Evening star., 1918-01-10
GOVERNMENT MAY
BUILD COAL YARD
House Asks for Plan and Costs
Of Putting Plant in
Washington.
BIG SAVING PROMISED


prepare for Congress plans and specihea-
tons, with statement of tho approx
mate cost, for construction OF govern
',sient-owned coal yard in washington 10
!; supply the need Of government buildings
was given by the House yesterday IN
vote of 27s to 80. approving joint reso-
fution brought in by the committee on
mines and mining.
Discussion occupied several hours, with
more than score of prominent members
sueaking in favor Of a government-oWneo
coal yard. Many declared that such an
Institution should be provided. at which
the public also could buy coal at saving
as would the government.
aR5. 600 Tons Annual Normal Need.
The report of the committee pointed out
that at the present time coal IS suppneai
to the government departments by local
dealers who have not the faciltles 10.
keeping large supply on hand IL stared
that the executive departments ana lnoe
pendent establishments OF the government
in normal times require 225.00O tons OF
It recalled that last year an estimate
of more than $4,000 was included for
; deficiency bill. This was made neces-
sary through failure of local contract
Crs TO make deliveries. due largely to
their inability to secure shfpments OF
coal. and the government had to pay
The report emphasized the fact that
one government department this year fs
making q saving Of rs cents ton on
the coal bought for its own use and
supplied through Its own means OF de-
livery. This department uses about
$1,000 tons of coal per year. The ex-
perfence of this department was cited
as an illustration of what material
saving could be made for the govern
gent
! Night Save $1Oo,Ooo Annually.
! The committee stated it's belief that
J If such a coal yard or yards were es-
tablished it would mean a saving to the
, government OF $4,000 to 100000. and
also secure an adequate supply Tor the
government at all times. The report
pointed out that the Treasury Depart
ment last year sent to Congress an es-
innate Of $4,000 for the establishment
OF q coal yard in the District OF Column
bia The committee said It believed that
. fuel yard as desired could be estab-
lished End equipped with modern fuel
handling machinery at much less cost
than estimated by the Treasury Depart
merit
That the required data is already in
the hands OF the Interior Department
by the committee. which anticipates
that a report on tho question can be
made with very little delay. and plans
secured SO that It may be included in
the appropriation bin for the coming
ascal year.
Makes Plea for Public.
While the subject was under Discus
sion in the House Of Representative Mad
den Of Illinois aBked that, while this
yard was being established for the ben
eat of the government. something
spey the cost Of running the government
Representative Foster Of Illinois. who
brought IN tho committee report. said:
Il thoroughly agree with the gentle
demonstrassd beyond doubt that In the
District OF Cofumbfa, or IN any other
place throughout the United States, a
ynrA which would sell to the people in
the immediate vicinity at reasonable
prices. without permitting them TO get
into the hands of SPECTATORS. would be
. blessing"
Bays Price Fixed In Too High.
M. Madden rejoined:
~But the trouble is that the price that
p Axed by the government for coal to
BE sold to private consumers is about
d per cent more than the cost or pro-
ducing the coal. Instead OF tryfnE 70
save to the private individual. who pays
the cost Of maintaining the government,
the government itself has fixed q price
beyond all reason. and the coal miners
and the coal operators are making more
money than they have ever made before
and more than they ought to be permit
ted to make"
Representative Warren Gard of Ohio
asked whether. since the District of Co.
1nmbia Is purely q governmental reser-
vation: 1t il the idea of the committee
that there also should be included a
report on the advisability of purchasing
coal for those who are residents of the
governmental reservation. Representa-
<tive Foster replied:
T can say to the gentleman that in
my own private opinion-and am not
speaking for the committee would
welcome the time when opportunity
may be afforded to seN to the people Of
the District Of Columbia in an emer-
ter ' AAo TINS VIII
Former Speaker Cannon said that
during war.days he did not believe that
the resolution should pass ana further
disturb Industrial conditions
Result Of War Crisis.
Representative ]. Hamilton Moore a,
Pennsylvania said: at seems to me it
might be good thing to pass a resolu-
ton nke This m the present war crisis.
It fs the war crisis that brought about
resulting in the taking over Of the raii-
roads by the President of the United
states, a proposition upon which very
rev members OF this House would have
agreed year or two ago. But the crisis
u here. and It n due to war conditions.
And not only b the government at a dis
edvAntage. but the people Of the Dis
Sf1ct OF Columbia are suffering. Indeed,
u We pass a resolution Of this kind and II
should result in the erection OF a Goa !.
storage yard, II might be made sufficient
other such crisis not only the goyernnnent
might be served. but the people in dis
tress over coal prices and coal scarcity
6ue to war emergencies might also he
served. II might be q FOOD thing even
70 have the Secretary OF the Interior in
Suire as to coal bin Of the capacity or
600.000 tons. II 250.Oe0 tons is the amount
necessary for the actual needs of the
government. and thus give the people
Who are without coal and freezing in their
homes q chance to come in on equal
forms with the government. Il wouid
b tho humane thing when the ortiinarv
supply methods fall
Our present stringency in the coal
, market in the District Of Columbia n
sue to the fact. as II is in other large
cities. that In times Of plenty, when we
had ample means Of transportation. wa
I'D not avail ourselves Of the supply OF
81 the auxiliary means Of trAnsporta-
Sion. So that when the freeze came.and
ne Crisis IL on. stress naturally fol-
Representative Fordney of Michsxau
{ aid he VA unAiterably opposed to fhe
fssolutien. because he conSidered IL ~
entering wedge to government owner