The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1918-10-26
TRYING TO HELP
THE COAL SHORTAGE
Vermont Will Only Get Three
FourthS of the Anthracite
It Had Last Year

Montpelier, Oct. 26-H. J. M.
Jones the State Fuel Administrator,
has sent the following letter to all
coal dealers and local fuel commit
tees in the state:
Instruction No. At, from this office
direct "any dealer having coal on
hand or enroute, to fill, to an extent
not exceeding one-third, the needs of
any coalles5 patron of any other local
dealer who has no coal on hand OF
enroute," etc.
This offer has been disregarded by
some dealers and in consequence some
consumers are suffering for the want
old coal. These dealers seem TO con-
slider the applications for coal as or
ders which they seem to consider the
ders which they alone should fill. The
allotment Of coal is to the Community
and its distribution is under the con-
troll of the Fuel Committee. 1t is de-
sired that dealers supply their regular
trade so far as possible, but dealer
having an excess of coal at this time
should no object to supplying the i'm
mediate needs of another dealer who
has not been so fortunate in obtain
ing coal abd Local Fuel Committees
must exact full compliance with the
order referred to-.
Action has been taken to correct
the disproportionate distribution of
coal both to dealers and communities,
but it has been found difficult to Sc
cure prompt results.
Communities which have received
more than their quota due them up to
this time must not expect that coal
will continue to flow to them in such
volume, shipments in most cases have
now been slowed up, and it is certain
that a con munity will receive no
more coal during the year than has
been allotted to it. Therefore, the
coal on hand should be carefully and
equitably distributed; otherwise some
one may suffer before spring.
Do not oevrlook the fact that Yer
mont is to have only about three
fourths of the amount of Anthracite
coal which it had last year.
Communities which have not re-
ceived the tonnage due will have first
consideration. Shipments to these
points have been speeded up and it is
hoped that all places will soon have
their just proportion of the coal ship
ped into this state. If conditions are
now serious, dealers can obtain some
Emergency Coal,' provided for such
cases.
Shipments of Anthracite were to be
made in equal monthly installments
during the coal year and therefore,
one-half Of the coal should have been
shipped by October 1st, and any COM
munity receiving coal at this rate has
no cause foE complaint, and if the
coal is properly distributed, no one
should be in urgent need.
| 1t will rot be possible to supply
every consumer with the size of coal
he prefers and some must use egg in
stead Of stove. The fact that some
dealers have a stock of egg size
should rot lead consumers to believe
that there will be plenty of stove and
nut coal later.
1t is the duty Of the Local Fuel
Committee to see that every consum-
er who cannot use other fuel be pro
vided with some coal. 1t is also in
cumbent upon them to show the con-
sumers the necessity for conserva-
ton and for using wood and other
fuels, TO supplement our limited sup
ply of Anthracite of usual sizes. Par
ticular attention should be drawn tc
the use Of No. 1 Buckwheat, which
can be ha;i in addition to our allot-
ment.