The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-11-06
Three Thousand. Topeka Bins
Low, Peppmeyer Declares.
Asserts Cold Wave Will Deplete
Supply in 1000 More.
MAYOR ASKS FOR 5 CARS
Needed for Distribution HALF
Ton Lots, He Wires Director.
Big Seymour Plant Faces Cur
taiIment- Saturday Evening.

With>retail yards empty, more than
5000 Topeka families today had
less than a ton of coal on hand and
the promised cold wave will increase
the number 1000, H. L. Peppmeyer,
city coal director, declared today. r
Peppmeyer said low temperatures
for more than two days will clean
OUT many small family supplies, and
after that suffering will result unless
coal is obtained some way. The 500
tons of coal on hand in Topeka yards
today were covered by back orders,
the coal director said. /.
Five cars of soft coal are needed
Immediately for Topeka families
whose bins are empty Mayor Corwine
wired the coal director at Chicago
Wednesday night. Corwine asked the
Chicago official to release the fuel for
grams asking Senators Curtis and
Capper to take the matter of relief
for Topeka up with the fuel admins
tration were also dispatched by the
mayor.
Seymour Supply Low.
The fuel situation at the Seymour
Packing plant was serious today, COM
pany officials said. 1t was said by the
mana gers that unless fuel is obtain
able before Saturday evening the COM
begin laying off employees" Officials
declared the Seymour plant here will
discontinue the purchase and packing
of poultry and eggs and will use what
little fuel is on hand to keep up re-
frigeration for preservation of goods
already in storage. It was estimated
that about 150 employees will be at
fected if the Seymour plant suspends
active operation.
Ten days was the time limit set by
l., Z
out under the fuel shortage. Unless
supplies of fuel are forthcoming within
that period Topeka men and women
are face to face with an era of soiled
or washed at home clothes.
Twenty Days at Hospitals.
Hospitals will face with trouble due
to the fuel strike within twenty days,
it was estimated by the engineers OF
the institutions today. There are a
total of about 200 patients in the four
Topeka hospitals today, and this NUM-
Der is said to be the average, The
zoe does not include the nurses and
attendants who will be equally af-
fected if the hospitals are unable to
obtain a regular fuel supply.
The City Ice Delivery company said
today that the supply of coal in its
bins will last until Sunday or Monday.
The manager of the plant said that
there is no ice in storage to meet the
shortage. He declared that if his COM
pany does not get fuel before Monday,
it is possible and probable that the
City Ice Delivery company will be un-
able to meet any demands from Gus
toners.
Mrs. Darlene Newbee. general Sec
rotary of the Topeka Provident assoc
citation, stated t 3day that no acute
situation had been discovered in any
of Topeka's poor families as a result
of the coal famine.
A telegram received in Topeka to-
day by Mayor Corwine from Senators
Capper and Curtis announced the fed
eral fuel administrator at Chicago has
full power and auth 1rity to divert coal
shipments. to Topeka to alleviate the
threatened shortage. The telegram
said:
"Coel administration advise that federal
marager in charge delivering line railroads
at Kansas City has control and full
authority to direct the distribution of coal.
They suggest you take the matter up
direct with him. We have wired him
urging that he give Topeka relief