Evening star., 1918-02-17
National, State and County
Administrators Adopt New
System of Distribution.
GARFIELD APPROVES IDEA
CREATED AT CONFERENCE
Latest Program to Protect House
holders, Adopted at Philadelphia
Caucus, in Operation April 1.

Special Dispatch TO The Star.
PHILADELPHIA, February 16.-The
program of coal production and distri-
button that promises to assure plenty
of coal for Pennsylvania householders
next winter was drawn up at confer
ence at the University Club here today,
attended by representatives of the ma
tional, state and county fuel admins
trations.
It was the most important conference
respecting household fuel ever held, in
that its conclusions will virtually change
the whole coal map of the country. With
the approval of DR.. Garfield, lines were
drawn, showing just who may and who
may not get anthracite coal. Dr.. Gar
field was represented by L. A. Snead,
distribution expert of the federal fuel
Offices at Washington. Also, it is under
stood, the outcome of the meeting was
phoned to DIR Garfield, who put the
stamp of his approval upon the pro-
ceedings. The plan becomes effective
April l.
The first tenet of the new program is
that Pennsylvania and other Atlantic
and seaboard states, including New
York and New England, are to have
the first choice of the output Of Penn
sylvania's hard coal mines.
As Pennsylvania produces the anthra-
cite mined in the country. this decision
is interpreted to mean that an abun-
dance Of fuel for next winter will be
something more than an empty phrase
for householders in these states Michi-
gan, Minnesota and other states in the
northwest, which were fed bountifu1ly
sued by DR.. Garfield last September. are
eliminated from the list Of states to be
permitted to draw upon anthracite;
stores Ihfs is also trus Of CaIada and
which received; fuel duIiAe A1qeas s1nil
sad winter AZ the expense OF Famine
stocks here. -t-..4
Expected to supply Selves.
Sections other than those on the At
lantic seaboard are not prohibited from
getting anchracite. They will be .ex-
pected to supply themselves with the
bituminous as in former years. They
will get anthracite, but will be depen-
dent ON whatever surplus there may be
after the strictly anthracite using
states have been cared, for. The an,
thracite production of the country last
year amounted to u, ,00o, 900 tons. OF BIZ
luminous there were 544,000.0O0 tons.
The second point decided was that
householders may lay in a full years sup
ply of coal any time after April /. This
definitely sets at rest rumors that the
fuel administration had planned sys-
tenn of week-to-week rationing by con-
tnuing the present program OF allowing
the purchase OF only enough fuel to keep
families warm. That this ruling may not
be abused, each county administrator is
to have at his call a sufficient number OF
investigators to keep an accurate check
on the distribution of dealers. BY the sys-
tenn devised, it is said there will be no
repetition. of boarding perpetrated by
some householders this last year. in
stances having been uncovered where
some persons had laid in as much as two
years supplies.
Affecting industrial plants. the stop
cock is to be put upon the use of an
thracite. Henceforth. industries Of all
kinds must burn bituminous only. This
measure was the result of conviction
that the advance of so cents ton al
lowed by the government, which today
raised the rate from $2.45 to $3.05 per
net ton, at the mines, will stimulate
production to such an extent that no
longer will there be any necessity for
anthracite stock.
Includes New System.
The scheme also includes a new sys-
tenn of distribution by dealers to
householders. Just how this is to be
worked out could not be learned Fuel
administrators in each county will have
absolute authority in the distribution
of coal, admitting. of course. the au-
thority of William Potter. as state fuel
administrator of Pennsylvania. as su-
preme head in matters of dispute.
Regulations covering the mining and
distribution of bituminous coal are to
be given attention similar to that af-
fecting the anthracite trade
William Potter presided at the con-
ference today. Those attending were:
l.. A. Snead. personal representative, and
assistant to DR.. Garfield: ]. B. Neale
and r. W. kirley of the National Fuel
Administration at Washington; John
Edmonds, anthracite distributor for
Pennsylvania; Francis A. Lewis and How
ard w. White. representing Philadel-
10 vrfr oh.