The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-01
But Vermont Demands More
Coal for Domestic and
Manufacturing Purposes
RECOMMENDATIONS
OF ADMINISTRATOR
Conserve Supply = Dealers Urged to
Put in Orders Early for Next Year
Order on Electric Signs.

MONTPELIER, Dec. LII. j. NJ.
Jones, the state fuel administrator, is
finding considerable embarrassment in
securing an adequate supply of coal
for Vermont, although at present there
are favorable indications that further
shipments will soon be made. When
compared with the other New England
states, Vermont IS well supplied with
anthracite, but there are still numer-
Gus demands for coal for domestic and
for manufacturing purposes. Although
it is the policy Of the federal fuel ad
ministration to meet all pressing needs,
especially of plants manufacturing war
materials, vet il is not its policy to
supply a community with an excess
above the community S demands in pre-
vious years.
Various elements have contributed TO
| the present acute coal situation. The
past winter was unusually severe and
| the entire coal supply for heating pur
I poses was generally exhausted. The
! war has drawn heavily upon the sup
ply of laborers available to meet the
present labor emergency. The war and
navy departments demand in excess
+ over previous wears more than 4,000,-
coo tons in order to supply the trans
ports and new warships, to meet the
! large requirements of the many plants
engaged iii the production of war sup
plies. to furnish the allies in extreme
/ eases and to heat the various canton
mcuts. each of which is larger than
any city in Vermont. On account of
the present intensive manufacture and
the communicating Of all shipping pre-
viously employed in the transportation
of coal. there is not now available, ~
in former years, a surplus of cars for
the shipment of coal The great bulk
D of freighting Is at present toward the
Atlantic seaboard. As a result, New
( England is at peculiar disadvantage
a. tae freight ears coming from the
sections Of the country west of the
| coal areas can be loaded with coal on
their return, while such an advantage
| does not exist for those sections east
Of the coal areas.
The gtate fuel administrator has no
power to order shipments or TO enforce
contracts for coal. His duties are linn
tied chiefly to recommendation OF
needs of plants and of dealers; TO su-
! pervision OF local distribution; TO ad.
wise concerning prices to be fixed and
TO general administration. The New
England states are grouped under the
New England fuel administrator, James
j. Storrow Of Boston, to whom all fuel
matters OF anyone Of these states are
4 committed.
i Mr.. Jones urges Immediate efforts
toward securing a wood supply fol-
next winter, either by individual OF
by community effort. He also recon-
mends that, wherever possible, two OF
more denominations worshipping in sop
arate coal heated edifces consde,
holding services together or at different
hours i'll the same building. lie ad
vises local fuel dealers to anticipate
their needs for next year and to put
in their orders for coal as early a,
possible, and urges individuals in theiI
, homes to practice as much economy il
the use of coal as IS consistent Will
health conditions.
, The attention of operators of elec
tric plants and halls is called to til,
order of the federal fuel administrator
November Is. 1917, to the effect tina
no coal shall be used for generatin!
electricity before 7.45 ?. m. and afte
II p. M. for Illuminating display ad
vertisements, notices, announcement
signs, designations of locations of office
or places of business, or for illumni
nation OF the exterior of buildings, ex
cels for lighting federal, state or mu
nieiPal signs and buildings the light
ing of streets, the designation of place
of business by electric signs over stree
doors under certain conditions, and tn
| lighting of porches, driveways, fire es