Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-06
fA]lILE
! MINUS COAL
otter Calls Conference to
Discuss Relief of Do
mestic Shortage
IMMEDIATE AID REMOTE
Railroads Bringing Only Two
thirds of City's Estimated
Daily Supply

The coal situation In Philadelphia ha.
reached an acute stage Francis \
Lewis. fuel administrator for the city
asserted positively today thnt at least
10000 families are in extreme distress
for lack OF coal and that he could see
no hope of immediate relief
A conference to discuss ways and
means Of relieving the acute domestic
shortage was Immediately called by
William Potter. fuel administrator for
Pennsylvania when h. returned to his
Offices this morning after trip TO Wash
tngton. where he conferred with red
eral Fuel Administrator Garfield. MI
Potter called in consultation Mr. Lewis
John Edmonds. recently appointed an
thracite distributor. and a. g. Antoine.
bituminous coal distributor, Confer
ences with Ernest Harvey, Assistant
District Attorney, and David Waller
stein, counsel for Mr.. Potter and Mr.
Lewis, respectively. were also held TO dis-
cuss the legal phase of the diversion or
coal from its original COnsignces.
81 have no doubt that at least lo.oo'
families are in acute need OF coal,
said Mr.. Lewis MANY of them laid III
their supply last April and have not
been able to obtain any coal since that
stock was exhausted. | am frank 10
say that / am at a loss as to how th'
situation Is TO be remcdied The rail
roads are bringing inless than two-thirdS
Of the $4,000 tons which was set as thu
minimum wartime daily need of the
city"
COLD HAMPERS MOVEMENT
Cold weather has again held up ship
ments OF coal to Philadelphia, with the
result that more familicg are today with
out coal than at any time in the last few
weekH.
Reports from all sections of pennsyl-
vanla detailing the seriousness OF the
freight tie-up indicate that relief may
not be expected until warmer weather
arrives.
Even with the outward bound freight
embargo, in effect on "hcatless' Monday,
the railroads failed to bring sufficient
coal to Philadelphia. Figures given out
by the railroads for the last twenty-iour
hours showed a total of only $500 ton"
Of domestic sizes, as against inc
estimated wartime daily consumption OF
$4,000 tons with severe weather at least
10000 tons is required 10 keep the Phlla-
delphia householders warm.
To protect the small consumer who Is
unable to procure coal except through
the medium of the small corner stores,
where coal Is sold in bags of twenty
five pounds, Francis a. Lewis, chairman
OF the Philadelphia coal committee, has
ordered that not more than 100 bags he
delivered to any one dealer in twenty
four hours.
PROBING INFERIOR SHIPMENTS
Investigation of the quality of coal
shipped and produced by anthracite
operators. big and little, has brought
to light such glaring preparation of
fraud on consumers of all sections that
the Federal fuel administration, through
a. C. Campbell and Tudor Williams,
administrators in Luzerne and Lacka-
wanna Counties, today took summary ac-
ton TO prevent further abuse being
heaped on a long-sufferinG public The /
inquiry shows everything black was
sold
A Federal order was issued by Camp I
bell today In behalf Of the fuel admin !
istration that puts the bars up against I,
the further sale of an inferior and i'm /
pure quality of coal. 1t becomes effective |
at once by making the inspection stand /.
ard in effect at the beginning OF, 1914 /.
the basis on which coal is to be in /
spected In the future before IL is ship /
ped to market or sold.
The Elmwood Avenue Improvement .
Association in West Philadelphia has is .
sued coal card" which reads:
This card entities holder to purchase
100 or zoo pounds of coal at the rate of .
nifty cents per 100, payable in cash to
the driver at the time Of delivery.
ANY misrepresentation regarding coal
VIII debar the party from any future
coal deliveries.
"Committce reserves the right to in
veatigate any request for coal
Kindly do not keep the driver wait
Ing for payment but have money ready
n you have ordered coal, leave your
cellar window open when you go out
and leave money with your neXt-door
neighbor All orders cash on delivery"
The Gloucester County. y. j., court
house at Woodbury., Is heatless today
the coal supply has run out,
and the jail fast Is approaching that
tate. with but a scant supply of coal
,n hand. Officials and clerks in the
,fiices of the Sheriff. surrogate, county
.lerk and county Board of Taxation
we're warned this morning by the janitor
II the heatless condition of the building,
tut they went to work anyhow, keeping
IN their overcoats. gloves, earmuffs and
rufYiers.
Ti,c sixteen prisoners in the jail, back
II the courthouse, became anxious ag
hey felt their cells becoming cooler. II ,
was considered doubtful IL fuel could
,e obtained.