Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-24
SHORTAGE OF ANTHRACITE
IS BECOMING VERY ACUTE
householdcrs Are Advised to Take
Out Latrobe and Hot
Blast Stoves.
CAN GET ONLY SOFT CoAJ.
Local Yards Report Only Scant Sup
ply on Hand-Slippery Snow-Cov-
cred Streets Make Deliveries Slow
and Difficult.

P's VII hhHu-ollppery ono"-tOE-
cred Streets Mako Deliveries Slow
and Difficult.
In reply 10 questions asked several OF
tho largest coal dealers OF Richmond
calculated to discover accurately tho
present status OF coal in tho city,
answers in every case certified the con-
tcntion of tho local fuel commission
mat "a dangerous and alarming short
age OF anthracite coal. having an un-
promising and indefinite future, truly
exists All who had any of this kind
OF fuel declared they expected to find a
clean floor before night. Most Of them
had Il few tons Of tho precious product.
while all were pretty we'll supplied
with run of tho mine.
y fow long delayed orders are OK
pcctcd in to-day. Samuel IL. Cottrcli &.
Son. 1903 West Marshall Street. will
receive shipment of about i25 tons.
and l.. D. Wingiicld, 776 North Seven
tccnth Street. two carloads ordered
source the latter shipment was report
Cd received and already in the Rich
mond fredericksburg and Potomac
Yards. but owing 10 the conEcsted con
dition OF rolling stock, IT could not he
unloaded. 1t will not be ready for de-
livery to corsumcrs until some time
to-day
Deliveries yesterday were made with
slow progress. because OF slippery
strcts. Where eight had heretofore
handled in ono case. ard in another
t"o instead OF six The condition of
tho weather coupled with the scarcity
OF certain kinds OF coal Diminished
hauling activity TO u considerable de-
gree.
TWO DAYS BEHIND
IN FILLING ORDERS
made upon Nelson & Laid. 1903 East
Cary Street. came as Il result q! their
being entirely out OF any kind of fuel
except wood and run of the mine coa;.
Thcy said they had thirty-nvc tons OF
anthracite coal and were not expecting
any further shipments
Two days behind in filling orders"
reported W. l.. Sca;on & Son. Iiarraon
and Marshall Streets, and our cart.
arc making only live trips where they
have been making eight. At tho pres
ent time VIC arc expecting nothing ex-
ccpt some run OF tho mine" Like re-
ports came from othcrs.
Chairman =. Bierre Blair. OF tie
Richmond commission. was completely
overwhelmed with emergency appe--ls
FOR the rapidly disappearing anthracite.
from carly yesterday morning until
late In tho evening over 700 calls had
been made. tho majority OF them being
nllcd before dark. There were some
who asked for help to secure soft coal
as some dealers did not even hayo that
sort
HANDICAPPED nv
HEAVY SNOW DRIFTS
Dually Handicapped ny tho heavy
snow drifts and lack of coal. dealers
could suppl" their customers At an
exceedingly slow rate. lronp, dc
livcriea became almost u thing OF tho
past. Trucks and carts bearing what
lila bic hall
places along the route. y slight in
cline presented in such conditions as
prevailed yesterday An imposing bar
ricg. With the rise in the thermonc-
ter predicted TO occur shortly new
impetus Will 81 given 10 the nll,nG
OF back orders.
Chairman Blair has again taken oc-
cssicn l" urge ard strongly advise
over/ ono using hot blast stoves and
lluoho heating system TO make
change 10 some sort OF heating APP
paratua that vii! consume fuel other
than anthracite. u attended 10 ct
onco much possible suffering viii hc
avoided. SO dangerous and alarming
i9 tho stuati that unless some de-
finite arrangements arc made moro
appalling situation Will necessarily
follow. developing into n plight akin
TO that which tho New England popu-
iation is now facing. Mr.. Blair in
asking tho cooperation OF the Rich
moRd people is only carrying out the
plans OF the fuel administration.
ADMINISTRATOR HL\IR
HAS DuSY SEASON
Completely swa'nped with orders
and with tho telephone constantly
ringing. Mr.. niair after tho close OF
the dag, declared 1t tho busiest he had
experienced during the history of tho
commission lie said that he hal re-
ceiNcd more calls and satisfied more
appeals than the whole OF last week.
Emergenc!ea--tha, H. those having
only a two days suppl: can obtain
any of the anthracite and thou thoy arc
limited to half A ton. Prices range
according to the Grade OF coal. from
35.c5 to SIS half ton, and when the
distance that has 10 he Travelled in
making the delivery is OF any i'm
portancc extra charges are laid by the
dealer. Al of tho calls for this grade
of coal must go through the fuel com
mission, which notifies tho dealer
state Fuel Administrator Harry
Flood Boyd wired 10 Washington yes
tcrday for instructions from the Fed
rrai fuel administration regarding the
fuel regulations. rcp;- was OK
pcctcd last night, but did not come
These instructions are intended 10 clear
all misunderstanding aud doubts as to
violations and Will place business ac-
iivity on a more certain basis when
the next heatlcss Monday Will DC OBJ
served.
There was jublation among the ac-
tors and the employees Of the Lyric
Thcatcr last night. when Manager
Charles W. rex announced that full
salaries and wages would DC paid for
tho time lost when tho theater was
closed last Tuesday. Mr.. Rex took
this course on the suggestion which
accompanied Commissioner Garfield's
order shutting down industrial plants.
commercial houses and amusement
places