The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-01-18
CAREFUL CHECK IS MADE OF COAL IN
 RAILROAD YARDS
 OF BIRMINGHAM
Continued from Page Five)

as it is where the coal for his and an- other road is kept, but that the cars are shifted daily and that the Atlanta, Birmingham and Atlantic was not so fortunate as to be able to hold coal in such quantities throughout a period of months. On account of the weather there was a three-day block. On Jan
 uary 1T, at p. m., the records showed that the road had on hand 166 cars, but within "A hours the greater part of 1t would be forwarded.
 The weather from Friday night until
 Monday morning wrought havoc with transportation on some of the roads. One operating railroader told me that for more than 100 miles on his system every water tank froze and that so deep that fires had to be built on them to thaw them out and that in number of instances the engines were put out l of commission, the tracks buckled up, 1 and many of the crew went down under the terrific strain, so that railroading was nightmare. On top of the weather was a continuous procession of troop trains to diSarrange traffic.
 Many thought it strange that MT. Se- vier stood up in a meeting of Rotarians and said that he hoped that the sugges- ton made that special train be run to Sheffield, Florence and Tuscumbia would not be acted upon favorably.
 And when he went still further and
 urged the Rotarians not to travel unless
 they were obliged to, it seemed almost
 unbelievable that a railroad representa- tive could make such request. It was a straw showing that the roads were
 more anxious to move freight than pas
 scngers. For once freights have put
 passengers on side tracks and taken the right of way.
 DUTIES OF FUEL COMMITTEE Early Thursday morning I got in touch with Frank B. Fowlkes chairman of
 the fuel committee on which are such well-known men as w. H. Hassinger, E. l.. Brown. Sol Caheen, E. H. Cabaniss, F. H. Lathrop and Lee Moody. Now that the situation is so acute, it may be well to restate their duties.
 Gather information as regards the fuel supply in the several communities. Ascertain the fuel needs of the com l munty with special regard as to points l if immediate need
 Regulate the price at which coal shall be sold.
 Ascertain the margin of profit | charged by each dealer on the various | grades of coal.
 If necessary to relieve suffering they have the right to commander coal" I was in and out of the fuel head quarters all during the day, and it was busy place. I found that Frank was
 very popular and a most affable man People got him over the phone and would not turn him loose. They crowded him in corners and tried to shake coal
 out of his pockets, but he just kept smiling. One of his favorite expressions was, Well you will have to take that up with Mir. Kennedy" But MT. Ken
 nedy being down at Montgomery, was a polite way of telling his tormenters where they should go for relief. INQUIRIES OF FUEL BOARD ! Following the hundreds of inquiries | made at the office If the Jefferson 1 couty fuel administration board yes l terday for requests to the members of l the board for an interpretation of vari- 1 ous phases of the order issued by Dr. | Garfield, chairman Frank B. Fowlkes | communicated with the state fuel admin l istrator over long distance telephone l MT. Kennedy made a ruling regarding l the manner in which the Birmingham l plants shall observe the order of the l national fuel administration, declaring l that all furnaces, steel mills, packing 1 houses. rock quarries. food product plants and manufacturers of perishable l foods may continue to run while all
 plants using hydroelectric power may | continue to operate.
 | All stores must operate without heat 1 Monday as well as theatres. The public ] schools will continue open. The tele-