Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-10-09

THE FUEL QUESTION
The Wausau Minister'S Association
Takes a Hand in Trying to
Lower the Price.

At recent meeting of the WausaJ
Ministers association of our city g
| communication was thought necessary
to be sent to the Marathon County
Council of Defense, calling its at
tention to the fuel situation. The
association thought perhaps the sup
ply of coal and wood was adequate
but the price was beyond the reach
| of many; that while the price of
| coal can be accounted for, it was
not thought the incYease in the price
Of wood was warranted. c. B. Bird,
president of the council, in a reply,
showed very conclusively that the
wood situation is governed by exist
ing conditions; that the shortage in
other parts of the country has in
duced buyers to offer very high prices
and the result has been that much of
the wood ordinarily coming to Wausau
is being sold elsewhere, and is setting
price for wood generally and that
the council has had the matter un-
der consideration since last spring.
1t has repeatedly urged our people
to put in their supply when wood was
cheap. Mr.. Bird makes suggestions
to the Minister'S association and 9TH
ers, which, if there is really an in
clination to help along in the conser-
vation of the fuel question, should be
entered into at once.
There is a way of doing things
which may help the situation very ma
terially and there is another way of
sitting back with a satisfied feeling
and doing nothing. Many are doing
the latter. Mr.. Bird says:
This council deemed it better to CO.
operate with the city than endeavor
itself to go out and purchase addi-
tiOnal wood. We are now doing all
that can be done working with the
city to find wood watch can be pur-
chased at as low a figure as possible
Dealers below are paying over $500
per cord for body maple in the woods. |
Naturally we cannot get wood at last
years prices for distribution here.
Consumption can be materially re-
duced by economy in use. 1t may be- |
come necessary for people who are
heating unnecessary space, to close up |
such space and house more than one
family, where possible, in houses now
housing only one.
pnScihly fhn ahrrnhnC Of ho o;t
can cooperate in this economy. There |
seems a large waste of fuel in heating |
a large church in cold weather for |
just part of one day in the week |
Possibly some congregations might |
Join in their services in cold weather |
thereby halfing the fuel cost. Like |
wise the mid-week meetings might be |
united, holding all, both afternoon |
and evening, upon the same day, so |
that rooms heated for the afternoon |
could be used for the evening and no |
more buildings or rooms heated than |
.he aggregate attendance in all de- |
nominations makes necessary. Pos |
sibly the Y. NJ. G. A. building, which |
IS heated all the time, could be util- |
zed on Sunday for some services to |
advantage. l am sure the Minister'S
Association will be glad to test this |
out.
Some time ago this council appeal
ed through the press to citizens to |
put in their orders for fuel now so
that the dealers might know just
what the demand would be. We trust |
his will be done
There is no evidence of any COM
MIN al finn haturnnn b
,ully maintain exorbitant prices. The
ocal company having the most wood |
On hand for sale is composed of a
arge number of stockholders who are
residents and public-spirited business
men of the city. These persons, weTf
believe, will not permit unpatriotic
action by their company"
Mr.. Bird further calls attention to
the fact that:
THE State Council of Defense will
40 doubt prevent eXorbitant dealers
profits, should occasion arise, by eX-
the power conferred upon it |
by the last legislature, to sieze stocks
)f fuel, pay the owner the reasonable
value and then sell it to the public at
prices. These reasonable
prices however, must be considerably
higher than the public has been ac-
eustomed to pay. No law or action
2an change that fact.
The State Councils attention has al
so been called to the fact that if
requires the state prison
ers, who heretofore have been engaged
)n road work, might to advantage
be placed at work on the forest re-
serves cutting both dry and green tim
Der for shipment to needed localities.
If the situation justities they no doubt
will do this
1t is up to the consumer to put in
his supply now and not wait until
zero weather catches them, when the
demand will drive prices even to a
higher level. Citizens, by combining,
can get their coal and wood very rea-
sonable now. Later on thew cannot