Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-15
MAY ORDER COAL MEN
TO SELL BY BUSHEL
Fuel Administrators Consider
ing Means of Relieving
Present Situation
CASH -AND-CARRY PLAN
It's Practcability Seen at Yard Of
Dealer Besiegcd by Small
Buyers

As % means of relieving to some cx-
tent the urgency OF the coal situation
In Philadelphia, County Fuel Admins.
traitor Francis \. Lewis Is seriously con.
sder.ng issuing an order requiring all
coal dealers TO sell coal by tho bushcl
upon calls for small quantities from
patrons who are willing to undertake
heir own delivery.
Not only will this he a boon 70 pco
'le ~ small means who are unable to
ay for larger quantities of coal, bu'
II viii give relief to many who have the
money to buy coal by the ton but who
arc not able TO find u dealer who can
supply them with that much. Tho ad.
Visibility Of this step was suggested by
tho situation at the yards of tho Walter
Bradley Company, Ninth and Thomp.
son streets, where for several days past
there has been a continuous line Of 800
to 400 persons Writing with baskets 10
obtain small quantities of coal. So much
good has been accomplished by this com.
pany in the way Of supplying the needs
of large number Of people that Mr..
Lewi, is Of the opinion that the same
tbinG can he done on a larger scale by
having ~ dealers adopt the same plan.
matter that he was aWHr" that this ilau,
Nh Lewis stated in discussing tie
II adopted. would work some hardship
ou the dealers IN requiring them To- 20
20 cAtrI troubleN in handling thctr
product aud to sell IL at email pront.
lie believed, however. that the coal men
would bc willing as an act of patriotism
To- acquicscc in such ruling for the
purpose Of relieving tho needs Of the
community.
Complaints continue 70 'onr into the
office Of the fuel admni..ration on ac.
count Of the burning Of the street gas
lamps longer than the time specified by
the regulations. In explanation of this
situation officials of tho L. G.. I. stated
today that the failure to turn the street
lights off at an earlier hour was due
10 the shortage Of labor. As soon as it
Is possible TO secure tho men to turn
out the gas lamps they said, the matter
will receive the prompt attention that
/, deserves.
ELECTRIC COMPANIES FLEA
owing to the increased price Of coal
the Philadelphia Electric Company, the
Bala and Merton Electric Company. the
Delaware County Electric Company and
the Beacon Light Company have Fl ed
with the Public Service Commission sup
plemen,s TO their tariffs. effective Janu-
airy /, 1918. providing for coal clauses
thar residence service.
The coal clause reads as follows:
1.-THE current charge under this con-
tract shall be increased one-twenteth of
one mill per kilowatt hour for each five
cents increase per ton above an average
price of So per ton paid by electric COM
pary for coal delivered at its generating
stations The determination OF the aver
age price of coal delivered shall be made
for each calendar month and all current
charge based upol such determination
shall be applicable to the bills rendered
covering currert consumed during the
next succeeding month"
The Pennsylvania Railroad reported
the arrival at its local yards of ninety
carloads of coal within the last twen-
ty-four hours. The receipts OF coal on
all the roads has been reduced by rea-
son of the recent storm. but the situa-
ton is gradually improving and the re-
sumption of normal shipments Is ex-
pected in the next day or two.
Philadelphia. suffering greatly from
the coal shortage. is not getting its
due proportion of the coal supply.
William Potter and Francis a. Lewis.
state and county fuel administrators,
have announced that after months OF
effort TO obtain sufficient coal for Phila-
lelphia, they have reluctantly come to
this conclusion, and will seek relief in
Washington. On Wednesday they in
tend TO go together to the capital and
put Philadelpha's case squarely up to
National Administrator Garfield.
philadelphia needs coal. the short
age is very acute" they said, I'VE are
going TO do everything in our power to
see that she gets H."