Evening star., 1902-08-29
THE COAL PROBLEM
G Commissioners Solicit Bids
for District Supply.
TWO THOUSAND TONS
THE STRIKE SENDS PRICE TO
$s.70 PER TON.
Dealers Recently Quoted That Figure,
Authorities Hope for Better
Terms.
TWO THOUSAND TONS

After vainly waiting from week to week
for the strike to end the District Commits
sioners have at last decided to tackle the
coal problem, and today set about securing
a sufficient quantity TO run the public
schools Of the District from the time Of
their opening in September until about
Thanksgiving. At the usual time last June
for entering into coal contracts the Com
missioners called for proposals. All the
bids received had to be thrown out on ac-
count Of the excessive prices demanded by
the dealers who would undertake to deliver
the quantity of fuel demanded by the Com
missioners or because Of the stipulations
made In the proposals with regard to the
strike. The Commissioners felt sure that
before the autumn the strike would have
been settled, and that the usual prices paid
for the anthracite nuggets would again be
available.
throughout the summer the Commission
ers bought ton Of anthracite now and
then at the market quotations But very
little fuel has been needed at the various
District institutions, so far, but the ap-
proach OF the school year demands that
some action be taken toward securing
sufhclent quantity to run the furnaces from
the first touch of cold weather until the
Thanksgiving holidays at least.
Bids Solicited.
The Commissioners today directed Mr. M
c. Hargrove. the deputy property clerk, to
address letters to the several coal dealers
who have heretofore furnished fuel to the
District, asking them to quote prices on
39j tons of white ash egg coal 576 tons
of white ash furnace coal, 81 tons of white
ash stove coal AMI 80 tons of Lykens Valley
stove coal, the latter coal being for the
fire department. The coal for the fire de-
partment is to be delivered on or before
nf hp
order is to be delivered one-half by Sep
tember 30 and the balance between that
time and November 80. 1t is hoped by the
Commissioners that in giving an order for
this quantity a reduction from the prevail
ing market quotations may be secured.
The aggregate of 1000 tons asked for the
Commissioners today is but a small proper
tion of what will be required during the
year. Last winter the anthracite burned in
the District schools and institutions amount
ed to 1920 tons. In addition to this a
ed, but contract for this class of fuel has
already been entered into and no fear Is
felt on that score.
The Commissioners had occasion to buy
twenty-five tons of anthracite coal today
and finally secured it at the price Of $3.50
a ton. The first offer received by the prop
erty clerk was s975. while another dealer
quoted 5000 with the provision that the
offer would hold good for only one hour.
Mr.. Hargrove had to pay 50 ton several
days ago for the Lykens valley qufck-burn-
ing coal which is used in the steamers of
the fire department. The coal bought today
for $3.50 a ton was to be had in unlimited
quantities last year at $5.14 a ton. The
coal purchased today was sent to the
Washington asylum. -ra ,r
Increase in Price,
The prices quoted by several of the deal
ers In the proposals for this year ranged
about $50 and a bond was to be entered
into to furnish the coal as desired. The
Commissioners paid but from $40 to $3.50
for the same grades of coal last year. and
the appropriations made for the present
fiscal period were based upon those figures.
1t was impossible for the Commissioners to
enter into the contracts. therefore, at the
prices named, and they decided to buy
small quantities from time to time, In the
hope that the strike might be settled soon.
Unless an agreement is reached between
the operators and the miners between now
and Thanksgiving, however, it Is not known
just what the local authorities will do. To
burn soft coal in the school furnaces would
require many changes in the arrangements
of those machines, and would, furthermore,
create something of a nuisance at variance
with the policy of the Commissioners In re-
gard to the anti-smoke law.