Evening star., 1918-02-06
Weaver to Spread Deliveries
Thin Until More Anthracite
Reaches the City,.
PLANS FOR PRICE PROBE
DIRECTED BY PRESIDENT
Justice Department and Trade Board
Experts May Assist U. S. Fuel
Administration.

No more than three bushels of hard
coal may be delivered at one time to
any consumer until further notice.
This order was issued to all Washing
ton coal dealers this morning by John L.
Weaver, fuel administrator for the Dis
triet of Columbia, following confer
ence he held last night with District
Commissioner Brownlow.
The order is likely to remain in force
for three or four days. We must
spread the coal as thin as possible, to
the end that all homes may have some
heat said Mr.. Weaver today. 1t Is
manifestly unfair that one man may
get a ton of coal while another can get
none"
More Coal Promised.
The United States Fuel Administra-
ton today promised Mr. Weaver, sub
ject to formal approval by DIR. Garfield.
that daily shipments of anthracite to
Washington shall be increased from an
average of 2,400 tons to S.4o0 tons. for
the acute shortage here.
The problem now is to get this addl-
tional coal here, and to distribute 1t
when II arrives. To increase shipments
will not help the situation here unless
the coal can be gotten through.
Coal Lost on Way.
That this will not be accomplished
without difficulty is evidenced by the
fact that receipts have not kept up to
the 400 tons day average promised by
Dr. Garfield weeks ago.
The fuel administration maintains
that the shipments have been made' put
the coal has not reached the capital.
II it had, there would be no sueh snort
age as exists today
The number of persons seeking coal
through the emergency distribution bu-
reau at 18th and f streets was larger
today than it had been for several
weeks Coal is being taken from deaf-
ers and diverted to the emergency
dumps, but the bureau is far behind
with it's deliveries. Fuel Administrator
Weaver would like to abolish the emer-
gency bureau and have all orders
handled directly by the dealers, but he
finds it will be impossible to do so until
there is very marked Improvement in
the situation.
Mr.. Weaver announced today that the
son into charges of profiteering by
Washington dealers is to be conducted
by the law division of the federal fuel
administration, with such assistance
as may be needed from the Department
of Justice and the federal trade board.
He has turned over to the law division
more than a hundred specific complaints
which have accumulated in his office
OGcials of the fuel administration are
N a IA o. a hal
be a thorough one and that any dealers
found guilty of profiteering or violation
of other fuel administration regulations
shall be severely punished.
Because of the many variations in
the price of coal it is almost impoSsi-
BILE for the consumer to know when he
is being mulcted. But the experts of
the fuel administration. the trade board
and the Department of Justice can tell
and it is stated that in addition TO the
general investigation every specific
complaint will be thoroughly sifted.
How to Make Complaints.
It is recognized that many dealers
have played fair with the public and
have Gone all they could to relieve dis
Sress, and it is not desired that any
dealer should be lightly accused. But
eny citizen who has good reason to be-
lieve he has been overcharged or has
been made the victim of any other il
plaint to writing. giving full particu-
lars. including his own name and ad-
dress, the name of the dealer and date
of the transaction, and mail ii to John
L. Weaver, fuel administrator for the
District of Columbia Woodward build
ing.
Mr.. Weaver will refer the complaints
to the law division. which is conduct
ing the investigation Complaints will
not be taken by telephone. nor will
any attention be paid 10 anonymous
communications.
Mr.. Weaver said today that when a
consumer has his own coal hauled he
is entitled to a reduction of 81 a ton
below the fixed retail price. One of
the most frequent causes of complaint
Is that dealers charged the full price
even when they did not deliver the coal
Way to Discipline Dealers.
There are many complaints against
dealers indicating unjust and heartless
treatment of citizens which may not
come within the class of actual viola
tions of the written law, but where a
in this respect the fuel administration
will find way to discipline him.
A wholesale dealer has been given a
taste of this disciplining. Though re-
Quested to do SO by Acting Admins
traitor Colladay, he refused TO keep his
yard open last Sunday for the unload
ing of coal. The result was that Goa
and seriously retarded its delivery
This week coal consigned to tina,
wholesaler has been taken away from
him and given to dealers more willing
to render service to the public.