The daily Republican., 1902-12-15
MILLS CLOSE FOR
WANT OF COAL,
Diamond State and johnson
Forge Plants Suspend For
Indefinite Period.
NO FUEL YET IN SIGHT,
Mayor May Informally Dis.
cuss the Situation This
Afternoon. Dealers
Skeptical Of Result.

Inc enllfe plant or the Diam 0nd
State Steel Company was forced to
suspend operations to-day on ac.
count of no coal. One thousand
men are out of work, The compa-
ny officials do not know when the
! plant will be started as there is no
coal in sight.
] This state of affairs is very hard
on the men employed at the plant,
as Christmas Is fast approaching.
The mill has been closed fire..
| quently dnrnS the winter, owing
| to the lack OF coal and several
breakdowns that have occurred and
the employees have lost much time
Which makes living hard for them.
JOHNSON FORGE CLOSED /.
The johnson Forge Company al
SO was compelled to close its plant
to-day because of no coal. 1t is an
nounced that the mill will be opsr-
ated on January 1, if sufficient coal
is on hand by that time.
This week opens with no coal vet
i'll sight for Wilmington dealers, and
with no indication when any will
arrive. The dealers are helpless
IN the matter, but have not yet given
up hope Of getting some of the pre-
clous anthracite. They now are in
communication with independent
operators, who, it is thought will
let the city have several hundred
tons of fuel, a two days supply.
Mayor Fisher has not yet fiyel
the time for holding a conference
with city officials relative to the
taking of official action in the coal
famine question. The Mayor was
out of the city this morning, but
will be at home this afternoon when
it is believed he will discuss the
coal strike situation informally.
The coal dealers do not think that
the outcome OF the proposed con.
ference vii! have any effect on the
coal operators. They say they are
doing everything possible to get
coal here and that if money will
not do it, the request of city for
relief will not The dealers say it
is not somuch the fault of the oDer-
ators that no coal is in this city as
it is of the railroad companies, who
are powerless to move the cars,
there not being sufficient locomotives
in the mining T. giOns to handle the
traffic Although the dealers admit
that the situation is serious, thew
say that should the threatened snow
storms reach this section OF the
country conditions Of the coal mark.
It will be even more alarming.
Manufacturers are now using for
team purposes, it is estimated,
bout Onc.half the quantity of soft
oal they used before the strike.
i lostcfthe hotels have almost wholly
iven up the use of bltuminous. The
hangc to hard coal is visibIy indi-
ated by the absence OF streams Of
ooty smone which chimneys of ho-
e.s and factories used to belch into
he atmosphere two months ago.
Private customers are not buying
Oft coal and viii not 50 long as there
a chance OF getting anthracite.
,ccOrdIng TO large retail dealer,
NC dle NV Wise III lIliS, Dy anu
Y. lie said. they will have a rude
When they are at last
>nviuced that no hard coal can be-
OF the bitumiuouS will all have been
aiken, aud they Will not be able TO
ct fuel Of either kind
tor steam purposes pea and buck
heat coal is now largely in use.
hi, is partly owing to the inability
manuiact turerS aud others who use
cam TO lay in, except at doube
ices, the stock Of btumInuuS they
I've been accustomed to lay in tor
e winter Tue Anthracite strike de.
eted the soft GOA as we'll as The
nd coal bins For reserve. there.
re manufacturers have had to store
4 and bUckWhClt; this OF course,
IS greatly reduced The quantity OF
Al arllla bic as domestic fuc.