Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-01-31
FROM
WOOD PROF|TEERS
Fuel Administrator May Fix
Prices If Overcharges
Are Made.

Montpelier, Jan. 29.-State Fuel Ad-
ministrator H. ]. M. Jones has received
authority from Washington to fix the
price Of wood for fuel IL dealers are
inclined to make exorbitant charges
and to commander the commodity II
circumstances warrant. He has sent
this letter to local committees:
To Local Fuel Committees:
AS WOO d is pre-eminently q local
commodity the United States fuel ad
ministrator has not as yet assumed
full control Of It's conservation and
distribution; however, said administra-
tor has delegated authority to me as
the Vermont fuel administrator to pro-
tect consumers from exorbitant prices
and to commander wood whenever
needed to prevent suffering, but said
order does not contemplate action ex-
cept In urgent cases. Therefore each
local fuel committee is hereby author
lied and directed
- (A) To regulate and fx the price of
wood for fuel within the town or city
under it's Jurisdiction II at any time in
the Judgment of said committee the
prevailing price for wood is unreason-
able. Said committee is also author
lied to modify its price and thus Ak a
new price whenever in it's opinion such
modification is right and Just
(b)' To commander any wood en-
route to O purchaser for domestic pur-
poses or in stock by a dealer and to
direct the delivery Of such to any per-
son or family who or which in the
opinion of said committee is suffering
or Is about to suffer from lack of fuel
me power to commander wood ex-
tends to the communicating of waste
from saw mills and other plants, but
not to an amount that will impair the
operation OF said mill or plant.
INSTRUCTIONS.
l. whenever price is fixed by said
board In the first instance, or later by
modification. said board shall at once
notify the Vermont fuel administrator. On
appeal said fuel administrator reserves
the right to revise or modify the fixed
price.
2 In determining price each local fuel
committee shall carefully consider the va
rious elements that enter into the cost of
production and delivery and to fix such
price as will be fair to both dealer and
consumer.
3. In fixing price for wood as fuel
said committee Is hereby instructed that
its power includes all kinds of wood fuel
anu cdlu COulIulttce IL requested 10 OD-
serve the following classes, kinds and
sizes. Glasses: dry. green: hard. soft, even
ly mixed hard and soft. slab, kindlings
sizes, four-foot block. including stabbed or
chunked. stove. In designating price. state
first the kind, then the size. then the price,
Q. g.. hard block $50. The price in dol
lars indicates the dry wood price, the
number of cents subtracted indicates the
amount at which the green wood price Is
less than the dry wood price. provided any
difference between the prices Of the two ID
made.
4. A solid cord Of 12S cubic feet of wood
shall be the unit for which prices shall
be fixed and by which amount sold or pur.
chased shall be determined. Accordingly
the so-called running" cord is disregarded
and the number Of cords In a load or pile
Of wood is determined by the ratio the
number of cubic feet Of such load or pile
bears to 12S cubic feet.
5. Said board may determine the ex.
cess amount to be paid by purchaser PEI
cord for delivery when the particular place
for deposit is inconvenient or difficult OF
access.
6. In case said board Is convinced that
any person or family in whose behalf wood
has been Communicated is unable to pay
for such fuel. said board shall confer with
the overseer of the poor and secure his
authorization of payment for such by the
town or city and so inform the dealer
otherwise said board should inform the
dealer that payment therefore has beer
guaranteed by the purchasers. A loca
fuel committee should not through any
neglect in informing the dealer. whose
wood has been Communicated. obligate It.
self for payment Of fuel unless 1t is willing
to assume the obligation.
H. J. NJ. JONES,
Vermont Fuel Administrator