Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-28
LACK Of OIL HERE
BL0CKS|TSUSEAS
FUEL SUBSTITUTE
Short Supply Deprives Plants
of Method for Meeting
Coal Famine.

| Washington's first attempt to ward
| off the threatened bituminous coal
! famine by installing oil-burning boil
| ers in big plants of the city received
| a serious setback when it was learned
| today that not one oil company could
guarantee shipment of oil sufficient
| to meet the need.
1t is generally admitted that the
| installation of oil-burning boilers to
replace those fed with coal would, in
the long run, mean considerable
saving in labor, cleanliness and
And it would entirely eliminate the
bugbear now lowering threateningly
over the great power houses and
manufacturing Establishments coal
famine.
But when the executive board of
the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany. which supplies the entire city
with electric light, tried to find one
company selling Mexican fuel oil
that would guarantee the shipment Of
oil sufficient to meet the daily needs
of the big plant, not one could be
found, according to officials of the
concern.
Reasons for Shortage.
Shipping difficulties-the lack of
ships and men-are said to be re-
sponsible for the inability of the oil
interests to get proper supply OF
fuel oil to this city. Despite this
fact, cities like New York, Providence.
Fall River and Boston are using fuel
Oil almost exclusively, and seem to be
able to get good supply.
Local manufacturers, officials of the
and heads of the District government
are heartily in accord with the idea
of installing oil-burning boilers
wherever possible. All they need is
assurance from the oil interests that
they will be supplied with enough Oil
to meet their demands.
Supt. Sinclair's Statement.
L. E. Sinclair, general superintend-
ent of the Potomac Electric, in discss
ing the attempts made by officials of
the concern to contract for fuel oil,
said:
Some time ago, when the threat
ened coal famine first doomed up, we
imme diate1y thought of installing OIL
burning boilers. We figured out the
expense it woul1 probably cost US to
make the change, and we learned that
in order to change four of our coal
fed boilers to oil burners it would
cost approximately $4,000.
1.-THE matter was taken up with the
executive board Of the company, the
necessary permission of the District
Commissioners and fire authorities OBJ
tanned and we set to work planning
for the change. After a thorough
canvass of the big oil companies we
contract to fill orders in this city
totaling more than $500 barrels
day.
1.-The upshot of it all was we had to
abandon the idea, at least temporar-
lily. There is some hope that in the
spring, if transportation conditions
are better, we may be able to receive
oil enough to warrant the change of
boilers"
'Have you made any plans in the
event Of a serious coal famine hitting
the country this winter" he~wa
asked.
What plans can we make now?
The only thing we can do will be to
shut UP the plant, at least until we
can get enough coal to run our boil
ers."
Too Expensive for Gas Company.
It was learned that, so far as the
Washington Gas Light Company is
concerned, the expense of installing
machinery to manufacture gas from
oil would be too great to warrant the
change.
From a sanitary standpoint and as
a safeguard against coal strikes and
possible coal famines, Col. Kutz, Engi-
neer Commissioner of the District, is
heartily in sympathy with the move
to install oil burners in the power
houses.
An oil company has applied for
permission to erect huge concrete
tanks along the Potomac river, with
the idea of storing oil to act as an
antidote for coal famine. The tanks
are planned to be erected one-half
underground, one-half above, and the
top completely covered with earth.
This. it is pointed out, will lessen
the danger Of fire or explosion.