Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-13
CLAMOR FOR COAL
POOR PEOPLE NEARLY CREATE
RIOT IN NEW YORK.
Only Prevented by Efforts Of Coal
Dealer and Police-Trouble at
Newton, Mass.

"A dispatch from New York last night
says: The first outbreak due to the coal
famine occurred today. A great horde OF
men, women and children gathered at the
relife depot in Delaney street. Angered
at finding the coal yard closed, they started
to force the doors.
That the outbreak was not more serious
was due to the good judgment OF Joseph
Cohen, proprietor of the yard. and the ac-
ton Of policemen from the Eldredge street
station.
Cohen Gained the excited mob by promis-
ing that each should get at least one pail of
coal. The policemen, instead Of clubbing,
as at the Rabbi Joseph funeral, pleaded
with the people for order and peace was
restored.
For about ten minutes. however, 1t looked
as If there would be a serious outbreak
No. 80 Delaney street is one of the yards
selected by the coal operators from which
to sell to the poor at the rate of Is cents q
pail Tenements abound on every side,
with twenty families. or about hundred
persons, to each house.
The outbreak was in the morning. Sew
eral women in search of coal had wandered
from one street to another, pleading for a
pail of coal for % cents, but none was to be
had at that price, as the regular price was
As cents.
Tearfully the women We're on their way
home when they noticed a placard on the
two-story wooden structure at No. Sc De-
lancey place which told in English and
Yiddsh that coal would be sold to the poor
at 10 cents pail
With a cry of delight the women attempt
ed to get into the place, but the doors were
locked. They banged at the door, and soon
there was such a bubble of excitement that
hundreds hurried thither.
Word went from tenement to tenement.
Men, women and children. armed with
pals boxes, cans and other receptacles,
fairly few out of the houses and to the
place where the excited crowd was gather
ing. Though 1t had not been the intention
to open these places Sunday, Cohen opened
the doors and the crowd pushed and fought
madly to get COAL for fear that il they did
not get served first there would not be any
left. In their great haste weak women and
little children We're knocked down. =.
Some cooi-headed person in the crowd ran
to the station and asked that squad OF
police be sent to the place. The police ar
rived in time to prevent serious panic
please keep in line.' they pleaded.
keep in line! You'n all get coal. Keep
back there. One at time
And so it went on for three hours. when
David Blaustein. superintendent OF the Edu-
cational Alliance and p. Davis. superfn-
tendent of the Civic Service House OF Bos-
ton, on their way from the University Set
Element Society. made their appearance;
The sight of-the women and children
standing in line, pail in hand. was too much
for Mr.. Davis. and he turned away.
my God" he said, "tEis Is awful. 1t Is
q terrible condition of Affairs.
A special to the New York World from
Newton, Mass. says: 1T was found neces-
sary here to call out police to protect
quantity Of coal owned by the city and the
raiders were driven off only with difficulty
Mayor Weeks bought fifteen carloads Of
soft coal. in Virginia and it arrived yester-
day forenoon, being sidetracked In the
freight yard at Newtonylle. The news OF
it's arrival spread, and In short time sew
enty five people equipped with baskets and
, wheelbarrows were hard at work unloading
the coal.
A policeman tried to dispense the crowd
but could not. He sent word to police head
quarters and a large squad Of policemen
finally drove the people away. The police
men remained on guard until the city had
unloaded the coal
A dispatch from Babylon Long Island.
yesterday says: From end of Long
Island to the other the chief occupation
just now is gathering wood Great
stretches of woodland are. being cleared.
In the scrub pine districts the work of
clearing away the growth of stunted trees
is rapid. Where larger trees grow the
wood Is being cut as cord woodland com
mands from s. to 81 a cord Choppers are
being paid from 80 cents to 81 .25 cord for
the wood cut and piled after 1t has been
purchased standing. Hard dry oak is
bringing as high as SO cord In some
parts. while green pine, cut into cord
as high as $. Dry pine, stacked during the
summer. brings as high as 81. The scrub
pine Is proving mine for the owners of
some of the tracts. Ordinarily 1t Is useless.
but in the present scarcity of fuel any
thing that will burn is worth money, and
several dollars an acre where there Is only
= limited supply. Beyond this place. where