Evening star., 1918-01-12
TESTIFY MORE COAL
CAME HERE IN 1917
tcontinued from First Pags.o

Continued from First Page,
xens here who have had Ave or six
tons Of coal in their cellars. enough to
run them until February, have been
afraid they could not get any coal later,
and they have tried to get coal de-
had used the coal they had in their cell
lars. there would not be SO much trou-
BILE here now.
He promised to bring the committee
figures showing how much anthracite
coal has been shipped to Washington in
comparison to the other sections Of the
country.
w. w. Griffith, local coal dealer, testi-
fled that he had received more anthracite
and bituminous coal in 1917 than in
cite from April l to December 81, 1917.
and $4,000 tons in the same period OF
1915. The increase in bituminous ship
ments was somewhat less.
Mr.. Griffith said he had made every
effort to get more coal in 1917. He said
he had no coal on hand now: that he
was getting some from day to day and
distributing it as rapidly as he got 1t.
More Coal Consumed, Is Opinion.
What is the cause of the trouble
here?" asked Senator Reed.
There is more coal being consumed
here than ever before" replied Mr.
Griffith.
He said that the government was us
ing much more coal and that the peo-
pie themselves were using more coal.
That there were more people here and
that they had more money to spend for
coal. owing to the increased wages In
answer to a question Of Senator Reeds 8
Mr.. Griffith said there had been no
boarding here.
M Cr;a3+l ..ta
from dealers in other cities showed that
Washington was as well off as they were
Senator Reed suggested that it might be
possible to use more wood here, but Mr..
Griffith replied that 1t was impossible to
get the labor to get the wood and said he
thought the labor market was about ex-
hausted.
William King. a dealer in anthracite
coal, for thfrty-seven years in the busi-
ness, told the committee that during
the last nine months of 1916, he had re-
cefved 11.577 tons 70 anthracite coal
and In 1917 he had received 1886 for
the same period. He expressed the
opinion that the trouble had started
he had sent circular to his customers
last spring urging them to lay in the
coal for the coming winter. and how the
federal tarde commission had criti-
cised this circular on the ground that
it would scare the people and it called
him and other dealers here unfair"
Tells of Coal Difficulties.
Charles F. Fadeley. a wholesale deal
er In anthracite coal, yesterday after
noon told the committee Of the diff
culties which the capital has had to get
coal in recent months. The troubles of
his company began, he said, last Sep
tember. when shipments began to fall
off, and have continued far below nor
NAL ever since. He admitted that in
the spring and summer months he had
received more coal by almost 100 per
cent than in the previous year.
In April Of last year he received
about 5000 tons. about the same as in
1916. May, 5000 tons; June, $500, and
July. $500, about 100 per cent more
than in the corresponding months of
d9l6; August. 4.750, as compared to g.
600 in the previous year.
But since the fuel administration took
hold. he said. the shipments have fallen
off greatly. In September he received
$500 tons. against $500 in 1916: in Oc-
tobsr' 5000, as compared to 14,soo in
1915; in November. $500. as compared
with 5000 in 1916; in December. 1000,
as compared to $4,000 In 1916, and the
receipts for January had been only
1900 tons. while the receipts in jan
uary last year were 1000.
Mr.. Fadeley was asked by Senator
Reed what reasons had been given by
the coal companies from which he re-
cefved shipments as to the falling on
in coal sent here.
Lack OF Cars a Cause.
The witness replied that he had been
told that lack of cars and large ship
were the causes of the failure to send
the coal here. He said he had made
strenuous efforts to have the shipments
increased.
Fyl,
not assisted him in getting shipments.
He said. however, that he saw DR.. Gar
field, the fuel administrator on Thurs
day. and he had promised to do some
thing for Washington.
Senator Reed wanted to know who
had issued the order sending the an
thracite to the northwest
Orders came from higher up I was
told" said Mr.. Fadeley.
That could only mean from the gov
ernment. suggested Senator Reed.
Asked to suggest a remedy for the
local situation: Mr.. Fadeley said:
Get the COAL"
That's all very WELL" said Senator
get it?" ~
Mr.: Fadeley denied emphatica1ly that
his firm, which handles between 90 01G
and 100000 tons of anthracite annually.
had deiayed the unloading of the coal
or ITS distribution to the retailers. His
firm deals alone with the retailers. and
not with individuals, he said. N1
Coal Cars Unloaded.
The coal cars. he said. have been un-
loaded within a half hour after being
received. as rule. he said. His com.
pany had never paid a dollar demur-
rage since 1t began business, some If
teen years ago. Within three hours
after the coal was unloaded, he said
1t had been taken away by the retailers
and put in the hands Of the consumers
He testified that he had facilities for
distributing 500 tons a day to the re-
tailers, but said that this winter he had
not averaged 230 tons, because the coal
was not received. His margin of profit
he placed this year at 40 cents a ton.
about the same as last year.
Parker R Anderson of 1928 Lowell
street, Cleveland Park, told the COM
mittee the troubles Of a householder in
coal this winter He said
that recently he had been able to get
coal only by the bushel, paying 40 cents
for the coal and 10 cents for a bag to
take 1t away in. He placed with the
committee a form sent out by the re-
tailers making application for coal He
said that last fall he had gotten coal
at $500 ton and had purchased two
tons since. Each time, he said, it had
increased about so cents a ton.
Every time the fuel administration