Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-17
RELIEF IS PROMISED
IN D. c. COAL CRISIS
Supply to Be Dealt Out by
Administration Amounts
to $500 Tons.
POLICE TO INSPECT BINS

POLICE TO INSPECT BINS
Definite promise of relief from the
coal shortage in Washington was held
| ont today by the District fuel admins
| tration.
Conservatively stated. this promise Is
based on a new plan of distribution
which John L. weaver. federal fuel ad-
ministrator for the District, and his
| associates in the administration have
| evolved after a series of conferences
/ on the most critical fuel situation that
washington ever faced. Small dealers
and consumers VIII positively be sup
piled with coal from four or five or
more yards. supplies in which have
been put at the absolute disposal of
Administrator Weaver
! These are the dumps from which Of
| ficials will undertake to supply the
| emergency needs of consumers In the
capital. An initial supply OF 1000 tons
| has been set aside for the use of Ad-
| ministrator Weaver. This coal VIII not
| be sold on the order of any one ex-
cept the District fuel administration.
1856 Tons Received.
| A total of 1856 tons of anthracite
and bituminous coal arrived in Wash
| ington during the last twenty-four
hours, figures showed today. The di-
vision was. thirty-six cars of anthra-
I cite, and thirty-f1ve cars of bituminous.
Yesterdays receipts fell off from the
| usual Sunday average, a total Of
twenty-five cars coming to Washing
| ton. This represented 1.104 tons of
anthracite and bituminous.
| A. policeman from the police precinct
| in which the consumer is situated will
examine the bin of the prospective
! buyer. In all cases where there is no
| fuel, or at best only a short supply,
| coal will be rushed to the buyer.
| The District fuel administration was
forced to this step today, Administra-
| tor Weaver declared, because SO many
| persons had seized the present critical
| vance supplies.
| Persons who certify falsely as to
| their needs will be exposed by the adj
ministration. Mr.. Weaver declared.
Their names will be made public
Policemen to Inspect Bins.
| Cooperation of the Washington
police department was promised by
Maj. Pullman, head of the department,
today after conference with Admins
| traitor Weaver A bicycle policeman
| from every precinct will be assigned to
| inspect the bins of persons who COM
plain to the administration OF a short
age of fuel. Consideration will be
shown in all cases to the fact that
consumer may desire to place an order
! in advance for three or four days sup
/! ply, and that his bin will not actually
| be empty when the emergency order is
given.
After a series of conferences the adj
| ministration is prepared to say that
Washington consumers positively will
be cared for" said Administrator Wea-
yer today.
"A plan has been evolved whereby
persons actually in need of fuel will
be taken care of through this Office.
To protect honest complainants. how
ever. one drastic step has become nee
essary. This should in no way EN-
Need of Fuel to Be Verified.
to any one a police officer will inspect
the. bin of the consumer in order to
make sure there is no scheme on foot
to put one over on the administration
| by trying to hoard supplies.
This is war time. 1t is not a time
when people should seek to hoard
supplies. Dozens of complaints about
this tendency have come in, and this
4
persons who seek to falsify about their
| fuel supplies.
1T was urgently necessary to take
| this step, and no honest buyer will
suffer thereby. On the other hand, he
will be afforded the utmost protection"
| This is the most far-reaching step
| yet taken by the District fuel admin
1strator since the office was created.
To Keep Coal Moving.
| L. A. snead of the national fuel ad-
ministration. wno has charge Of coal
(! distribution throughout the United
States, has promised Administrator
/ Weaver that he will keep coal moving
| TO Washington. Continuous arrival of
| liberal supplies of coal for the last sew
| ficials say, that this agency is deliver
| ing coal here according to promise.
! The new coal distribution plan def
| initely promised to consumers in Wash
ington is.
| First, quicker delivery to consumers
! from regular dealers by relieving them
| of emergency cases.
Second, prompt attention to the in
dividual consumers who are in need OF
fuel.
To Take Up Carriage and Drayage.
The carriage and drayage problem is
| another phase of the situation which
the advisory committee to Admins
traitor Weaver may consider at a meet
ing late today. The new plan of es-
rablishing yards in different sections
will be gone over again today. to ar
range any imperfect details Of the or
ganiZation.
The suggestion was advanced today
that ash wagons. operated under con-
tract by the District government. be
used to deliver coal to consumers whose
dealers have been hard hit by the prob
lens OF wagon shortage and labor diff
Guilty.
IL is of no service to District resi-
dents TO have ash wagons call where
there is no coal to make ashes. II a
| part OF this service were. diverted for
even day 1t would extend appreciable
relief, il was declared.
| This and other problems of transpor-
tatfon and delivery will be considered
| by the advisory committee of the Dis
4 III ftta1 a iv,iu