Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-30
Dealers Settle on Plan Of
Giving but Two Tons
to q Customer.

ROCK 1bIdHu diDHB Win 4dDlluel
East Moline and Davenport today
was placed on coal rationing
basis to meet the emergency of the
coal miners strike effective tomor-
row night.
Dealers Of the quad cities at a
meeting with l. B. Hanks this
morning agreed that for the pub
lie good. a TatiOning system is
necessary and it was agreed to
make effective at noon today a
system whereby each customer be
delivered not more than two tons
of coal at a time, with drivers in
structed not to deliver to base
ments or sheds where there is q
supply sufficient to last for rea-
gonable time.
Mr.. Hanks, who is a business ad-
ministrative efficiency expert, re-
turned this morning from Des
Moines where he was in conference
with Governor Harding of Iowa
relative to the coal situation III
this section of the country. On ar
irving here he called a meeting OF
the coal dealers at his Office in the
Central Trust building, to consider
the emergency. He declared to
them that the situation is such that
they will have to make a sacrifice
for the public good and submitted
his plan, which is outlined in the
following resolution which was
adopted by the dealers:
Realizing to the fullest extent
the extreme gravity of the situation
confronting our people because of
the impending coal strike and from
our knowledge Of conditions within
the industry, knowing that it is i'm
possible to avert actual suffering
no matter how promptly and en-
ergetically we may act, but wish
ing to minimize these factors inso-
tar as it is humanity possible for US
to do so, we the retail coal dealers
OF Davenport, Rock Island, Moline
and East Moline, have this day met
with l. B. Hanks at his request and
after having thoroughly canvassed
the situation in all its aspects with
a view to performing our duty as
public spirited citizens. do hereby
pledge ourselves to be governed by
the following rules and procedure
during the crisis so close at hand.
Beginning at noon today, Thurs
dav. October the Goth, we will make
deliveries OF coal not to exceed two
tons to any one customer and hav-
ing made such delivery we will
make no further deliveries to the
same customer until such time as
the amount in question has been
81 Hn
alone 10 current orders but to old
order. no matter of how long
standing or what size. All orders
will be filed cOnsecutively as re-
ceived.
I'VE will instruct our drivers
where coal has been ordered by per
sons having so days supply or
more on hand, to withhold actual
delivery until they can receive in-
structions from our Office to make
delivery to those who are actually
in want.
I'VE will advise our customers 10
reduce their consumption of fuel - !
. minimum.
I'VE will give the public institu-
tions such as hospitals. public util-
tties. upon which the public may be !
for light and heat and ,
public schools preference. We re-
serve the right to withdraw our |
from the latter class of |
instructions in case the situation at !
a later date would seem to war !
rant it.
We will, if necessary in the tndi /
ANALYSIS, pool our stocks of coal !
- = hn in
thorize /. b. Hanks to conduct A |
clearing house for all orders |
through the medium of his Office !
in Rock Island.
We Will discourage any attempt !
to increase prices on coal in our |
market except insofar as they may |
be Influenced by advances over |
which we have no control.
Touching upon the matter of |
minimum established for deliveries, !
we will be guided in the future by /
made by Mr.. Hanks, |
based upon his experience covering /
the conditions as a whole within |
the market"
The following dealers signed the |
Trf-City Plate Ice company, Rock !
Island Fuel company. Behrens e !
Blair. Empire Coal & Ice company, |
Frazer Coal company, Denger |
Bros. E. B. MCkOwn Coal COM !
pany, Schillinger Coal company, |
Plow City Fuel company, Fuchs |
Coal company. Trachtenbarg Bros. !
Dimock Gould & Co, Moline Con- |
sumers company. Beder Wood |
Sons company, Mueller Lumber
company. Union Coal company, H.
D. Seiffert Lumber company, East /
Fuel company, Rock Is
land Sand & Gravel company, All |
Coal company, Abel !