The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-12

Thirteen cars of coal were released
to Topeka today by the Missouri Pa
cific railroad upon orders received
from the regional director at st. Louis
to release all coal. Five cars went to
the Edison company and the balance
to dealers for domestic use.
The city fuel ban will not be lifted
or even tilted, was the sentiment pre-
vailing at the city hall late this after
noon. The fuel situation is too serious
to even considerd removing the re-
strictions, city officials believe. 1t is
known that the mayor and one COM
missioner favor allowing the stores to
remain open until o'clock The otk-
er three commissioners would main
tain the drastic ban altho there is a
strong sentiment to allow a Saturday
night opening. The commission will
decide on its course tomorrow morn
ing.
At the Chamber of Commerce today
two of the city commissioners, Stan
field and McGiffert, met with the citi-
zens' coal committee TO get Chairman n
Dudley's report on the situation out
side of Topeka
committee, however were very pessi-
mistic concerning the condition. Dud
ley had talked with Kansas City
coal OPERATOR man in close touch
with the situation-and his opinion
was that there was no justification
at this time for Kansas City to lift
the fuel ban as they had done. He
further predicted that, if zero weather
came, that city would have to restore
the restrictions and. perhaps. make
them even more drastic than for
merly.
Kansas Situation MuddIed.
The situation in the Kansas coal
fields is badly muddled, according to
the operator. He says. TT is up to
Howat." II the miners leader orders
the men back to work, they will return
at once; if he says stay out they will
be correspondingiy obedient. The
operators express the opinion that the
union miners will not return to work
until Governor Allen takes his forces
from the coal fields. They VIII not
work for the state receivership, the
coal men say.
1t will be at least a week before
Kansas miners return to work, accord
ing to the belief of the operators. 1t
will then take them five days to clean
the mines and will be two or three
weeks before coal produced by them
will offer any noticeable relief to To-
peka, it was said.
The Santa Fe today released another
car of coal to the city, making six
cars a day now coming from that road.
This car will go to the poor and will
be distributed by P. w. Griggs from
the Gabriel coal yard.
Ten Cars Slack on Way.
Relief for industries was seen in a
wire received at the governors office
from W. M Corbett, superintendent
of the Kansas City railway terminal.
that ten cars of Arkansas slack had
been delivered to the Union Pacific
consigned to Governor Allen, and is
now on the way to Topeka. 1t will be
turned over to the proper authorities
for distribution to local steam plants,
it was said.
The coal promised from Pittsburg.
for domestic use. has not been re-
ceived. Upon the Santa Fe railroad
and the wood choppers apparently,
depends the salvation of the city for
cars being released by the Santa Fe.
beginning Thursday, no coal is being
received, according to Guilford Dud-
ley. The five cars are not half enough
to go around, even in small lots, it was
declared.
If the city is to be saved from severe
suffering. he warned.
A. H. Purdy, manager of the Edison
company, said today that the slack
coal on the road to Topeka is not
suitable for his plant. Three more
Cs1IS VI COdl were ItlcdScO 10 lIl0 COili-
pany today and two cars of fuel oil
are now on the tracks, Purdy said.
Hospitals, laundries and the most es-
sential of local industies will be given
preference in the distribution of the
ten cars of slack.
Have Mistaken idea"
A local fuel dealer received a car
load of wood today. but upon calling
up several families. was told in nearly
every case that it was not needed.
Now that the strike is over, the dealer
said Topekans are refusing to buy
wood, believing they can soon obtain
coal A cruel awakening is liable to
! occur.
Another dealer was appealed to for
children. There was no fuel in the
house. BY dint of much scraping the
dealer sent her a ton of coal. A short
time later she called up and indig-
nantly denounced the fuel as unfit to
burn.
About ten tons of dry wood have
been donated to the citizens fuel COM
mittee by o. c. Cummings. a farmer
living near Dover. One truck load of
two tons were brought in today It
is to be distributed only to poor fami-
lies who have no coal. according to J.
E. Wilson. in charge of the wood yard
at Crane and Jackson streets. Owing
to the distance from town, only one
load can be brought in aech day. The
wood will sell for $40 a ton, Wilson