Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-23
POST OFFICE IS SHORT
Enough Coal Only to Run
Plant a Few Hours.
THREE HUNDRED TONS
PURCHASED, BUT NOT KNOWN
WHEN IT WILL COME.
Barge Lolita, With 500 Tons, Bound
for This Port, Stranded
Near Baltimore.
THREE HUNDRED TONS

The coal famine has again caused uneasi-
ness at the Post Office Department AT
noon today the supply In the basement OF
the big building had been reduced to Dut
few tons-enough to operate the heating
and lighting plant few hours only: II
quantity Of coal Is not forthcoming at once
the department will be greatly hampered'
with the probability Of its being necessary
to suspend work on some OF the floors.
About week ago the Post ONCE Depart
ment ran short of coal. and 1t was only oy
the prompt arrival Of a few loads from
local. dealer that a shutdown OF the plant
was avoided. The department has pur-
chased 800 tons Of coal. but it has not been
delivered, and the officials OF the DEPART
ment do not know when they will be able to
get any part OF 1t.
The people OF Washington are fortunate
in that there has been no unusually severe
weather thus far this winter. Even fartner
north the storms Of snow have not been
severe enough to impede transportation on
the railroads. With weather such as might
block freight traffic there would be no END
of suffering for want OF fuel.
About the usual amount Of coal was re-
ceived in the city today The demand con-
Retail prices are about the same as pre-
vailed on Saturday.
At the Steamboat Wharves.
The coal situation at the steamboat
wharves here has been somewhat reliev-
ed by the arrival of several carloads OF
soft coal for the steamboats,. There is now
on the wharf Of the iron line steamers
enough coal to run them until the middle
Of next week, and the contractors hope to
be able to keep the supply ahead until the
coal famine is over.
The other steamboat lines are also re-
ceiving coal enough to keep them going
for a day or two. Yesterday evening eight
cars laden with soft coal were on the tres
tie at Shepherds awaiting transfer to
barges to be brought to this city. The
schooner Saml Wood is unloading cargo
Of coal at the Washington barracks from
Baltimore, and other cargoes are looked for
at Fort Washington and Fort Hunt
500 Tons Delayed.
The large barge Kate N. Latta, belonging
to the Eastern and McMahone Transporter
ton Company of Philadelphia, laden with
about 500 tons Of hard coal from Phhadel-
phia and bound to this city, sailed from the
f1rst-named port Saturday. Yesterday the tug
taking her in tow put into Baltimore with
he barge leaking SO badly as to be In dam
ger Of sinking.
Her entire cargo will have to be dis
charged. and the barge hauled out on
marine railway for repairs. All this will
delay the arrival Of the coal here. AZ 1t
will, in all probability, be a week or ten
days before the Latta can reload and start
for here. r;,
Some Who Do Not Suffer.
There is one class Of people in Washing
ton which does not suffer in consequence
Of the stringency in the supply Of coal and
its consequent high price. They are per-
sons who live in the little 8 by 10 shanties
here and there about town, or perhaps In
more pretentions dwellings in Greenback,
Hog or Cabbage alleys. Browns court, or
other Of the many settlements surrounded
by business blocks and sometimes in the
most fashionable neighborhoods
The boys-and often the girls-of the
family. with a stout sack and small bucket
or pan. frequent the neighborhood Of some
coal dump, and when a we'll loaded wagon
starts up the street one Of them jumps be-
hind and follows 1t, picking up the precious
Jumps Of coal that tumble out by the jar of
cobble stone or rut. An energetic youngster
may In this way gather from three to five
bushels day. and what Is not used at
home is sold to neghbors at 40 or so cents
bushel, being source OF profit.
Business Men Meet.
Mr. o. G. Staples presided at the meet
ing Of business men at the Riggs House last
evening called to consider the advisability
Of forming cooperative association to af-
ford relief from the coal famine. Mr. w.
w. Danenhower said he believed that coal
could not be brought to Washington in a
considerable quantity before next April.
He said the greatest obstacle in the way Of
providing coal was getting it hauled from
the mine to the dealer.
THE only possible way for us to get an
thracite is to get in with the combination"
said Mr. ]. D. Croissant. He said that he
had Just returned from visit to the an
thraclte regions When he approached sew
eral producers with request for coal in
car load lots he was told to consult the
railroads that operated in the Washington
district.
Mr.. w. 8. Bronson. assistant general pas
senger agent of the Chesapeake and Ohio
railroad. denied that there had ever been
an embargo placed by his road on coal for