Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-17
POWER PLANT SHORT
Fuel Famine Threatens u. s.
Electric Company.
SHUT DOWN AVERTED
ONLY BY PROMPT ARRIVAL OF A
FEW TONS OF PEA COAL.
Cars on Washington Traction Lines
Might Have Been Stopped
and City Darkened.
SHUT DOWN AVERTED

Estimated shortage of normal re-
serve of anthracite coal in Washing
ton before cold weather arrived,
10000 tons.
Average daily receipts of anthra-
cite coal in Washington in Decem-
Der, 1901, $500 tons.
Average daily receipts of anthra-
cite coal in Washington at present
estimated at 2,Ioo tons.
Estimate of the amount of anthra
cite coal actually needed in Washing
ton daily at present, 1000 to 6,ooo
tons.
The big power house of the United States
Electric Lighting Company. 1Ith and b
streets northwest. ran short of coal last
night. and for time it looked il the
plant would have to shut down
This plant provides power for the street
railroad lines operated by the Washington
Electric and Railway Company. and also
the street electric lights for the city.
The hurried arrival of a few tons Of pea
cal period and prevented a temporary suss
pension of operation of the cars On the
street railroads and darkness in the streets
of the city.
At the offices of the United States Elec-
trio Lighting Company this afternoon It
was said that great difficulty was expert
enced in getting coal to run the plant.
People Thoroughly Awakened.
Tba
thoroughly awakened to the serious situa-
tion that confronts them because of the
famine of fuel. The terror aroused at the
approach of winter without a prospect Of
su.ii cient coal is evidenced on every hand.
Not to mince matters, but TO discuss the
Sltua tion plainly, there is not the slightest
suggestion of conditions being bettered. On
the contrary, there is every indication that
conditions will be worse.
Several months ago, before colder weather
came, at a time Of year when people, as a
rule, have supply in their CELLARS for win
ter it was estimated by prominent men,
ber of the Washington coal exchange that
there was a shortage in the normal reserve
of ant hracte coal estimated at 12900o tons.
This means that the city was short approx
imately that amount which was usually in
the cellars of the consumers or in the yards
of the local dealers.
There Was Absolutely No Reserve.
The strike in the anthracite mines was
inaugurated in the late spring, at a time
when furnace fires were not needed. Work
in the mines was not resumed until about
the time when it was necessary for com
fort to set the furnaces going.
: Washington people entered the cold
weather without a reserve. What coal was
in the. cellars of the consumers, or In tho
,yards of the local dealers, with one or two
exceptions, was mere. bagatelle
Should a spell of severe weather such az
NAV be expected at this time of year visit
Washington the suffering and distress
amon, all classes will be fearful.
If the miners in the anthracite region lay
off fer the holidays, as has been the case In
other years, the shipments to Washington
will be cut off during the period that they
are idle. There is no accumulated reserve
of coal at the mines as in previous years.
The entire output is shipped away as soon
as Il is mined.
Reading May Withdraw Schedule.
From Philadelphia comes the information
that the Philadelphia and Reading Coal and
Iron Company may be forced to withdraw
its schedule of prices to dealers, by which
its coal sent to dealers here is sold at S7.25
a ton.
This is being contemplated it is said, be-
cause of the protests of the stockholders OF
the company who maintain that II is unfair
to provide coal at a figure so much lower
than is received by the independent opera
tors.
Demand Greater Than Ever.
The demand for coal from the local deal
ers was greater than at any time since the
famine began. Some of the dealers, II s
said have abandoned the use of their tele-
phones temporarily, answering only those
questions regarding the situation and ap-
plications for coal that are made in per-
son.
The offices of the dealers were besieged
throughout the day by persons in quest of
fuel. The greater portion of the applicants
were women. many of whom told pitiful
stories OF suferings at their homes.
1t is a safe estimate that not one person
in dozen was rewarded, and then in the
smallest quantities, in some instances get
ting the promise of an eighth or a quarter
Of a ton.
Difficulties in Unloading.
The distribution in small amounts OF the
coal that comes to the city has created an
extraordinary demand for vehicles of every
description.
Unloading the cars, many, because Of
their abnormal size, is a source Of great
inconvenience to the dealers. dealer said
today that he had some coal for one OF the
government offices, and that he had asked
the Pennsylvania railroad to move the cars
two blocks away from where they were
landed In order to facilitate the unloading.
The representative of the railroad declined
to do so, saying that the coal would nave
to be taken from the cars py the aiu OF
bucket and rope, a very slow process. The
dealer got a personal letter from cabinet
officer asking the railroad a personal
favor that the cars be moved and the loads
dumped.
II sent the letter by a personal mes.
sepger" the dealer said. but / have not
heard as to the result.
Chesapeake and Ohio Embargo.
The same dealer sent a personal repre-.
to Richmond Sunday to confer
with an official Of the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad and appeal to him to have the en-
barge against this city removed from cars
hauling soft coal. Shipments of soft coal
that left the mines In Virginia more than
three weeks ago have not yet reached the
city.
The price of bituminous coal has ma.
terially advanced in the last few days. One
dealer was today asking IS a ton and waa
having no difficulty in selling 1t at that
price. The same dealer was asking $12
ton for hard coal. This coal was from inde.
pendent dealers