Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-10-02
LOCAL COAL SITUATION.
From 300 to 1000 Tons of Anthra-
cite in the City.
Soft Coal Likely to Be Generally Used
unless Strike Breaks Soon-Situa-
ton in School Houses and Other
Public Buildings.

The coal situation in Burlington is
causing some annoyance to dealers and
apprehension to those having large inter-
ests in charge although tiGte cannot no
said to be a famine yet. There are at
present in the city from 500 to loo tons
OF hard coal and about $500 tons OF soft
coal. Practically all the coal used in
Burlington is handled by six concerns
Not every one of these has hand coal left
but through a temporary working ar
rangement the regular customers OF each
concern has been kept supplied with n
ton or two at time. No hard coal has
been received in Burlington since the lat
ter part of May, whereas practically all
of the supply from year to year is re
Ceived by boat during the summer. one
OF the leading dealers told a Free Press
man yesterday that about %,D tons
were ordinarily used in darlington dur
ing the winter. A fortunate few filled
their bins during the summer when the
dealers expected the strike would soon
be broken and were therefore willing to
sell any one customer all he wanted. 1t
is probable that a majority of people
have enough on hand to last them dur
ing October unless it should prove an UNI
usually cold month, but after that time
ii no more hard coal Is received. wood or
soft coal will necessarily be used The
price of wood has advanced slightly and
four foot hard wood now retais in the
tons of soft coal on hand in the city and
although it is difficult to get moro just at
present the dealers do not expect any
circity unless everyone should he forced
to burn il by famine in hard coal and
wood. Soft coal retails at $50 per ton.
al advance of one dollar over last year
price. Dealers have sold their stock of
hard coal at So per ton, an advance of
only 81 per ton over last years prices, and
this in spite of the fact that they could
have easily obtained $40 per ton and more
by shipping it to other places. Half a
ton is sold at the ton rate. but smaller
quantities are sold at the rate of S. per
ton.
The school commissioners are already
considering the problem of heating tho
school houses The new and old high
school buildings use soft coal and il is
probable that this will be tried in other
schools Soft coal is used Mt the pump
ing station of the city water works. That
department has supply enough to last
year and has also on hand 40 tons of
hard COAL which will he distributed
among the schools and at the city hall
The city hall bins now contain five or six
tons The library building has none and
the fire department is also without any
supply. Mayor Hawley says no arrange
ments can be made to get any. Th"
churches have little, If any, on hand. The
Mary Fletcher hospital burns about 800
tons Of hard coal in the course of year,
most Of 1t OF course IN the SIN mounts
from the first OF November ana mas on
hand only enough for rev weeks AL
the Fanny Allen hospital the pms CON
tain only three tons. They will need 100
tons At the railroad passenger station
80 tons OF coal are burned "ach month
during cold weather. Agent Greene has
carload on hand now and another is
due on saturday. lie expects 10 nav" al
that is needed. 1he Champlain Tr ans
portauon company get their coal AT
Ilattshurgh direct from the mines ana
have had no trouble in getting all the
pea coal required for the Vermont, Cha-
teauGay and Mnquam, although the quail
lily has been rather poor all sumner. FOR
their works at Shclhurne harhor and for
the steamer Mari1uita they prefer stove
coal but have been unable to get that
for several weeks. In another week only
one steamer, the ChatoaugaY, Will be
running and they do not anticipate any
difficulty in securing enough coal to keep
her in commission