Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-01-06
SCARCITY OF
COAL IN CITY
Strenuous Situation Among the
Local Dealers Incident to
The Cold Snap.
MINERS QUIT FOR HOLIDAY
Engines Freeze Up in Wyoming and
WashOuts i'm Utah Arc Factors
In Temporary Famine.

Thcre was strenuous situation this
morning in the local coal market. or
as one coal company official remarked.
For the coming "a hours we arc np
against 1t. But the Short Line officials
are doing all they can to hasten
through scores of cars loaded with coal
from the Wyoming mines; so there is
good chance of relief At the same
time. If unfavorable conditions con-
tinue. there is hardly any telling where
we will be. One large yard in this
city did not have a ton of coal on its
premises yesterday, and had to close
up"
The speaker continued, IT trust the
newspapers will not make sensation
of the coal situation. because IL they
do it Will cause a panic for which there
is really no occasion. II no exaggerated
reports are spread. the situation ought
to simmer down in a few days, with
the passing of this cold spell. and
things become easier. But every time
there is a coal scare the people to suf-
fer are not the well-to-do. but the poor
man who can not load up his bins with
several tons of COAL but must purchase
in small lots. We have had men como
into our Office and make representa-
tionS that they were suffering, and
must have coal instantly or there would
likely be serious consequences. Then
when such orders were filed as emerG-
encies. we have had our drivers return
to tell of finding one or more tons of
coal already in the cellars that were
supposed to be entirely empty. Why.
q man came in one day to declare that
han Cd In, far n
hadn't a scuttle full on the premises,
and unless there was coal on hand
early in the morning, death was likely
to enSue from consequent exposure to
cold. Well, we made a special delivery
in the morning, to that man, out on the
east bench But In the meantime the
mans regular dealer had ruStlcd up a
little coal for him, and when our load
reached the place this man refused to
take the coal and told the driver to
return with it. I have noticed that
whenever there is scare. the first peo-
pie to rush to the coal offices and
order arc the very ones who really do
not need it, to the exclusion of those
who do"
SHORTAGE ADMITTED.
A call on other Offices developed a
peculiar situation. Some of the dealers
declared there was a shortage, but 1t
was not serious enough to prevent their
delivering orders within "a hours after
receipt. Others said they were four
and five days behind on their orders,
and were apprehensive of the immedl-
ate future particularly if the cold spell
continued. Reports from Idaho and
other parts of the country were making
some of the dealers uneasy Wednesday.
and the report that Omaha was ex-
periencing weather IS degrees below
zero. with 10 inches OF snow and a
fierce gale blowing, did not tighten
matters any. ,
MINERS TAKE HOLIDAY.
The Utah Fuel people reported there
had been a shortage In delivery from
their mines the past week. on account
of the refusal OF their miners to work
the last day in the year; and then the
next day being Saturday, they wouldn't
work anyhow. Then on the following
day came the waShout at Riverton
which shortened up things materially.
So altogether the shipments for the
time being were very light, But now,
the Utah Fuel is shipping here 700 to
500 tons per day. Then the Short Line
officials stated Wednesday evening
there would be $50 cars of coal from
Wyoming into Ogden today, which
ought to clear the situation up. Man.
ager Quealy of the Kemmerer mines
said he was putting out plenty of coal,
had plenty of cars, and was supplying
orders only perhaps day late. He
was not at all apprehensive of any
famine, and saw no cause for any scare.
A prominent coal man said today
that some cars loaded three weeks ago,
which they expected every day. are still
standing on the sidetracks at Rock
Springs. according to advices received
yesterday. Salt Lakes supply is still
ample for all demands. but the situa-
tion today demands better service from
the railroads. IT is understood the o.
S. L. company has been having trouble
along it's Wyoming lines on account of
the unprecedented cold weather. Many
engines have frozen up and delayed
passenger trains have lately come Into
Ogden with as many as three freight
engines pulling one train In such
predicament regular freight and coal
trains must necessarily be neglected.
Dealers say there will be no increase
in prices, and there is no extra charge
for hauling up on the north bench.
There is a recommendation in connec-
ton with north bench deliveries, that
an electric hoist be established up
Canyon road opposite Eleventh avenue.