Evening journal., 1902-07-23
COAL STRIKE DRIVES MANY
DEALERS OUT OF TIIE BUSINESS
There Promises to Be Coal Famine in Wilmington.
Oil, Gas and Wood Have Taken the Place Of
Coal in the City Homes

, telegraphed to the coal regions for coal
at any price, and he was told he could
not have it at $40 ton. This shows
how serious the situation really is.
A number of the business concerns
are already burning soft coal. Not only
the big manufacturers, but the smaller
industries are burning it, One
laundryman said this morning that he
had been burning soft coal for some
time. and that several other laundries
were burning the same kind Of coal.
None of the furnaces in the city de-
partments is now going. but If theI
price OF coal keeps going skyWard they
will be compelled to burn soft coal this
winter. 1t may be necessary to change
the CRATES on some Of the furnaces. An
inspection has not been made and il is
not known just what the expense, if
lRny, will be.
A member of the Board of Educa-
tlon said this morning that he did not
think that all of the heaters in the
schools would burn soft coal. There
is very little coal in the bins in the
chool houses. The board is hoping
that the strike will be settled before it
la5 compelled to lay in the winters
supply. One member said this morn
ing that he did not think it was prob
able that an attempt would be made to
heat the school houses with soft coal
There is very little coal in the Gel
Rars of the offices of the city depart
nents. Those who buy the fuel are
waiting until it is absolutely necessary
before they purchase Most of the
heaters burn what is known as heater
or furnace coal
When the heads Of some Of the de-
partments were asked what the pros
poets were for burning soft coal they
said: 1T is too hot to think amout fire.
We will examine the furnace CRATES
when it gets cooler"
The hotels are still burning anthra-
cite coal, but use gas for cooking when
ever possible.
1t used to be that only the wealthy
ould afford to use gas for cooking
] urposes, but since the price of coal
fas advanced to $3.50 per ton, the most
economical housewife finds it cheaper
O use gas. Hence there are more gas
toves in use in the city at the present
ime than ever before.
One housewife explained yesterday
hat she not only found gas cheaper
han coal in point OF cost, but more
oonvenient "A coal fire, she explained,
blust be burned at least twenty minutes
efore it will give sufficient heat to
ook a meal. After the meal is pre-
ared it is at least half an hour be-
ore the stove loses its heat But with
ahe gas stove much better returns are
given. 1t is the work of only a min
Hte to have the stove ready for cook
ng, and when the meal is prepared the
as is turned off and the stove is cool
n short time. 1t costs on an aver
ge of ten cents to prepare a meal ON
gas stove. At the present price of
Oal the cost by that means is about
he same. but the gas has its advant-
ges in that the stove requires no pre-
J iOus heating. nor does it withhold the
eat after the fire is extinguished 1t
s seen, therefore, that by means of the
gas stove the housewife is given COM
] ortable half hour in the kitchen, which
o her means much these summer days.
In the homes of the wealthy people
Cf the city the gas stove is a per-
\ nanent furnishing. One lawyer said
esterday that he used gas for cooking
| urposes the year around. The house
is heated in winter by steam. OF
course coal is required to generate the
fteam. but this is the only use to which
GOAL is put in his house. He believes
gas is much cleaner than coal for cook
ng purposes.
The average man admits this, but
here are few Wilmingtonians, outside
{ the wealthy class, who could afford
o burn gas the year around because it
hi cleaner. 1t is the cost that governs
the use of gas in the home Of the aver
hge man. and when he finds this is
heaper than that OF coal. he does not
hesitate to benefit himself of the ad-
vantage.
i Although gas is cheaper for cooking
purposes today than coal, the ordinary
housewife is honing for an early set
uement OF the trouble in the coal
regions, so that she may get in her
winter supply of fuel at something like
reasonable cost She cannot entertain
J the thought of heating her home the
coming winter by gas, or even steam,
though she be obliged to pay twice as
, much for the coal as is being asked to-
day.