The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-09-18
COAL SHORTAGE IN VERMONT
Committee Seeks information Regard
ina SUPPLIES on Hand.

Committee Seeks information Regard
ing Supplies on Hand.
Montpelier, Sept. l5.-The situa-
ton in Vermont as regards coal and
other kinds OF fuel is so serious that
the Vermont coal committee. appoint
ed by Governor Graham ana compos
ed of Hugh ]. NJ. Jones Of this city,
T. H. Brooks OF ST. Johnsbury, and
Newman X. Chaffee OF Rutland, are
calling on the retail COL dealers of
Vermont for exact information re-
garding the amount OF coal now on
hand that the deficiency which exists
between that amount and the reason
able demand that must be supplied =
suffering this winter is to be prevent
cd. Rep sentative coal dealers have
pledged their support to the Vermont
committee and are urging other Geal
ers, who did not attend the Burlmg
ton meeting this week. to do like
wise and furnish the necessary info
nation
II the Vermont committee is posses
sed of exact information there is q
possibility that one or more solid
coal trains may be sent into Vermont
to relieve the shortage and the mem
bers OF the committe win urge that
such action be taken Unless some
thing favorable develops the Situation
must be set down as very serious in
most communities in the state There
axe a few places where the situation
is decidedly better than in the aver
age communities, such as Brattle-
boro, Rutland and Burlington, where
the SUPPLY Of anthracite is considered
b. retail dealers to be fair, but fur.
Their shipments are necessary even In
these places Scft coal requirements
cannot be met as a rule.
| Z st. Iohnsbury is in serious plight
according 20 representations made
to the Vermont coal committee al elfe
|sbuilIngtou meeting, most houses, the
schools and even a hospital crying
for coal which cannot be furnished
In St. Aibans there is a serious short
age. and where in former years the
bins in many houses were filed at
this time, many OF them are now emp
~. Swanton and Enosburg Falls sub
mtted a similar report. Montpelier
dealers face the future with great con
Germ and report that the present sup
ply falls FAR short OF ordinary require
ment Springfield is also very short.
less than the usual amount of coal
being on hand in community that
has enjoyed a boom which has re-
suited in an increase in population
ana corresponding increase in the
demand. Newport also needs coal,
ana reeds It, badly.
NTH the exception of Brattleboro,
Rutland and Burlington, where more
coal is needed but the present supply
being fair. the reports of the retail
dealers to the Vermont coal commit
J tee showed that the stocks now on
hand in most of the Vermont com
munities vary from Is to so per cent
OF the customary stock. Wood is al
so almost impossible to obtain, SO
that the outlook of relief from that
source is very poor. The reason set
forth by gugh j. NJ. Jones. who.
as chairman of the Vermont coal com
mittee is a member OF the New Eng
land executive committee and has
been IN conference with federal Off
cials, including President Wilson. as
accounting for the shortage are;
War work has taken coast wise ship
ping from the coal trade throwing
the added burden on the railroads al
a time when they are under great
! war strain; the sending to the north
west of its coal supply before navi
cation on the Great Lakes is closed