Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-29
Eurtrtt1g Glrat

UNITY anu the experiences OIL
the state Capital in the first two
months OF the winter we are now
enduring will be interesting reading
next summer when, according to the
farmers and scientists, the ground
VIII be in fine shape because of the
heavy SHOWS. Icemen say that they
have seldom known such thick and
hne ice as is being harvested, but
that unless some means are securet
TO obtain additional hands the citi'
VIII fall short of the supply needed
for next summer. This rather amaz-
ing prediction is made when the Sus-
quehanna bears the greatest ice since
1904 and every stream and pond In
this part of the State is fast in win
try fetters. The people who deal y
Ice declare that it takes twice as
much ice to care for this commun-
lty than 1t did two years ago, be-
cause of the increase in population
and the growing demands for ice
for purposes and by people which
did not require it in 1908. Then, toe
1t Is pointed out that the district
VIII have to supply more men wha
Will come here because of Govern
mental affairs especially the great
supply station near Middletown and
the proposed expansion of the rail-
road facilities and the Bethlehem
steel works, which are now being
talked of at Washington. The coal
men have already begun to figure
how to get the coal for next sum
mer's demands because they believe
that as soon as the weather moder-
ateS the forehanded Harrisburgers
will start to lay in full for next win
ter. This interesting prophecy was
made by a man long in the coal bust
ness in these words: About the
time that people get their income
tax paid you will find they will be
ordering coal for. next winter.
have been bothering about how to
! hold the customers 1 have had, but
| think that they will be trying to
hold me. When people run up
| against conditions such as they have
struck this year they are not going
to make any mistakes next trip. They
VIII be saving money this spring and
putting it into coal. Some will get
1t because 1 believe that the mines
will be speeded up and precautions
taken against a repetition of what
we have gone through. 1t will be
a good thing because 1t will help us
and help the public. Some saving
next summer to buy coal will save
suffering in the winter"
However, there is something which
the coal men will have to explain
before they can re-establish them
selves in our good graces and that is
the scale of prices for small lots.
Sales in small quantities have been
required in many instances, but the
| prices asked for the bushel, two
bushel, quarter or half ton lots mer-
it inquiry. The retailers pass it back
along the line and declare that costs
| of delivery make them do it, but the
fact that the charges were high for
small sales for which people call
with sleds is something which should
be regulated, in opinion of many
people. The Federal Fuel Admins
tration Is limited to distribution,
which is unfortunate. Another mat
ter of much complaint about the coal
is the quantity of slate and rock
which is sold. In some sections of
the city the failure to secure heat
led to examinations and the data Sc
cured Will be heard from. Here
again the retailers go back along
the line and say with more grounds
than they have for their scale of
charges that. they are being hit too.
I'VE are charged for that rock just
the same as you and so are the
wholesalers. The trouble is back at
the mines" was the explanation Of
fered by one man.
| When it comes down to ideas about
easy money no one appears to even
associate them with Thrift Stamps
and Baby Bonds. In fact, many OF
the questions asked by the very peo-
pie for whom the plan of the stamps
was created are so contrary as to be
laughable, while others are pathetic
One man who stood in front of q
poster in the Harrisburg post office
read 1t carefully and when asked by
some one interested in boosting the
stamps If he wanted any informa.
ton, shook his head and said tina;
i he could not afford to invest in the
stamps as he was saving his money
In another instance a man who was
putting his money in q savings ac-
count in a bank asked clerk very
confidentially whether the Thrift
stamps were a safe investment. He
was very much surprised when the
clerk promptly offered to turn his
account into stamps and said he
could cash them in on short notice
The number of people who are buy
ing a couple of stamps a week is in
creasing rapidly and more kids
have been putting money into stamps
than the average person realizes.
The hot coffee brigade had a good
many appreciated stations along the
trolley lines yesterday. The men in
charge of the cars were up against
it because of the blizzard and The
way the snow drifted and people 'vho
were forced to stay in doors he'd q
kindly feeling for the men workine
with the cars and called them in
This is mighty fine, not only for
the coffee, but because it shows that
people realize us fellows are trying
to do our part toward keeping things
moving. 1t isn't our fault" said one