Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-18
FUEL BOARD CALLS.
ON CONSUMER TO.
PURCHASE COAL NOW.
ADMINISTRATION SENDS OUT
LETTER CALLING UPON OF.
TAWA RESIDENTS TO 90
THEIR WINTER SHOPPING
OTHER FAMINE.


, were announced today by the local
administration committee through
It's chairman f. {. Swift Besides no.
tifying them OF the regulations the
people are cautioned to buy their
coal right away. or as early in the
season as is possible.
The buy-itnow slogan for coal con,
sumers was brought to light by
John Z. Williams. state fuel admin
istrator who. in ciycular letter 10
his assistants says:
The Fuel Administration is anxious
10 prevent repetition o! the ex-
perlence of the past season. when the
coal supply OF the homes Of the state
was seriously jeopardized by short
age OF coal, and in some instances
actual plfvation was suffered by
houscholders.
We want TO keep this from happen
ing again. but We are absolutely
poweress TO prevent ii unless we
have the cooperation OF the domestic
consumers.
And for these reasons:
The supply of coal is still made
Quate. II left to its natural course,
there is not enough in sight TO salts
fy all demands. That means that
oh Ht n Pal
ply. and we may be again forced 10
the bitter choice of either letting the
homes grow cold or making the indus
tries shut down
II left to its natural course the
coal orders will tend to fall Off as
warm weather comes on. mines may
have to shut down for lack of orders,
and railroads may be deprived of the
opportunity Of hauling coal at the time
they are best able TO handle ii.
The coal which fails to be mined in
April or May will not be here to help
out the shortage in December or
January, and the coal cars which may
be idle in the Summer months will
not BIO available 70 relieve distress
during the Billiards Of Winter.
There is but one way to hedge
against repetition of this seasons
experience, and that is to keep the
mines running and the railroads haul
ing at their full capacity during the
summer months. The railroads lose
half their efficiency during zero wealth
er and are at their maximum power
during the milder periods
Why not make it possible for the
railroads TO haul coal while the haul
ing is good and when they can pull
one hundred per cent. OF their capa.
city: and not force them TO wait for
the billiards. to cut them to thirty per
cent. of their pulling power?
II is up 10 the consumer. If he
will resist the tendency to inertia, if
he will refuse TO forget the perls OF
the past Winter, if his imagination
viii project them into the coming sea
son aud enable him TO see himself
among the billiards. OF the coming
January, the danger may be overcome.
4 lively realization OF privation dur
ing the zero days to come may lead
him to store coal
Nothing else will avert the danger
Of coal shortage. WE MUST STORE
COAL EARLY.
Last Summer the coal shortage was
aggravated by the failure TO buy
Many dealers were waiting for cheap
err prices. The results were slacken
ed production and the lessenlng Of
Illinois supply by hundreds of thous-
and OF tons.
A contrary policy this Summer be.
gun sufficiently early may add mil
lions of tons to the coal production Of
the state.
We appeal, therefore. to the con.
sumers to order early. We appeal,
especially. to the domestic consumers
They are the ones a shortage of coal
hurts most severely. They are the
ones whom we are most anxious to
get out of harms way before danger
comes
The industrial consumers will no
doubt, be alert to the need of prep
aration and will stock up in advance.
They may indeed, be able to take all
the surplus of the Summer But
that will not fiji the bin of the house.
holder; nothing but an ample stor-
age Of coal during the Spring and
Summer months will make us feel
that the homes of the state are safe.
What do we ask the domestic con.
sumer TO do?
We ask that he figure up his fuel
requirements for the coming year,
based on his consumption for the past
year, and on the first of April, or as
soon thereafter as possible, to go to
his regular dealer and file his order for
his years supply, leaving II to the
dealers option to make delivery &C.
cording to his ability and judgment.
II the onsumer has not storage capa.
city enough for a years supply, then
let him give as large an order as
he can.
by SO doing he will enable the deal
er to file his order with the .produc.
or. ha will mike Il noRSihln for The