The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-04-25
DELAY is DANGEROUs"
Serious Shortage Can Only Be Avoided
by Kenoslans Placing Coal Orders
Now and Making Room for Coal
Burn More Wood New Slogan.

Kenosha is facing a serious coal
shortage in the winter of 1918-19 which
can only be avoided by action now.
This is the plea Of Walter M. Burke,
federal fuel administrator of Keno
sha county to the citizens Of Kenosha
to "Take the stitch in time to
order and receive coal now in order
that the congestion in delivery which
threatened Kenosha last winter may
not prove disastrous in the coming
winter. cit is a well known fact to
the administrators of Wisconsin, said
Mr.. Burke in stating the the situation,
that Kenosha is far behind the
schedule in preparing to meet this
crisis. Every day am receiving from
high fuel officials warnings that Ke-
nosha people N ust order now or they
will find themselves in the middle
Of January without chance to Sc
cure coal
At the present time there is but a
small supply Of coal in the city, not
more than thousand tons, except thai
held by the various industries. The
dealers have placed orders for coal and
will increase them in the event that
the public begins to order. The thing
to do Immediately, according to the ad-
ministrator, is for residents to prepare
a place where they can receive at least
Wo-thirds of their winter supply of
coal now and place their orders imme-
diately. There will be no limitation
placed on the amount of bituminous
coal which may be ordered, but only
two-thirds of the supply of anthracite
coal may be ordered
In making this new appeal Admins
TRAITOR Burke declared that the price
of coal would not be appreciably lower
at any time during the year and that
the chances were that it would go
much higher. During the coming year
closer watch has been ordered by the
government on all coal dealers. They
will be asked to furnish dating back
to April LIST and continuing through
the year report Of the amount of coal
purchased and at what price, the
amount sold to each customer and the
price paid together with supporting af-
fdavits when required The fuel adj
ministrators will be given increased
powers to keep the margin of profit
lower and to regulate the local condi-
tions so that cost Of delivery may not
be again exorbitant.
The fuel administrator also announe-
ed that the government had declared
itself as opposed to the policy of fac
tories buying coal for their employees
and while no ban would be put on the
practice, it would be discouraged by
the federal officials. This will throw
upon Kenosha dealers large additional
trade which must be prepared for now.
With the appeal for immed ate ord
ering Of coal comes another asking that
more wood be burnt during the coming
year and that the wood be cut now in
order that it may season fairly well.
With the shortage of labor on the farms
of Kenosha county this appeal will be
Ineffective unless people from the city
make real effort to help secure wood.
It is pointed out by federal fuel Of
fcials that wood seasoned for twelve
months will have a fuel value of one
hundred per cent, which will decrease
down to sixty-fve per cent as the time
of seasoning is shortened.
tsThe thing to do, said Mr.. Burke
in summarizing the situation, lis to
realize that Kenosha is right now fac
ing this shortage and then to get your
winter supply of fuel whether it be
coal or better wood, lined up right now.
We'd better be safe and warm than
sorry and if we do little worrying
now we will not be forced to do
SO much of it next winter. Get
busy, that's all. =