Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-30
Fuel Shortage and Inability
to Get Carriers Add to
Suffering Here.
POOR FORM LINES IN WIND
TO GET SMALL QUANTITY
Distribution Office Of Administra-
tion Packed While Officials Make
Efforts to Give Relief.

In the midst of the coolest weather
Washington has experienced this WIN
ter receipts of coal in Washington yes
terday slumped practically to nothing
Added to the shortage was tie lnaolh's
of many persons to get coal hauled even
after they had managed to place oroers
for the coal.
As A further measure of relief to the
local administration the United States
fuel administration announced last
evening that .to meet the fuel require
ments Of the District of Columbia the
national administration "has caused a
sufficient number of cars of coal to be
placed at one Of the yards on the b. ana
O. tracks in the northeast section OF
the city, and twenty-three cars IN one
of the yards to meet the needs OF the
southeast and southwest sections OF the
District.
Many who applied at the distribution
Office of the local administrator TOT
emergency orders yesterday were toiu
they would be given orders II they
could find persons to haul the coai
from the piles brought here for mu-
niciual use. Some of the applicants
were women, who said they oIo hoe
know where to turn to get any one 20
hani coal. Dealers also complained OF
inability to haul coal.
Suggest City Zones.
This distribution difficulty led to the
..ncresfion last evening that the city
be xoned: that dealers haul coal 70 tne
points nearest their dumps, ana that
either a dealers clearing house ne
established to check up on this inter-
change of orders, or the local admin
fstrafion handle the interchange.
II was pointed out that cross hauling
of coal now contributes greatly -, ~
waste in the trucking facilities availT
able The system by which orders are
riyen on dealers for c0xt t0-bes& IN;
the municipal distribution yards, ai1o
entails needlessly long hauls. AFTER
seeking In vain to place an order Tor
coal at a yard in the northern part OF
the city, q resident OF Mount Pleasant
applied to the local fuel administration
once at 1909 r street. got the order,
which again was transmitted to the
deafer. Yhis dealer theu had to send
his wagon to the northeast to get the
coal and haul. it to Mount Pleasant.
To remedy this situation 1t was sug-
gested that teams might be stationed
might be transmitted directly to the
dumps
Dealers Refuse Orders.
Many persons were caught short on
COAL they stated, because dealers de.
ciined TO take their orders at all IL
they had more than three or four days
supply, stating they had orders not to
do so from the fuel administration.
When the last few days supply was
reached they were told that dealers
were without coal.
The United States fuel administration
is paying considerable attention to the
local situation Statements about ship
ments coming into Washington from
the national administration have held
out the hope that ample coal is be-
ing sent here, yet Washington house,
holders are having considerable d.
Guilty in getting this coal and hnd they
have to spend several hours of negotia-
tions with dealer and the local admin
istration before it can be had. The ma
tional fuel administration took vigor-
0ps measures to get coal here, 1t was
stated. but officials there say they can
not explain the failures reported to
them in the local distribution system.
Additional effort to aid Washington
was made last night by Secretary
Franklin Is. Lane OF the Interior De-
Qartnfent, VINO mas piaceu at tnc ufS-
posal of the fuel administration ap
proxinately 200 tons of coal belonging
to his department, which will be dis
tributed through the local administra-
tor
Unable to Deliver Fuel.
All day long there was a line at the
local Office, 1903 F street, of persons
seeking orders for coal Yesterday s
sales cleaned many yards of both hard
md aft NIB 4 la ut ftf he "a
prietors said they were unable to de-
liver coal they had. Wherever cars were
switched on dumps last night men were
kept at work ali night unloading, and
unloading forces will be at the yards
today.
Wherever yards have coal deliveries
will be continued today, Sunday work
being deemed necessary to meet the
emergency as well as to comply with
tn instructions of DIR. Harry A. Garfield
federal fuel administrator.
Pathetic scenes were enacted at many
of the small yards. where coal Is sold by
the bushel and peck. Many of these were
without coal. At others there were
crowds in waiting composed of both col
= ored and white persons. who waited fol-
the arrival OF a load OF coal and ther
almost fought their way to get a point
of vantage where they might bury a few
pecks or a bushel to keep their homes
warm over Sunday.
Many suggestions could be hearc
among those who crowded the distribu
tion office of the local administrators
Some urged preference be given to home.
over amusement places and churches
One suggestion was that a plan h,
adopted in Washington which alread,
has been employed in other cities amons
churches-that of various churches o.
LAe denominations holding union serv
ices. first at one church and then a
another. In order to conserve the fue
supply.
Schools on Narrow Margin.
The Washington public schools ar,
running on a very narrow margin o
o.,t hut Sa 70 70 ba. not hon,~