Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-13
COAL BY THE BUSHEL
Many Persons Buy in Even
Smaller Quantities.
THE ADVANCE IN PRICE
HARDSHIP UPON PEOPLE OF
LIMITED MEANS.
What an Investigation Into Conditions
in Washington Develops
Scarcity of Fuel.

> Wnen the man OF moderate means ndu Hls
coal by the tons a year ago, the poorer citi-
zen reckoned his by the bushel. His means
were not sufficient to purchase large
quantity at time he was compelled to pay
fl ON IS cents to $50 more per ton than did
the man who had more means. He only
had the price of a bushel at time. and
was used to buying it by the bushel. The
scarcity of the commodity has brought the
man of moderate means to the necessity
Of making his purchases by the bushel. The
poor man can scarcely buy at all, and when
he does he purchases only a peck. The
price of coal in small quantities has ad-
vanced far higher in proportion than the
price per ton. Figures quoted yesterday to
Star reporter showed an advance in the
price per peck of more than so per cent. A
year ago peck of coal could be purchased
for cents; today the price is II cents. A
year ago bushel of coal could be pur-
chased for % cents; today the prices range
from 40 to IS cents. This increase in value
would not fall so hard on those who are
compelled to purchase in small quantities
were 1t not for the fact that the poor man
the small buyer-cannot get coal at all IN
some sections of the city.
Facts Developed.
Interviews with ten people of the poorer
suits: Two persons had had no coal this
winter. four were purchasing in small
quantities through charitable institutions
and four were paying from II to IA cents
per peck. But one of the persons inter-
viewed had bought as much as a bushel at
time, and that only once. The price asked
was % cents, an increase of over 100 per
cent on what the same person had paid a
year before. The burden falls heaviest on
the poor who live in the northern portion
of the city. Those in the northeast have
the advantage of the pickings to be CLEANED
from the railroad yards, along the streets
from the coal dumps, etc. Those in the
northwest, meaning the portion of the city
west of Rock creek and vicinity, had the
advantage of securing supplies of coke from
Well-known manufacturing concern which
has distributed hundreds of bushels of this
class Of fuel during the famine; those liv-
Ing in the southwest and southeast had the
same advantage as those in the northwest.
The ash heaps on the various dumps were
skinned they have never before been
skinned" The people from whose homes
the ashes were hauled in the first inst
had the first chance at the ashes. and left
little for those who haunt the dumps. Then
came the professional dump pickers, who
gathered in the best of the pickings, and
then those whom necessity forced to sift
what ashes they could find. One family
visited had secured its entire supply of fuel
from the ash heaps and from cast-off build
ing material that was infiammable.
No Fuel in the House.
One family visited yesterday lives in the
northwest section of the city, within two
blocks of The Star office and block from
Pennsylvania avenue. There was no heat
in the house. although there were evidences
that fuel had been used to prepare the
morning meal.
I'VE have little fuel, and have had little
this winter the woman of the house said.
Goal is IL cents per bushel, and We cam
not afford to keep the fire going all day.
We must keep warm. l must have fire for
the children 1t has been hard to get any
thing. We have managed to get along so
far / suppose We will be able to pull
through all right"
Another woman living in the extreme
northwest, a colored washerwoman, told
reporter it was becoming extremely diff
cult for her TO continue her laundry work.
Il have paid forty-five cents bushel for
coal during the last week. Last year 1
was able to get it for % and 30 cents. The
people l work for do not understand what
it means to me to pay from 10 to % cents
more for the coal than I did when l COM
menced to work for them. and they have
refused to pay more for their washing |
am afraid l will be compelled to stop"
This woman's name is Martha Edmunds
and she lives on Pomeroy street northwest.
Situation Relieved by Charity.
In the southwest the reporter found the
situation somewhat relieved by the action
of a charitably inclined man. who pur-
chased a quantity Of coal and distributed
it through charitable orel nization at cost
price The prime mover in this movement
furnished the reporter with a list Of names
of persons who have been in the habit of
buying coal in small quantities, who could
tell of the difficulties they had encountered
In securing fuel. 1t was not necessary to
visit these people, however, to get an idea
Of the state of affairs, especially when it
was learned through other sources that
they were living comfortably on what they
We're able to purchase through the chart
table organization mentioned.
The coal sold by this organization how
ever, did not supply all the needs of that
section of the city. One man told re-
porter that he had been able to supply his
family through what he could pick up on
the streets Fourteenth street northwest
is a favorite place for such persons, and
on one day last week there were five CLEAN
ers engaged in picking up coal that was
jostled off the carts as they passed through
from the railroad dumps at the foot of
18th street, from street southwest to b
street northwest. This is a particularly
rough stretch Of cobble stone and much
coal is lost from the carts.
In the southeast the situation Is much
the same as In the southwest, except that
the poor have not the advantage of pur-
chasing coal at cost There is a longer
stretch of territory where pickings are
good from the dumps, however, and the
people of this section seem to have an
easier time in securing fuel from con-
demned building material. At the same
time there were many families who have
been compelled to do with very little fuel.
A woman and three children have cooked
their meals and heated their two rooms
with an oil lamp.
Oil Lamp Substitute.
In the north and northeast it was found
that the practice of heating and cooking
from an oil lamp was very common. The
price of oil has advanced slightly, 1t was
said, on account Of the great demand for 1t,
but 1t has still remained within the reach
of even the poorest. In some sections of
the city it was found that coal of and
gasoline had both been used. The former
was the most popular fuel, however, on
account Of the small amount Of heat diff
fused by the gasoline lamp.
AS class the very poor may be said to
have been almost entirely without coal
Condemned lumber. scraps of wood picked
up on the streets, coal oil and gasoline
have served for the most part as fuel
The washerwomen, who appear to think
that they cannot get along without coal,
are practically the only persons who have