Evening journal., 1917-12-11
WINTER D.SCbOSES
FUEL SHORTAGE

With the rush Of orders for coal as
a result Of the. present extremely cold
weather II has developed that there is
less coal being shipped 70 Wilmington
at the present time than there was this
time one year ago. and IN fact less dur
Ing the current month than was re-
ceived during November. when there
was a big falling on in the shipments
as compared with the amount received
here a year ago during the same per
iod
There Is no denying the fact that
there Is a shortage Of coal IN Whining
ton at the present time. the fuel ad-
ministrators say, but they also say
that there Is no actual suffering. There
Is a supply coming into the city hut
the heavy demand for fuel takes all of
this as rapidly as it arrives and the
dealers have no chance 10 accumulate a
stock
Gases have come 70 the attention OF
the administrators where people have
been unable 70 get any coal. such re-
ports are always investigated and steps
taken 10 relieve The needy when those
making the complaints are found 10 be
in actual need. This is the duty az
the fuel administrators. and they have
been Overvorked In attending 10 %.
Uil stoves and gas stoves are much
in demand especially sip.' the cold
weather hegan. Hundreds oi residents
are buying them for use In their homes
where coal cannot be purchased They
are also being used by residents who
burn coal for cooking purposes only.
and they are using the gas and oil stoves
10 heat their homes.
From April 10 October Of this year
there was an especially plentiful sup
ply Of coal shipped to Wilmington.
This has all been taken up. As it
could not have been used the assump-
tlon follows that 1t Is being boarded,
and this has been found 30 be the case.
The health authorities have been in
formed that one house could not be
connected with a sewer because the
connections could not be made In the
basement Of the house because Of the
/ immense amount Of coal stored IN the
cellar.
Gas meter inspectors, probably. better
THAN any one else know what the situa-
: tion Is as to the storing Of coal for they
have 20 so into the cellars to make
their inspections. Il is understood that
some Of these men have found cellars
50 full Of coal that they could not get
Mo the meters because Of it or had TO
climb over the top OF the coal TO be
able to read a meter.
The soft coal situation in Whining
ton. II is stated. has improved some
what, while the hard coal situation has
become serious. Despite this how
ever. the soft coal supply is going 10
/ be conserved and to this end Whining
ton may soon be experiencing light
/ less nights The regulations limiting
| electric display advertising have failen
! TO conserve the amount Of fuel hoped
| for by the fuel administration in Wash
/ ingtOn and plan is now under con-
/ sideration to stop all outdoor lighting,
save street lights. at least three nights
/ a week.
II this order should go into effect IL
would darken on the nights 90 be
named all window display lights,
| theatre fronts and direcional signs on
shops, hotels and restaurants. on
other nights there would be no re-
/ slrictions whatever against any sort Of
! lighting. The private consumer will
+ be asked 20 burn one-half the number
OF lights in their homes that they
now use.
Just when this order will become IF
| fective here the local fuel admlnisira-
/ tors 90 not know. The orders rela-
| tive 10 the burning OF electric signs In
/ Wilmington within restricted hours az
| nieht seems to have been disregarded
/ entirely but II the .lightless nights or
der is issued from Washington, then 1t
VIII have TO be observed by local con
/ sumers Of electricity.