Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-12-14

T HAVE been asked to state briefly the
l. anthracite coal situation in Philadelphia
as it is today and to make any suggestions
likely to prove helpful. 1t will be quite i'm
possible to go into the why's and whereforcs
Of things. / deal simply with concrete facts
and leave it to those who have a liking for
controversy 10 argue them out.
At this time of year there ought to be
stored in the coalyards of this city about
900 tons of hard coal applicable to do
nestle use. This. with $4,000 tons coming in
daily during a normal winter would keep
the city warm until April. on october @6
there were $4,000 tons in the yards. with
very little coming in have not the figures
upon me of the exact amount today, but
am sure 1t is not &C, 600 tons / do know, how
ever. that coal is coming in at the rate OF
about 5000 tons day and this only with
great effort
1t does not require very bright brain TO
SEQ that unless this condition can be Inn
proved something is going to happen. have
for two months been devoting every particle
of energy possess in trying to get coal Into
Philadelphia. The Government requirements
are enormous and the transportation prob
lem is almost nsoluble. The public. which has
been prosecuting railroads for the last dozen
years, heaping upon them masses OF unneces-
sary charges absorbing their cash and 'un-
dermininR tnelr creuIt, is now ftdplib SoiAo
of the fruits of its own folly.
Some one will naturally ask, What is tho
prospect of improving conditions? l. answer
with perfect frankness. do not know. Gov
ernment requirements. weather conditions, car
supply work or idleness at the mines arc
only some OF the unknown factors In tho
equation. Nobody can give an answer to
them.
The White-Card System
J-pon one thing Philadelphia can rely,
namely, that have done, am doing and Will
do everything in my power in every possible
direction to increase the supply and shall
feel perfectly free to call upon the press and
the public for aid.
Having said this much, ! turn TO another
branch of the subject and answer some ques-
tions. Why was the white.card system es-
tabished? 1t was established in order to
enable the fuel administration to determine
| the amounts of fuel necessary, to prevent
| duplication of orders and to stop shopping
for coal" 1t Is a success. Why were the sick
ness cards" established and why were they
| curtailed? They were established to afford
| immediate relief in cases of sickness They
we're curtailed because too many physicians
| abused them Some charged poor persons as
| high as So apiece as a fee for them. Others
| made no investigation Of the cases and coal
was delivered on sickness orders and sold
| out within an hour by the bucket Also some
| physicians came to the fuel Office and begged
| us 10 pay no attention to their certificates,
1
| cred AT present physicians are required to
| apply in person. They come at the rate OF
| thirty to forty day. Some complain of this
| as a hardship. 1t is; but 1t is the only way
| TO protect the fuel administration from Inn
| posltion and fraud am sorry to have to
say this but it is true.
Cheaper Coal for Very Poor
Why is It that the fuel administration
| encourages what are known as the ''baa
trade" and tho peddlers? Because in this
way a much wider distribution Of coal 1,
secured, especially among the poor In tn,
past there has been extortion In this bust
| ness, but tomorrow new regulations 90 into
| effect which will render extortion impos
sible. OF course, 1t Is an expensive way
| 10 get coal; retailing is always more expen'
siye than whoesaling. But the prices fixed
after a most exhaustive investigation by u,
| give only q fair profit to the bagman and
peddler Drive the latter on the streets
and you produce untold suffering. Regulate
him, but don't abolish him. And we hav,
regulated him.
Some plan ought to be put into opera
tion In every city by which the very pool
could obtain coal more cheapiy. have suci
plan for philadelphia. and II some philan
thropist win let me have $4,000 think
3 .|