The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-11
The Lack Of Coal Is Having Its
Effects on Local Manufacturers
TWO 0FTHEM HAVE SHUT DOWN
Put There viii Probably Be No Short.
'g, In This Necessary Article Plenty
OF Coal for the Railroad

~ss' uuuic0U
One phase Of the coal situation that has
not struck the average citizen is the pos
sibiiity OF scarcity OF artificial Ice. based
on the shortness Of the coal supply.
Artincial Ice is used to very great ex-
tent In the homes OF this citI, and as Il
takes coal TO manufacture the ice. a pc
culiar statement but a true one. there
now looms up the possibility OF a short
age in this commodity.
There are three plants In this city where
large quantities OF artificial ice are manu-
faced. the Park Brew, the Narragansett
Brewery and the Providence Brewing
company.
OF these plants the Park and the Provi-
dence are now closed down, the action be-
Ing directly due TO the shortage OF coal.
AT both plants. however there is a con-
siderable stock of ice on hand In the
storehouses. so the regular customers
will be served until operations are again
begun.
IL is customary TO close down the
and repairs. but the shut down has al
ways been later I'm the season than the
present one, the high price Of fuel maxi
ing such action desirable at this time
The usual length of the shut down is
about two or three weeks and probably
the present stop will not exceed that
time, and II is hoped that when they
start up again that the situation will be
cleared.
AT all the breweries II is stated that
there Is sufficient coal on hand for brew
ing purposes for a month or so at
least, but as the fee plant requires a lot
OF coal 1t was thought best to economize
In this direction.
Considerable natural ice has been sold
by the brewery companies during the
past summer 10 consumers. owing TO the
great demand on their plants.
RAILROAD HAS COAL.
The Consolidated railroad Is probably
the largest consumer of coal OF any cor
poration in the state, using thousands OF
tons every day. Most OF this is used on
the locomotives and is all soft coal, but
hundreds OF tons are required each year.
also, to heat the stations, and this is all
anthracite.
Last spring, before there was any idea
OF the present famine, the purchasing
agent OF the road laid In large supply
OF the fuel, enough probably TO keep the
depots supplied during the winter: this
Is all hard coal. Superintendent Whaley
OF the Worcester division said yesterday
that his division was well supplied with
the commodity.
The supply OF soft coal for the locomo-.
tives and shops of the company is not
SO well provided for although up to date
there has been no shortage, and nearly
every day large loads OF bitumnous coal
come into the harbor, consigned TO the
road. and judging from appearances there
will be no curtailment of service from
this cause.
Usually in the fall Of the year the road
lays In a large surplus, but this was
found impossible this year, although the
supply has kept ahead OF the demand all
Experiments have been tried with con-
siderable success of burning oil under To-
worse this system may be tried on the
engines OF the road. The fire boxes and
well adapted to wood burning.
ANTHRACITE COMING.
There is no change in the situation In
this city in regard 10 hard coal, and any
better. as there is none in the city now,
so things cannot be much worse.
Tne5e is ray bs OF IN hs
and Ohio are now on their way to this
port from Newport News, with cargoes
OF anthracite coal Jney sailed on 1nurs-
day. and If no accident befalls them they
should be here now. They are consigned
to the Eastern Coal company.
Soft coal continues to arrive, not IN
such quantities as TO cause a glut In the
market, but enough 10 keep the wolf
away from the door.
bad as ever The Consolidated road has
no soft coal on hand. the supply being
carried down from Fall River and SHOW
eled directly into the tenders OF the on
gines. The Old Colony repair shops have
Considerable anthracite on hand, but II Is
kept under lock and key.
Large quantities of wood are being TAX
en- into the city, and is being used In
many households.
COTTAGE PRAYER MEETINGS.
Many of the churches. especially in the
smaller bodies. are holding their mid
weekly prayer meetings around In the
homes Of the members. as II takes a con-
siderable amount of coal TO heat up tbe
large vestrfes and assembly rooms. The
Pawtuxet Baptist church at the meeting
Thursday evening announced that for the
present the prayer meetings would De
II IS not probable that the Sunday SER
vices will be fnterfered with for some
time TO come, .if at all.
The country stations along the line OF
the Consolidated road present busy ap-
pearance these days, the farmers with
wood TO sell hauling II TO the stations In
Portable saw mills have been establish
cd along the road at number OF the
stations where the wood Is cut Into
parior stove. At every place where wood
Is brought in agents are on hand TO buy
every splinter OF t.
one Swansea man Is In luck for he
has received an offer of 1900 for 500 cords
OF wood II IL Algernon n Barney, and
ne has the wood. He Is having special
fat car constructed 20 convey the wood TO
this city over the electric road.