Evening star., 1918-01-08
Responsibility for Keeping
Fuel in Homes Passes From
Administration.
APPORTION SUPPLY AMONG
DEALERS is NOW PLANNED
Full Authority Over Situation in
Washington Demanded and
Granted Committee.

Responsibility for keeping coal
in the homes of Washington resi-
dents passed today from the fed
eral fuel administrator for the
District to a central organization
OF coal dealers, represented by an
executive committee of FIVE mem
bers.
When plans upon which the
committee is at work are perfect
ed there no longer will be need
of maintaining the distributing
Office at 18th and F streets estab-
lished by John l.. Weaver, Dis
trict fuel administrator, for the is
suing Of emergency orders. If a
consumer cannot get coal from his
own dealer or dealer in his i'm
mediate neighborhood, he will not
be able to get it at all.
There will be no such thing as one
dealer being for long periods without
coal, while other dealers have plenty.
All coal of all kinds arriving in Wash
ington will be apportioned among all
the dealers in proportion to the amount
of coal they sold last year. This will
make for a steady and even supply in
all sections of the city, and it is be-
lieved will practically solve the de-
livery problem. One dealer Will not
have his teams standing idle while
others have more coal than they are
able to get out of their yards.
Control over distribution of coal to
dealers and its delivery to consumers
is the basis of the agreement reached
last night by Administrator Weaver
and the coal dealers. They met in
Builders Exchange to hear the report
of the committee of ten which was
appointed by the dealers. when Mr..
Weaver threatened to take over their
business unless they worked out a plan
The plan suomitted by the committee
was accepted by Mr.. Weaver. after a
few minor changes had been made.
Provides Central Bureau.
The report was in the form of a set
of rules and regulations to govern the
coal trade in the District. 1t provides
for central bureau. under direction
of an executive committee. Each deal
er must report to this bureau each
morning the number of teams and
trucks he can spare to assist other
dealers in deliveries.
Concerns needing help must first re-
quest the dealers nearest them to sup
ply it. If the nearby dealers cannot
do so. the request will be sent to the
central bureau and the needed help
will be assigned. Compensation will be
fixed by the executive committee. Deal
ers must report to the fuel administra-
tor each day their daily receipts and
sales and the amount of coal on hand.
The executive committee Will take up
and investigate all charges OF miScon-
duct by dealers.
Lacking authority, the central bureau
assumes no responsibility for huck-
sters or grocerymen selling coal.
Expects Full Authority.
Having been formed at the request of
the fuel administrator to solve the To-
cal coal situation, the executive COM
mittee expects to be given full author
ity over coal when it reaches the city
Otherwise, it is contended. it could not
accomplish its purpose. Details of such
authority are to be worked out with
Mr. Weaver when he returns from a
trip to New York, where he went last
night.
c. F. Fadeiey is chairman of the execu-
tive committee. and other members are
L. P. Steuart. J. Z. Stephenson, w. Ham
ilton Smith and B. l.. Grove. The COM
mittee will have full authority in adj
ministering the bureau organized by the
dealers. A representative of the fuel ad
minstrator may be assigned to cooperate
with it but the committee will insist that
it's authority shall be complete or it will
resign In operation the committee ex-
poets to be an intermediary between the
fuel administrator and the dealers. In the
future. instead OF giving orders to the in
dividual dealers. the fuel administrator
will be expected to tell the committee what
he wants done, and the committee will
decide on the details and see that Mr.
Weaver's policies are carried out.