.
On the contrary, local dealers, almost to
man, create the impression that anthra-
cite coal Is hard to get and that they are
unable to take care of an their customers,
and that many persons who are DESTROYS
of obtaining or are In need Of coal have
had to be turned down.
Terminal Agent Legg of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad said this afternoon that
thirty-four cars of anthracite coal had been
hauled to the city during the forenoon and
that twenty-four more cars were on their
way.
it was said that for the last three days an
average Of one hundred cars OF coal had
been brought to Washington daily, and
that one-half Of this amount approximately
was anthracite coal, the rest bituminous
At the office of Mr. ]. A. Lounsbury local
sales agent Of the Philadelphia and Reading
Coal and Iron Company, this afternoon the
statement was made by representative of
Mr.. Lounsbury that he believed the promise
of fifty cars of hard coal daily to Washing
ton was being fulfilled.
Conceding these statements to be true, it
would mean that at least an aggregate of
one hundred cars Of anthracite coal nave
come to Washington during the last three
tons of coal to a car. The big coal cars
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad will
carry as much as fifty to sixty tons But
at forty tons, 1t would mean that there
has been brought to Washington IN the
time specified an approximate aggregate Of
four thousand tons of anthracite coal.
This, it would seem, should go a con-
siderable way in alleviating present urgent
needs. But visit to number OF the
leading coal offices of the city today dis
closed no let up in the demands for fuel
A large number Of those who sought coal
from the dealers were women.
A conservative estimate would be that
not to exceed one person in ten who applied
for coal was fortunate in getting supply,
and not an instance was found where the
successful applicant got promise OF more
than a single ton. Many pitiful stories
were told, but the dealers, as rule, served
only those who had been customers.
Business men who use large quantities Of
coal talked freely, as q rule, today regard
ing the fuel situation, as 1t affects them
and their business, but householders and
those of the poorer classes the latter Of
whom In manya inst nQes are compelled to
buy coal by the bucketful or bushel, while
3beHoantng their condition.. We're not. In.
clined to talk for publication, fearing that
they might say something that would of.
fend those who have supplied them up to
|. the present. and that their source Of sup
ply might be entirely SHUT off.
A tour of the hotel and apartment houses
showed that, while there had been no act
ual cases of being unable to get coal, in
nearly every instance there was no re-
5serve'son hand: fsnd tirat only enough for
use from day to day, was being obtained.
The Hotels.
1--WE have had enough to keep a-going,"
said the steward Of the New Willard. ''Oc-
tcasionally we have had some difficulty in
getting coal: We have no storage capacity.
Consequently we have not been inconYen-
fenced to any great extent. We have been
compelled to burn an inferior quality OF
coal soft coal almost entirely for furnaces
It has been a sort Of hand-to-mouth game"
/. Mr.. Frank Bennett of the Arlington said:
1--WE have had no bad experiences up to
the present. The coal merchant with whom
we have dealt for years has been extremely
solicitous as to our welfare. For time We
were obliged to use soft coal. At present
we have enough hard coal for our needs.
There has been no discussion on our part
for our coal, but have felt that we were
not imposed on, considering the situation.
At my residence I have had mouthful at
a time. We. haSeno reserve for the hotel
but are compelled to get from day to day
what is needed"
Mr.. T. w. Robertson. manager Of the
Cairo Apartment Hotel, said:
I'VE have only enough coal to supply us
from day to day. No surplus whatever.
Last year for the Cairo and the Albemarle
we had reserve Of about 200 tons Of hard
coal. but now 1t is hand-to-mouth game.
We have been paying So ton for soft coal,
which Is $3.50 a ton more than the price
year ago. We have been able to get very
little hard coal. and the last that was pur-
chased was paid for at the rate OF $40
ton"
Toll Of Do1o said
I'VE are burning bituminous coal alto
gether. We have contract at price that
/ do not care to quote. We-haye experience
ed little difficulty In getting regular sup.
ply, but at no time have we been Without
Business Houses.
A member of the firm Of w. B. Moses &
Sons said:
I'VE fortunately had a good start In the
coal situation. We have enough soft coal
to last US until January Is. On October 20
a dealer offered us forty tons Of soft coal
at So ton. We had enough to tide us
over and consequently did not take ad-
vantage Of the offer. Since then we had
thirty-five tons of soft coal offered us at 50
ton. and this is now being received"
Mr. Joseph Saks Of Saks & Co. said:
I'VE have experienced little dfhiculty in
getting enough coal for our requirements,
due, no doubt, to the fact that we had a
contract that held good At times we have
hao 20 wait Few days 1or a supply, Out
We have had enough to keep our store
warm at all times. ItSfiaS necessitated econ
omy In the use of what we had, though"
Mr.. Woodward of Woodward & Lothrop
said:
I'VE have fair supply Of sesaf on hand
and we are getting along admirably. We
have been able all along to get enough to
keep things going''
Kloscewski 6 Co. druggists. 9th and E
streets, said:
We are now waiting for, an order Of coal
placed more than a weak ~ago. When our
supply became low weowenh. to our regular
dealer, who said he wanted $11.5O ton.
This we considered high. At the office of
another dealer, with wflonfwe have never
before dealt, we got a prnmise Of coal at
$50 ton. This ar~assured me today
that he had the coal and that he would
fill our order at once"
Railroad and Electric Light.
General Manager Fuller Of the Washing
ton Railway Company, which also controls
the United States Electric Lighting Com
pany, said: '.As far as the railroads are
concerned. we are having no trouble. as the
ccal Is furnished by contractors who have
been able to supply US in spite Of the In
creased demand for sort COAL As to the
ELECTRIC lighting company, the situation Is
far different, for the contractor Is unable
Is