Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1917-11-09
CITY IS FACING
FUEL FAMINE
Impossible to Get Coal Here in
Any Large Quantity and
Dealers Short
LESS THAN CAR
LOAD FOR SALE
Municipal Coal Yard Bound to be Nee
essary and that not Far Away
Wood High.

There is, at this writing, less than
a carload of coal ON sale i'm the City of
Ladysmith. The Western Lumber Co.
got car of soft coal Monday. but it
did not last long. This company had
no nut anthracite and the only hard
coal in town was car of the large
sized fuel for large furnaces. II. ].
Sands had only few tons Each deal
er had cars ordered and were expect
ing the shipments daily but the rail
roads seem to have forgotten that
Ladysmith is Il point on the map. Here
is where commercial organization with
traffic committee would find its job
cut out for it.
No Relief i'm Sight
There is no relief in sight Here on
the verge of winter. with wood higher
and smaller supply than ever offered
the coal situation is giving the city Of
ficialS some worry. The city has two
big cars of coal in the sheds at the
water tower. But the city was not
buying this coal for distribution at
this time of year, when the conditions
are such that there should be plenty
here and on sale. The Duluth and
Superior docks are piled with coal and
the Conservation Commission reported
Saturday that the movement would be
sufficient before the close of naviga
ton to get ample stocks into North
western lake ports to last the winter.
There are a number of people in Lady
smith. less than usual however, who
have bins full, and are not worrying.
1t is the small consumer who has to
work for his daily wage and cannot in
vest in winter fuel at one time, that is
to be looked after. He is the man who
will suffer.
Municipal Coal Yard Inevitable
Speaking of the matter to the re-
porter of the News-Budget, Tuesday,
Mayor Thompson said:
Il am aware that a municipal coal
yard will be necessity for this win
ter / have not wanted to open the
yard now at time when the weather
is still pleasant and there are no con-
ditiOns which cannot be met. There
is plenty of coal at the docks in SUI
periOr and the railroads should get
| it here for the local dealers. We have
about IS tons of coal in the shed now
and at the next meeting of the council
! will propose the purchase of several
cars more We must not be left as
we were last year when it was neces-
sary to commander coal"
Up to Railroads
What is the 500 road doing about it?
When coal comes from the mines in
Southern Illinois and pays S2.70 ton
| freight, the 500 does not have the
| trouble and the responsibility but out
of Superior and Duluth there is no ap-
parent excuse for not getting the coal
here in jig time. Reports of the sit
uatiOn in regard to the railroads and
the coal supply have been made to the
state counsel of defense. The 500
officials say the car shortage is so
great as to make it impossible to meet
demands anywhere.
Coal is selling in Ladysmith when
| there is any, for $3.50 a ton for the
cheapest soft product.
Shortage at Head of Lakes
Since the foregoing was written the
| News-Budget has gone further into the
| investigation of the situation at head
of the lakes ports. There is a report
ed shortage of about half a million tons
of coal there which can hardly be
made up before the close Of navigation
on December 9Th. Add to this the
car shortage which is not being inn
proved and the situation presents even
greater cause for alarm for the ap-
preaching winter.
A car of soft coal consigned to Fred
| Lobitz did not get distributed to his
customers. He had il sold but the
car was sent to the Mcnasha Paper Co.
and before the error was located had
been partly umloaded. Lobitz started
| j. w. Carow on the trail and Friday
morning got a check for the amount
of coal unloaded by the paper company.
He had II tons left for his customers.
McGill, Fuel Administrator
L. e. McGill was on Thursday ap-
pointed Fuel Administrator for Rusk
county. He has appointed Tom Baker
and Harry Ballou to act with him.