The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-01-05
GAS SHORTAGE
NOW ADDED TO
LACK OF COAE
AND KEROSENE:

A famine in fuel and Illuminating
gas, which developed today, not only
added to Washington's problem Of
keeping warm but is making it inn
possible for thousands Of families to
prepare hot meals On the gas stoves,
Shortage of oil, necessary in,
manufacturing gas, and freeIet
which put thousands Of gas,
pipes temporarily out of commission,
were jointly blamed by the WashinK4i
ton Gas Light Company for the
gravity of the situation, but officials
stated pressure would continue TO be-
low, even after pipes had thaweds
out.
Coal and Oil Ice Bound.
oil used by the company Ia
manufacturing gas Is ieebeund N
the Chesapeake bay. or acid up az
Norfolk to avoid being ieehOund, the
company officials state. There waA
sufficient on steamers and baTgez Isr y
route TO Washington to adequately
meet the situation. Il was stated, but
the freeze made II doubtful u any OF
these shipments would he roc we'd
soon. and efforts to get relief from
the railroads proved futile TIE conf
pany has dispatched representatives
to the big railroad center7 In IN ef--
fort to have cars Of oil moved to
Washington.
Trouble Was FOreEeen.
The gas company officials stated
today they had been anticipating an
insufficient pressure for several
weeks. and were taking every pos
sible step to remedy il.
They have been handicapped by
having to supply 5000. 900 more cubic
feet daily than they were supplying
last year a, this time. and have had
less material from which 10 manu-
faeture. IT was stated. The large
number OF new residents moving to
the city and the installation OF thou,
sands Of gas heating stoves on ac-
count Of the coal shortage. have add
ed to the burden. Something like 500
gas stoves were installed each day
during the cold wave. the company
said
Trouble with the gas developed
when the cold wave was at its height.
II was thought then frozen pipes
were wholly to blame II developed
on inquiry that low pressure was re-
sponsible for q great part OF the trou-
hle.
supply Long UResrtaIn.
FOF seNeFdl weeks Nne Supply or
coal aud oil for the manufacture OF
gas has been uncertain. 1t reached
climax when the Potomac river
fToze, and hundreds OF barrels OF oil
and bRrgeS OF coal were tied up in
the freeze, or held in Norfolk to avoid
being ice bound.
The Government several weeks ago
placed an embargo on tank cars. or
dihaFily depended on by the company
Nfs oil he
were unable to state today when they
would have sufficient manufacturing
material to guarantee an adequate
pressure OF gas They have in sight
ORly a limited quantity OF IIl and coal
is moving very uncertainty.
For several days, the officials state.
the pressure OF gas has oten insult
ficient. They stated Washington was
burning i've million more cubic feet
of gas than il did at the same time
last year, Occasioned by a more ex=
tensive use Of gas for huE;ing puF-
poses. .,-
Kerosene Famine Past.
With the arrival Of two cars %
kerosene in Washington last night,
two cars this morning and two mors
expected today, according to railroad
officials, the famine in this fuel hera
Is expected to be broken More cars,
stated a PsnRsylVanis railroad Off
ciaI, arrived in the Baltimore yards OF
his company yesterday, ant every ef-
fort was being made TO expedite theirs
movement. He said that these tank
ears were only handled by the rail-
roads when the oil company bargeS
were tied up, and as they were neces4
sartly routed to this city by way Of
Baltimore. a roundabout way, they
were always slow moving. The oil
companies, he said. had no facilities
for routing direct other than their
oil barges, and this was the cause Of
the delay.
According to the statement OF John
q. Walker. of the standard oil COm-
paRy here, there is no need of re-
tail merchants going without keTO-
sene, because his company ha1
enough for present needs. The price,
he said. has risen only one-half cent